The objectives of this research are to characterize the nanostructures of carbon nanotube-reinforced composite materials, explore the machinability of these materials and develop multiscale mechanisitic models for the prediction of their machinability. The ultimate goal of the research is to produce a carbon nanotube-reinforced composite material that is optimized for both its physical properties and its machinability. The approach to this research will include a blend of experimentation and modeling work to study machinability performance as a function of the physical properties of CNT composites and their microstructures and employ multi-scale modeling methods to capture these performance characteristics mathematically. Then, employing finite element simulations and constitutive laws, machinability performance will be studied in detail.
Improving the manufacturability of these materials will further enable designers to exploit their remarkable properties in a range of emerging application areas including health care, communications, and national defense. Second, the project includes the training of both undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of nanomaterials and nanomaterials processing. And finally, the project, through a number of mechanisms, will reach out to under-represented minorities to inspire them to seek careers in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology.
