Institution: Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge (SUBR) Abstract Date: 7/27/09
With NSF support, Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge (SUBR) will undergo the development of strong collaborative, innovative, and self-sustaining research and education in the establishment of the proposed Next Generation Composites CREST Center (NextGenC3). This Center will be a leading entity that promotes the creation of new knowledge in collaboration with scientists and researchers in institutions, research centers, national labs, and industry, and will serve as a beacon for the education of future scientists and engineers with diverse, competitive, and well-trained populace in the area of next generation composite materials and technology. The major objectives of the CREST Center will be to provide excellent educational opportunities to traditionally underrepresented students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines and to produce synergistic understanding of next generation composites through the development of integrated and pioneering research. The NextGenC3 CREST Center will investigate three research focus areas: Development of Multifunctional Composites and Structures: Sensing, Damage Tolerance, and Vibration Damping; Grid Confined Shape Memory Particulate Composites for Impact Mitigation and Self-Healing; and Synthesis of the Next Generation Composites: Cure-On Demand Coatings, Self-healing, and Sensing Polymers. The development of NextGenC3 will yield new opportunities by providing researchers at SUBR with infrastructure and resources that will immeasurably enhance their research capabilities. The NextGenC3 will play an important role in the training of minority students to become future Materials Scientists and Engineers. The research and educational activities of the center includes stress-strain analysis, optimization, and failure criterion of multifunctional composites; kinetics of new resin systems, interfacial bonding strength development and evaluation, damage mechanics based structural analysis, integration of sensing and healing ability to composites, failure criterion, development of high damage tolerance; and thermo-electro-mechanical response of polymer composites, and design and modeling for optimum properties.
The proposed NSF CREST Center will have broader impacts on research, research productivity and capabilities, and education in material sciences & engineering at Southern University. The development of cutting edge interdisciplinary research based on next generation composites and educational activities through this Center will provide students traditionally underrepresented in the STEM disciplines with more meaningful research experiences at a readily accessible advanced research facility. The Center will help develop the necessary technical knowledge and skills so that qualified minority students will be produced to fill positions in the field of materials science and engineering. The increasing use of composites in applications, such as automotive, naval, aerospace, energy generation, and transportation structures, where light weight, damage tolerance, and multifunctionality are major factors, has highlighted the need for better materials research. The innovation and research at this Center will provide new and more durable multifunctional materials to advance the infrastructure of our nation.
