The Research Objective

Under the mentorship of Dr. Amin, this summer project in the Smart Manufacturing Advancement and Logistics Technology (SMALT) lab is set to make significant strides in the field of metal additive manufacturing (AM). The project's focus is on improving AM through advanced defect detection and process control techniques. Students will have the opportunity to explore the effects of key process conditions—such as laser power, scan speed, and layer height—on molten metal formation and part quality. The project's main challenge is to address the presence of porosity, defects, and surface roughness in AM, which can compromise performance and service life. To tackle these issues, the project will incorporate computational modeling using ANSYS and in-situ monitoring systems such as Electromagnetic Field interactions (Eddy Current sensor probes) for real-time process control. Participants will gain hands-on experience in using Eddy Current Testing (ECT) for non-destructive defect detection in AM parts. ECT will be used to identify subsurface flaws and ensure structural integrity without the need for post-processing. By working with advanced sensors and testing methods, participants will develop strategies to enhance the precision and reliability of AM processes. This project, under the leadership of Dr. Amin, provides a unique opportunity for students to gain experience in smart manufacturing, real-time monitoring, and non-destructive testing techniques for improving metal AM quality.

The Student Will

Learn to use engineering technologies involving computational mechanics, programming, software development, manufacturing and solid mechanics that will help them find better opportunities out in the professional world or in graduate school research.

The Research Objective

Current structural challenges in aerospace applications under critical environments demand the development of advanced high-performance materials to meet specific requirements under extreme conditions. Modern state-of-the-art high-temperature materials for hypersonic flight mainly include superalloys and ceramic materials. While nickel-based superalloys have been widely used for hypersonic components, they are heavy and have limited maximum operational temperatures. Ceramic materials like silicon carbide are lightweight but challenging to manufacture. Modern aerospace applications require breakthrough advances in materials and their rapid prototyping and manufacturing. One promising solution is the development of nanocomposites to improve material properties. Over the past decade, additive manufacturing, so-called 3D printing, has emerged as a transformative fabrication approach for producing elaborate structures while minimizing waste. In this program, students can choose one of the two types of high-temperature materials based on their interests. They will use the prepared feedstock materials for 3D printing. Depending on the selected type of material, they will receive hands-on training in state-of-the-art 3D printing techniques, including VAT Photopolymerization, Direct Ink Writing, and Laser Powder Bed Fusion. Students will also gain access to advanced instruments to analyze the 3D-printed specimens.

The Student Will

Receive training in interdisciplinary research in materials development. They will gain hands-on experience in advanced 3D printing technology and enhance their problem-solving skills. Furthermore, students will be encouraged to participate in preparing potential scientific publications and giving technical presentations at conferences for their research findings.

The Research Objective

In silicon photonic integrated circuits, the integration of a light source presents the most difficulty in cost and complexity. The difficulty arises from fundamental physics that silicon is an indirect bandgap semiconductor while most inorganic light sources are made from direct bandgap semiconductors that are difficult to lattice match with silicon. As quantum photonics becomes increasingly important for secure communication and computing, there is a need for the integration of light sources on a chip to minimize optical loss from coupling from an external light source to the silicon circuit. In this research, the selected candidate will integrate low-cost light sources from colloidal quantum dots with existing silicon photonic circuits for application in classical and quantum-integrated photonics. The selected colloidal quantum dots will emit in the telecom wavelengths at 1550nm where it is presently impossible to obtain emission from inorganic quantum dots in direct band gap semiconductors. In-house and commercial colloidal quantum dots in a solvent will be dispersed in a controlled manner on silicon photonic microcavities and waveguides. The selected candidate will work to characterize the room temperature photoluminescence emitted from colloidal QDs in a confocal microscopy setup, as well as integrated with a silicon photonic circuit in a fiber-optic setup. Knowledge in optics or semiconductors is not required. However, some interest in chemistry and materials science is helpful. Success in the project will be measured by the ability to measure photoluminescence from colloidal quantum dots in the confocal setup and fiber-optic setup. 

The Student Will

Gain experience in optical engineering, work with various optical components such as optical fibers, lasers, detectors, and optical components such as lenses, mirrors, and beam splitters. Students will also learn about novel light sources integrated with semiconductor photonic integrated circuits. Finally, via weekly presentations at group meetings, the student will develop experience in delivering oral presentations as well as answering questions from an audience.

This research project is supported by the Ethos Center.

The Research Objective

The Department of Energy predicts that between 2022 and 2050, the demand for electricity on the United States will double, and the capacity of renewable energy will see a three-fold increase. Increasingly, solar panels are being placed on agricultural land, giving farmers a second income stream but creating a conflict between energy production and food. Agrivoltaics, where animals and crops are raised amidst an array of solar panels, is a solution to this conflict. Designing an agrivoltaics facility is complex, as the orientation, spacing, and height of the solar panels creates shade and alters the temperature and moisture level, which in turn influences the growth of all plants growing amongst the panels. Dr. Elcin Gunay, Dr. Rydge Mulford, and Dr. Amy Ciric are developing a software package that will help famers design effective agrivoltaic sites. In this SURE project, students will (a) build a test bed of solar panels arranged with different orientations and heights, (b) test the predicted shade, moisture, and temperature levels around these panels, and (c) raise a vegetable crop of their choice and develop a predictive model for the growth of that crop in an agrivoltaic bed. SURE students will work with other student researchers, choose the orientation and height of the test panels and the vegetable crop, and develop a plant growth model suitable for inclusion in a nonlinear optimization problem.

The Student Will

Learn about experimental design, data collection, and the details of plant growth models. The student will also learn how to construct a nonlinear optimization model and how to solve these problems in Python. This work is directly connected with Dr. Mulford’s work on solar energy and Drs. Gunay and Ciric’s work in operations research.

The Research Objective

Global plastic production exceeded 360 million tons in 2020 and is projected to reach 1.1 billion tons by 2050, with over 79% classified as single-use plastics, contributing to environmental pollution. Large plastic waste eventually breaks down into microplastics (MPs), particles smaller than 5 mm, due to environmental factors such as physical erosion, ablation, UV irradiation, and exposure to acidic and alkaline conditions. The goal of this proposed project is to investigate the development of functionalized membranes aimed at significantly improving the removal of diverse microplastics (MPs) from water. This project encompasses two primary aims. The first aim seeks to advance our understanding of the physical (deposition) and chemical (adsorption) interactions between diverse MPs and membrane filtration technology via molecular simulation and experimental analyses. These investigations aim to determine the impact of the unique 3D-fabricated membranes on both the fate and transport of microplastics. The second aim is to formulate selective remedial strategies for microplastics using a range of 3D-fabricated membranes with different chemical (i.e., surface charge) and physical (i.e., pore size) properties as a new platform of tunable membrane flat sheets. While reverse osmosis (RO) membranes have demonstrated satisfactory removal performance for MPs, the RO process is characterized by its high energy consumption and associated costs. The size fractionation process of the existing plastic particles in a water mixture by the 3D-fabricated membranes could open new doors on the reusability and degradation of plastics.

The Student Will

Benefit the student in several significant ways. Academically, they will gain a deeper understanding of their field and develop essential research skills, such as data analysis and experimental design, through hands-on experience. Professionally, mentorship from a faculty member will provide invaluable guidance and networking opportunities that can open doors for future academic or career pursuits. Additionally, the student will have the chance to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting, enhancing their problem-solving abilities and building a strong portfolio. Finally, this experience will foster personal growth by boosting their confidence and collaboration skills, preparing them for future challenges.

The Research Objective

My research centers on the modeling and analysis of systems that operate under uncertainty. I study how dynamic and real-world environments can be modeled through non-deterministic methods. During the program, my primary focus will be assessing risks in global supply chains, which are more vulnerable than localized supply chains due to their reliance on suppliers across different regions. For instance, how catastrophic weather conditions can impact supply chain operations from one nation to another. The key research questions that will be studied during this program are: (i) what are the primary risks faced by global supply chains? (ii) how can these risks be effectively described? (iii) what approaches are available for gathering data related to these risks? and (iv) how can these risks be quantitatively measured? Given the good amount of textual data, such as news articles and reports, detailing country-specific risks, I will investigate suitable methods and tools to analyze and quantify these risks. Furthermore, with the advancements in artificial intelligence, I will examine how Large Language Models can be leveraged to extract insights from unstructured data. The ultimate goal of this program is to develop a tool that aids decision-makers in identifying supplier risks, thereby strengthening the resilience of global supply chains.

The Student Will

By the end of the program, students will be able to: (i) develop comprehensive skills in conducting literature searches using academic databases and other resources to identify relevant studies and information. (ii) learn to perform data collection and apply appropriate methods to analyze and interpret data for risk assessments. (iii) supporting student to design and construct a model for risk assessment. (iv) learn to write professionally for academia.

The Research Objective

Ensuring battery ‘safety’ is the key to mass adoption of electric vehicles. The lithium-ion battery that powers today's electric vehicles (EVs) can catch fire upon mechanical damage, electrical shorting, or overheating. For example, mechanical damage leads to internal electrical shorting of cells; consequently, large current flows internal to the battery components and, in the process, produces excessive heat that cannot be cooled with an inbuilt thermal management system. The result of battery fire propagating from damaged cells/modules to nearby modules is the thermal runaway (TR) process. Furthermore, the fire intensity in a TR is maximum when the battery is fully charged (it contains lots of dischargeable energy). The battery management system (BMS) automatically shuts down the battery system's operation in case of battery damage. Still, the heat from the damaged module can overheat and electrically shorten the nearby module, and the fire continues until all the EVs burn down. Thus, a method (secondary circuit) that can de-energize (discharge) only the damaged and immediately surrounding battery modules in a few minutes (3-5 minutes) and use the discharged energy to run localized cooling systems such as Peltier cooler will contain the risk localized and avoid risking burning the entire vehicle. Developing such a strategy will require multiple research projects (hence different choices for students), such as understanding the effect of ultra-fast discharge on heat generation, developing secondary electrical circuits independent of primary BMS that combine localized cooling elements, understanding trades-off of installing such secondary system on the EVs cost, etc.

The Student Will

Gain firsthand experience solving a real-life problem by learning how to plan and execute a research project. Students will develop skills in battery testing, circuit design, thermal management, and data analysis. My ongoing research relates to solving the safety problems of commercial Li-ion and future battery technologies. After initial training (around two weeks), the student will be expected to test 5-6 battery cells with mounted thermocouples. The test will involve adiabatic battery charge and discharge at different currents (particularly fast charge and fast discharge conditions) and measure variations in voltage and temperature with test time. Thermal management should automatically switch on if the battery's temperature exceeds 55°C during charge and discharge. Students must calculate the cooling energy and power required to keep the battery temperature below 55°C. In the last week, the students will submit a report on the work completed. The student benefit from hands-on experience gained during the project that could benefit the student to secure future employment in various industries, such as automobiles, electronic manufacturers, aviation industries, space industries, medical equipment manufacturers, or various government agencies such as the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, NASA, etc. Alternatively, the student might want to pursue higher education in energy storage systems. I would be happy to guide them through the options.   

Note: This research will be conducted at Curran Place. Transportation and a parking pass are needed.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

This summer research project offers undergraduate students the opportunity to explore simulation techniques for analyzing manufacturing and production systems. Participants will use advanced simulation software, Simio, to develop realistic models of production processes and layouts, focusing on real-world manufacturing problems such as bottleneck analysis, throughput optimization, resource utilization, and workflow efficiency. By conducting time studies, creating simulation models, and designing experiments for testing, students will gain insights into identifying bottlenecks, reducing waste, and enhancing overall system performance. Throughout the project, students will develop practical skills in simulation modeling, data collection, data analysis, and problem-solving. Emphasis will be placed on addressing real-world challenges and making data-driven decisions, providing participants with valuable hands-on experience that is directly applicable to both academic research and industry settings.

THE STUDENT WILL

Gain skills in simulation modeling, data analysis, and experiment design using Simio, directly aligning with real-world manufacturing optimization challenges. They will learn to identify bottlenecks, optimize layouts, and enhance system performance—valuable skills in both research and industry, particularly in the field of manufacturing system optimization.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

Dielectric elastomers are a promising class of electro-active materials that deform when subjected to applied voltages. This project focuses on the commercial dielectric elastomer 3M VHB and experimentally characterizing its electro-mechanical response. To accomplish this, mechanical testing (e.g., uniaxial tension, pure shear) will be performed under a broad range of applied DC voltages. An anticipated outcome is experimental data that can be used to calibrate electro-mechanical models used for modeling, simulating, and controlling dielectric elastomer actuators used in cutting-edge technologies such as soft robotics. This project will be hands-on and involve specimen fabrication, electrode deposition, selecting and installing instrumentation, and acquiring measurements using mechanical and electrical test equipment/software (e.g., Instron universal testing machine, high-voltage DC power supply, LCR meter, machine vision cameras, ImageJ). 

THE STUDENT WILL

Benefit from participating in the proposed research by being exposed to:

1. Soft functional materials – an emerging class of engineering materials that couple mechanics (strain) to electricity (voltage) 
2. State-of-the-art laboratory facilities in the UD SoE and UDRI, including cutting-edge synthesis and characterization equipment at UDRI and an Instron 3365 load frame with digital image correlation in the UD BAMS Lab dedicated to testing soft materials over a broad range of deformation modes and strain rates
3. Advanced graduate-level mechanics theory, including large-strain nonlinear elasticity Students will also learn valuable research-related soft skills, including how to read and interpret technical literature, how to deliver an effective technical presentation, and how to disseminate research findings through effective technical writing.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

CubeSats are small (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) spacecraft that are generally developed by Universities and piggyback on rocket launches. Often developed for low-budget science missions, CubeSats have an issue with failing due to a lack of thermal control. When passing through the shadow of the Earth or while moving through the intense sunlight, these spacecraft can get too hot or too cold, causing onboard components to fail. This project involves the development of a special radiator used to remove waste heat from the CubeSat. The use of passive materials allows this radiator to operate without electricity. Students at UD are collaborating with NASA Goddard and BYU to develop the actuation methods as well as to improve the heat transfer into the radiator surface.

THE STUDENT WILL

Receive hands-on experience with technology development, prototyping, heat transfer experimental methodology, and prototype ideation. Students will work with a group of undergraduate and graduate students both at UD and at other institutions.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

One of my primary areas of research at UD has been the synthesis of novel semiconductor nanocrystals or quantum dots and understanding their structure-property relationships.1,2 The motivation for this work lies in the exciting application opportunities of these unique nanocrystals ranging from photovoltaics and light-emitting diodes to deep tissue imaging. The vast possibility in application arises from the ability to tune the properties of these nanocrystals such as the optical band gap or electronic structure with composition, shape, and crystal phase of these nanocrystals. These materials have drawn tremendous attraction from the global scientific community due to their application potential as evidenced from the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry that has been awarded for the discovery of quantum dots.3 In this SURE project, we will focus on achieving new and more sustainable quantum dots that can emit light in the infrared and mid-infrared ranges for application in deep-tissue imaging. Currently, some of the mid-IR range quantum dots that are available for application consist of PbTe and HgTe-based compositions that are highly toxic. Therefore, our goal will be to predict more sustainable quantum dot compositions with the desired spectral and emission properties for bioimaging applications. Some compositions that we will explore include multinary copper chalcogenides and binary tellurides. Ab initio calculations of electronic structures and optical properties including density functional theory, meta-GGA, and HSE06 will be used to predict new semiconductor compositions with bandgap in the desired range. Supercomputing capabilities for the calculations will be made available for the project through my collaboration with the Nanomaterials Theory Institute, ORNL. The specific aims of the project are:

1. Predicting new semiconductor nanocrystal compositions with emission in the infrared and mid-infrared ranges for deep-tissue imaging applications.
2. Investigation of band structure and density of states of the semiconductor nanocrystals through ab initio calculations
3. Investigating the optical properties such as optical absorption of the nanocrystals through ab initio calculations

THE STUDENT WILL

Gain knowledge of existing and upcoming state-of-the-art in the field through a broad literature review, advanced analytical and decision-making skills in the field through detailed analysis and interpretation of experimental results, and key skill sets in the ab initio theoretical calculations through VASP so that the student gains advanced expertise in the field by the end of the project. the first couple weeks will be dedicated to a literature review on semiconductor nanocrystals, their experimental structure-property determination, their theoretical investigation of band gap and optical properties, and their application in the bioimaging field. This will offer the student the background knowledge in the specific research field that will enable him/her to select and propose the direction of their project. During the next week, the student will also gain expertise in the analysis of experimental band gap, determination of crystal phase, size of the nanocrystals, lattice parameters of the crystal structure, and emission properties of the semiconductor nanocrystals through detailed analysis of the experimental data on multinary copper chalcogenides and Si thin films that have been generated in my laboratory at UD. This will further strengthen the student’s knowledge in the field to pursue a research direction of their choice. The student will select the new quantum dot materials they wish to pursue for the project. The student will also gain access to the supercomputing capabilities within these few weeks. In the next weeks, the student will be introduced to ab initio calculation techniques which can be performed on the materials of their choice using the supercomputing capabilities of NTI at ORNL. The student will also be introduced to my collaborators at ORNL. I will hold weekly discussions with my students to teach the new methods involved in the project, review the results, and provide feedback and advice. I will also mentor the student in technical writing and technical presentation. The student will be encouraged to present the research results at local and national conferences.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

Many machines involve a human as the operator. Examples can include pilots flying aircraft, people walking on treadmills, or people with injuries wearing exoskeletons to name a few. To achieve the desired end functionalities of the machine's design, we must understand how the person interacts with or manually controls it. Given that these machines can move the person in ways other than they would naturally move, these interactions may involve interactions that yield coupled behaviors that need to be incorporated into the design and/or control. These research avenues thus provide students with opportunities to design experiments that quantify human movement, or manual control, within machines and offer new strategies for modeling and control of such coupled systems. 

THE STUDENT WILL

Benefit by learning how to conduct hypothesis-driven scientific experiments involving human subjects. They will also learn how to interpret their results such that they can be disseminated to many different people. Lastly, they will learn how to convey the importance of the research that they are doing to a broader audience.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

According to the US Department of Agriculture, bacteria pathogens generate 9.4 million episodes of foodborne illnesses with an annual economic burden of 15.5 billion dollars. New technologies are needed to address the worldwide demand for producing disinfectants that are non-toxic but capable of destroying pathogens. Vasquez’s research group has experience working with bio-based nanoscale materials and producing nanocomposites with multiple functionalities using surface or chemical modification techniques. This SURE research experience will focus on investigating novel non-toxic disinfectant materials at the nanoscale that can treat and eradicate potential bacteria from surfaces. Another project of interest is the preparation of responsive bio-based films for self-cleaning/disinfectant-containing surfaces. Both goals align with the United Nations' sustainable development efforts. Many experimental characterization techniques will be used to assess the as-produced materials, including but not limited to microscopy, spectroscopy, conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH, and contact angle measurements, which determine the hydrophobicity of hydrophilicity of a surface after a chemical treatment. The SURE student will potentially collaborate with other Faculty and student members in Biology or Chemistry.

THE STUDENT WILL

Receive training directly from Dr. Vasquez or his graduate students. The student will also learn various experimental techniques not found in a typical curriculum that will help pursue the research. Students will be free to work independently but with guidance from the mentor and graduate students.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

The general research objective of this project is using a machine vision camera array to collect imageries and generate 3D models of civil engineering structures with deformation/displacement information. At the Applied Sensing and AI Lab for Infrastructure Engineering (ASAI Lab) hosted in the CEE department, we have a variety of machine vision cameras for data acquisition, NVDIA Jetson Nano single board computers for control and synchronization, and high-end workstations for 3D reconstruction and postprocessing. The camera array system that will be used has been developed in our lab and tested in last year’s SURE project. The improvement effort proposed for this SURE project is to add dynamic scanning functionality and characterize the system accuracy and precision by conducting indoor calibration experiments. This project contains multiple possible topics including activities relevant to hardware development, software development, and hands-on experiments. The student will have the opportunity to explore a range of machine vision related research activities including developing a self-adaptive blob detector using OpenCV, implementing fast 3D reconstruction methods with OpenMVG, designing 3D object recognition and tracking systems using existing AI models, or conducting camera calibration experiments and assessing error and precision of the developed system.

THE STUDENT WILL

Gain technical expertise in Image Processing and Computer Vision:

• Foundational Understanding: Starting with the pinhole camera model, the student will build a solid foundation in how cameras capture images, which is essential for any work in computer vision.
• Hands-On Experience with Tools learning to use industry-standard libraries such as OpenCV for image processing tasks and OpenMVG for 3D reconstruction. If you choose to explore AI models, you'll gain experience with frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• Algorithm Development: You'll develop and implement algorithms for self-adaptive blob detection, fast 3D reconstruction, or 3D object recognition, depending on the topic the student chooses.
• Formulating Research Questions: You'll learn how to identify gaps in existing knowledge and formulate meaningful research questions to address them.
• Experimental Design and Methodology: You'll gain experience in designing experiments, selecting appropriate methodologies, and setting up experiments to test your hypotheses.
• Data Analysis and Interpretation: You'll develop skills in analyzing data, interpreting results, and drawing conclusions supported by evidence.
• Scientific Writing and Communication: enhance your ability to document your research findings clearly and concisely, which is crucial for writing reports or publishing research papers.
• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: You'll tackle complex problems, which will sharpen the student’s ability to think critically and develop effective solutions.
• Time Management and Project Planning: Managing a research project will improve your organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines.
• Collaboration and Communication: Working closely with the PI and other team members will enhance your teamwork and communication skills.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

Modern advances in hybrid electronics allow for flexible printed circuit boards and soft, stretchable substrates that integrate rigid electronics components. This presents an inherent electro-mechanical challenge - can soft conductive traces that form the circuits with rigid components withstand the stress and strain that flexible and stretchable materials undergo? This project seeks to design and test flexible and stretchable electronic circuits using state-of-the-art conductive inks and assess and improve their resilience to strain cycling.

THE STUDENT WILL

Learn to read review research articles to identify the current state of research in a specific topic, and be exposed to the process of experiment design to collect data relevant to a peer-reviewed publication. The student will draw on previous electronics knowledge to design a circuit that uses state-of-the-art materials that enable a novel application, allowing them to work on a specific engineering solution outside of the classroom. The student will conduct experiments, collect data, and produce plots that tell the story of the science and engineering behind the experiment, fitting that into the broader context of the current state of research in the field.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

Advances in aerospace engineering are highly dependent on the development and modernization of flying vehicles and propulsion systems. The metallic materials and superalloys developed to date are already incapable of meeting the stringent requirements for materials intended for service under alternating loads, in oxidizing media, and at high temperatures. Ceramic composite materials consisting of a ceramic matrix and ceramic fibers are thought to be a viable alternative to expensive and heavy superalloys owing to a combination of properties that significantly surpass the mechanical characteristics of metals and metallic alloys [1, 2]. A very important class of advanced high-temperature composite materials for structural applications is SiC/SiC composites, which consist of a silicon carbide matrix and reinforcing silicon carbide fibers [1-4]. The addition of thermally stable and durable SiC fibers allows SiC/SiC composites to retain a considerable fraction of their load carrying capacity owing to the deceleration and deflection of matrix microcracks at the fiber/matrix interface, which is responsible for the pseudoplastic fracture behavior of composite materials in which both components are brittle. An indispensable, vital component of a ceramic composite is the interface, whose properties can be controlled by producing a multilayer nanocoating on the fibers. During the fabrication and service of a composite, its reinforcing SiC fibers are subjected to repeated heat treatments, which can cause changes in their strength characteristics. Since fibers in a composite act as reinforcing (strengthening) agents, degradation of their mechanical properties can lead to a reduction in the strength of the composite as a whole [l, 4]. Most commercially available SiC reinforcing fibers have excellent mechanical properties, but the ability to retain such properties after a coating process and repeated heat treatments is determined to a significant degree by the composition and microstructure of the parent fibers, as well as by heat treatment conditions [5]. We will study two types of silicon carbide fibers, Nicalon CG and Tyranno, which are differed significantly in composition and microstructure [1, 6]. The purpose of this work is to examine the effect of heat Treatment between 1200 C and 1600 C , on the tensile mechanical strength of these two types of fiber and their structural evolution.

THE STUDENT WILL

Gain hands-on experience in advanced materials characterization, including tensile strength testing and microstructural analysis using techniques such as SEM and XRD. They will also develop skills in thermochemical processing of SiC fibers. These research skills directly align with aerospace material advancements, especially in high-temperature, high-strength applications, key to the project’s focus.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

Current structural challenges in aerospace applications under critical environments demand the development of advanced high-performance materials to meet specific requirements under extreme conditions. Modern state-of-the-art high-temperature materials for hypersonic flight mainly include superalloys and ceramic materials. While nickel-based superalloys have been widely used for hypersonic components, they are heavy and have limited maximum operational temperatures. Ceramic materials like silicon carbide are lightweight but challenging to manufacture. Modern aerospace applications require breakthrough advances in materials and their rapid prototyping and manufacturing. One promising solution is the development of nanocomposites to improve material properties. Over the past decade, additive manufacturing, so-called 3D printing, has emerged as a transformative fabrication approach for producing high performance components. In this program, students will be trained to prepare feedstock materials for 3D printing. They will receive hands-on training in state-of-the-art 3D printing techniques, including VAT Photopolymerization, Direct Ink Writing, and Laser Powder Bed Fusion. Students will also gain access to advanced instruments to analyze the 3D-printed specimens.

THE STUDENT WILL

Receive training in interdisciplinary research in materials development. They will gain hands-on experience in advanced 3D printing technology and enhance their problem-solving skills. Furthermore, students will be encouraged to participate in preparing potential scientific publications and giving technical presentations at conferences for their research findings.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

Semiconductor devices are made using a combination of various steps such as photolithography, material deposition or evaporation, etching, and doping to name a few of the steps. Of these, photolithography and its nano-counterpart electron beam lithography are the most critical steps that define the dimensions and shape of various regions within silicon that result in one single transistor. Current minimum feature sizes in the industry are approaching sub-nanometer levels. A single processor chip has several millions of transistors. Each transistor needs tens to hundreds of separate photomasks prepared using computer-aided-design (CAD) files to accurately define each tiny device component finally ending in contact electrodes. Similarly, in photonics, CAD is necessary to enable an accurate layout of photonic waveguides, resonators and contact electrodes, before fabrication. As data rates increase from a few GHz to 100 GHz and higher, optical interconnects are the only viable solution for high-rate data transport due to losses associated with electrical wires, in particular, the skin effect. A fully scripted routine enables quick changes to device geometries and other accessory components eliminating errors associated with manual design and layout. In this research, the selected student will employ Python programming and KLayout to enable CAD creation of arbitrary features shapes and arrays with precise positioning that will result in the layout of a micro ring resonator that can be electro-optically controlled to convert data from electrical to optical domain. The script will enable integration with multi-project-wafer process development kit components for fabless research teams. Cleanroom training is included. 

THE STUDENT WILL

In this research, the selected student will employ Python programming and KLayout to enable CAD creation of arbitrary features, shapes, and arrays with precise positioning that will result in the layout of a micro ring resonator that can be electro-optically controlled to convert data from the electrical domain to the optical domain. The script will enable integration with multi-project-wafer process development kit components for fabless research teams. In addition to layout and design, students will learn about various steps of the semiconductor manufacturing process and also about fundamental semiconductor devices in electronics and photonics.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

3D-printed self-healing elastomers with rapid, stimuli-free self-healing at room temperature show great promise for next-generation soft robots with embedded damage resistance and on-the-fly reconfigurability. To mature these materials for use in next-gen soft robots, strategies to successfully embed electronic payloads (e.g., sensors) are needed. This includes overcoming significant stiffness mismatches between the rigid electronic payloads and soft substrate and tactics to transport current from a power source to the embedded electronics (since the substrate is an insulator). This project focuses on the latter opportunity, leveraging surface-deposited liquid metal ink to create a novel soft “electronic material” with conductive traces for current transport. To accomplish this, best practices will be established for depositing the commercial liquid metal ink ELMNT onto self-healing elastomer specimens. The resulting specimens will be electro-mechanically characterized to quantify self-healing performance and variation of resistivity with strain, strain rate, and cyclic loading frequency. This hands-on project will involve specimen fabrication, conductive trace deposition, selecting and installing instrumentation, and acquiring measurements using mechanical and electrical test equipment/software (e.g., Instron universal testing machine, LCR meter, machine vision cameras, ImageJ). 

THE STUDENT WILL

Benefit from participating in the proposed research by being exposed to:

1. Soft functional materials – an emerging class of engineering materials that couple mechanics (strain) and electricity (current) 2.
2. State-of-the-art laboratory facilities in the UD SoE and UDRI, including cutting-edge synthesis and 3D-printing equipment at UDRI and an Instron 3365 load frame with digital image correlation in the UD BAMS Lab dedicated to testing soft materials over a broad range of deformation modes and strain rates
3. Advanced graduate-level mechanics theory, including large-strain nonlinear elasticity Students will also learn valuable research-related soft skills, including how to read and interpret technical literature, how to deliver an effective technical presentation, and how to disseminate research findings through effective technical writing. 

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

The heart of processes that convert raw materials into useful products is a chemical reactor. Many of these reactors contact reactants in multiple phases such as aerobic fermenters used to produce pharmaceutical and food products via fermentation. In these gas-liquid reactors, agitation is used to more effectively and economically carry out the reaction. The purpose of agitation is to distribute the gas fed to the reactor throughout the liquid, producing small bubbles that increase the interphase mass transfer rate (moving a gas-phase species into the liquid phase such as oxygen into a fermentation broth). Most gas-liquid reactions are carried out in tall vessels that require multiple impellers to provide adequate agitation. The current state of the art is to combine a lower gas dispersion impeller to control and disperse the incoming gas flow with multiple upper impellers to provide top-to-bottom mixing that distributes reactants and dissolved gases throughout the vessel. The proposed project would determine key performance parameters such as gas dispersion capability, agitator power requirement, and gas holdup (the fraction of the vessel occupied by gas) as functions of operating conditions (scale, impeller type, impeller diameter, rotational speed, and physical properties (e.g. – liquid viscosity and coalescence characteristics)). The goal is to gather sufficient performance information to provide the baseline for a design procedure that would permit optimized a priori design of agitators for future applications without the need for additional experimentation.

THE STUDENT WILL

Work on a real-world engineering problem that requires experimental research to provide needed information. They will interact with practicing engineers who will apply the results of this work to develop agitator designs to meet process objectives. Additional benefits include development of the engineering skills: 

• Critically review selected literature in the gas dispersion area
• Plan and perform experiments to gather information needed for design procedure development
• Analyze experimental data
• Manipulate the data into a form suitable for use in a design procedure
• Present the results to faculty mentor and practicing engineers

Note: This research will be conducted off campus at a Noy on Poe Avenue, Dayton, Ohio 45414. The student will be responsible for driving to and from this location each day for research.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

According to the US Department of Agriculture, bacteria pathogens generate 9.4 million episodes of foodborne illnesses with an annual economic burden of 15.5 billion dollars. New technologies are needed to address the worldwide demand for producing disinfectants that are non-toxic but capable of destroying pathogens. Vasquez’s research group has experience working with bio-based nanoscale materials and producing nanocomposites with multiple functionalities using surface or chemical modification techniques. This SURE research experience will focus on investigating novel non-toxic disinfectant materials at the nanoscale that can treat and eradicate potential bacteria from surfaces. Another project of interest is the preparation of responsive bio-based films for self-cleaning/disinfectant-containing surfaces. Both goals align with the United Nations' sustainable development efforts. Many experimental characterization techniques will be used to assess the as-produced materials, including but not limited to microscopy, spectroscopy, conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH, and contact angle measurements, which determine the hydrophobicity of hydrophilicity of a surface after a chemical treatment. The SURE student will potentially collaborate with other Faculty and student members in Biology or Chemistry.

THE STUDENT WILL

Receive training directly from Dr. Vasquez or his graduate students. The student will also learn various experimental techniques not found in a typical curriculum that will help pursue the research. Students will be free to work independently but with guidance from the mentor and graduate students.

THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

Advances in aerospace engineering are highly dependent on the development and modernization of flying vehicles and propulsion systems. The metallic materials and superalloys developed to date are already incapable of meeting the stringent requirements for materials intended for service under alternating loads, in oxidizing media, and at high temperatures. Ceramic composite materials consisting of a ceramic matrix and ceramic fibers are thought to be a viable alternative to expensive and heavy superalloys owing to a combination of properties that significantly surpass the mechanical characteristics of metals and metallic alloys [1, 2]. A very important class of advanced high-temperature composite materials for structural applications is SiC/SiC composites, which consist of a silicon carbide matrix and reinforcing silicon carbide fibers [1-4]. The addition of thermally stable and durable SiC fibers allows SiC/SiC composites to retain a considerable fraction of their load-carrying capacity owing to the deceleration and deflection of matrix microcracks at the fiber/matrix interface, which is responsible for the pseudoplastic fracture behavior of composite materials in which both components are brittle. An indispensable, vital component of a ceramic composite is the interface, whose properties can be controlled by producing a multilayer nanocoating on the fibers. During the fabrication and service of a composite, its reinforcing SiC fibers are subjected to repeated heat treatments, which can cause changes in their strength characteristics. Since fibers in a composite act as reinforcing (strengthening) agents, degradation of their mechanical properties can lead to a reduction in the strength of the composite as a whole [l, 4]. Most commercially available SiC reinforcing fibers have excellent mechanical properties, but the ability to retain such properties after a coating process and repeated heat treatments is determined to a significant degree by the composition and microstructure of the parent fibers, as well as by heat treatment conditions [5]. We will study two types of silicon carbide fibers, Nicalon CG and Tyranno, which are differed significantly in composition and microstructure [1, 6]. The purpose of this work is to examine the effect of heat Treatment between 1200 C and 1600 C , on the tensile mechanical strength of these two types of fiber and their structural evolution.

THE STUDENT WILL

Gain hands-on experience in advanced materials characterization, thermal processing, and mechanical testing techniques, specifically focusing on the high-temperature behavior of ceramic composites. They will learn how to conduct tensile strength tests, analyze microstructural evolution using microscopy, and interpret experimental data, all critical skills for materials science research. Additionally, the student will develop problem-solving and data analysis skills essential for engineering. These skills directly relate to aerospace materials research, providing them with the technical knowledge needed to work on the development and evaluation of next-generation aerospace materials like SiC/SiC composites.