Pushing the Boundaries in Lightweight Composites

Abstract

High performance polymer matrix composites (PMC) have a high specific stiffness and can be used to easily manufacture highly complex components. Hierarchical composite materials with microstructures designed for specific multifunctional purposes are an important development area for modern materials. The demand for new materials is increasing and the rate at which those new materials should complete the development cycle is decreasing. In order to meet this demand, existing material development frameworks must be enhanced via more progressive human-computer materials development. A few techniques are presented to meet this need including: a combination of modern imaging techniques and finite element analysis of in-situ fiber bundles, a stochastic approach utilizing experimental through-thickness scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of nanocomposites to create virtual representations of the experimental microstructure, an adaptation of hierarchical materials developed in nature, and the potential for a low energy, high performance processing methods.

Biography

Dr. Brina Blinzler is an Assistant Professor in Composite Mechanics at Chalmers University of Technology. Her research focuses on composite process modeling, mechanics, and material informatics. She leads the all Wood Composites Platform and is a representative for the Chalmers Graphene Center in the Focus Area: Multifunctional Composites and Coatings. She has recently received the Jacob Wallenbergs Foundation: Material Science Research Award (2019) and the Hasselblad Foundation: Female Scientist Award (2018). Previously, Dr. Blinzler conducted research at Scaled Composites, Easton Baseball/ Softball and other companies. In addition, she was a recipient of the NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program fellowship, holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Akron and BS in Civil Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology.