Structural Properties of Nanocomposites  Mike Vogel, KIPP: Houston High School  A&M Advisors: Dr. Dimitris Lagoudas, Dr. Daniel Davis, Patrick Klein, Jeff Cowley, Lesley Weitz

Aerospace Engineering  Design and develop airborne vehicles  Applications can extend to transit vehicles and cars  Focuses include Aerodynamics & Fluids, Materials & Structures, Dynamics & Control

Materials and Structures Some terms in the area of materials and structures: 1.Stress – force applied per unit of area 2.Strain – deformation caused by stress 3.Modulus – ratio of stress to strain 4.Elasticity – tendency to recover from stress

Research at A&M  Shape Memory Alloys – alloys that can recover their shape after stress  Carbon Nanotubes – cylindrical carbon molecules that are strong and lightweight

Carbon Nanotubes  Cylindrical carbon lattice  Can be single- or multi-walled  Strong and lightweight  High thermal and electrical conductivity

Nanocomposites  Composite of nanotube and matrix material  Research explores how their properties can improve the properties of the matrix material  Laminate between carbonfiber

Epoxy Beam  0.15% weight  High surface area to volume

E3 Research – How do Nanocomposites Compare?  Experiments on nanocomposite beam (Ali Jafry)  How does Modulus compare to other materials?  Mathematical models calculating shear, displacement, etc.  Focus on Differential Equations

Example of Set of Diff Eq’s  Chain of equations to solve displacement from force  8 equations with 8 unknowns  Solutions to come from boundary conditions

Calculus in the Real-World  HS curriculum focuses on the connecting acceleration, velocity, and displacement  Little use is made of differential equations  Little mention of other applications (Work, Momentum, Energy)

Forward Thinking  Students use concepts such as Summation Forces, Shear, and Moments to determine displacements  Students will see how changing initial conditions changes the equations and ultimately the displacements  Equations will depend on Force applied, as well as material  Work in conjunction with Physics class