Pixelized Composites with Programable Stiffness Distribution for Acoustic Wave Manipulation

Abstract

Current materials used in Air Force and DoD applications lack localized tunability of their properties. This research will harness the dramatic stiffness change of shape memory polymers during glass transition to achieve pixel-like property control using localized heating. This capability will create composites that have programmable and functional stiffness distribution to enable applications such as tunable acoustic wave manipulation. The PI will conduct research that combines theoretical development with simulations and experiments in the following areas- 1) studying how heat transfer can affect the temperature distribution during single pixel heating and the interactions between neighboring pixels during multi-pixel heating; 2) investigating the critical condition for buckling and effective properties due to heating with different patterns; 3) understanding how the heating pattern controls acoustic wave propagation and creates acoustic bandgaps; 4) developing a machine learning-based design strategy that can rapidly design heating patterns to achieve desired acoustic wave bandgaps. These research efforts will establish a fundamental understanding of a new class of composites with highly desired locally tunable properties. It will provide an understanding of local-heating induced buckling in thermoviscoelastic solids, establish a new strategy to conduct wave propagation analysis for composites with nonuniformly distributed viscoelastic properties, and develop a machine learning and evolutionary algorithm-based strategy to design nonuniform material distribution to achieve targeted acoustic bandgaps. These scientific understanding and methods will open the door to future research for a wide array of composites functionalities for future Air Force and DoD applications.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Feb 29, 2024
Source ID
FA95502310262

Entities

People

  • Renee Zhao

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Stanford University
  • United States Air Force

Tags

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Reinforced Composite Materials
  • Robotics and Automation.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy