Department of Polymer and Fiber Engineering

Educational programs 70 undergraduate students 25 graduate students Several post-docs 8 faculty members

B.Sc., M.Sc., M.E. and Ph.D. Strong foreign exchange programs

www.eng.auburn.edu/pfen

Key laboratories

• Polymer synthesis and chemistry labs • Polymer manufacturing and coatings • Polymer Characterization and analysis • Composite manufacturing • Composite mechanical and thermal evaluation • Physical testing of fibers and tows • Optical microscopy and Atomic Force microscopy

Analytical, testing and manufacturing capabilities

A full array of analytical testing facilities for fibers, polymers and composites

Faculty research interests Name Research interests Maria Auad Transparent polymer networks, shape

memory polymers, nanocomposites Sabit Adanur Polymer processing and composites,

engineered fibrous structures, CAD Gisela Buschle-Diller Natural polymers, dyes and pigments Edward Davis Coatings, melt processing, nanocomposites Yasser Gowayed Modeling, testing and manufacture of

polymer and ceramic composites Peter Schwartz Department head, polymer composites Gwen Thomas Protective materials Xinyu Zhang Nano-materials, conducting polymers

FABRIC DESIGN AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM IN 3D VIRTUAL REALITY

To develop a powerful and easy-to-use computer application programs for designing 2D and 3D fabric structures and predicting their mechanical properties and performance in 3D shape applications.

Sabit Adanur

COATED AND LAMINATED FABRICS and MEMBRANES FOR FUEL CELLS

• coating and laminating needs of membrane-based fuel cell components

• to increase efficiency, reduce cost and further develop and optimize the substrates, Recipes and process technology

Sabit Adanur

NANOPARTICLE REINFORCED HYBRID FIBERS AND FILMS

To develop polymeric materials with nanoparticles (e.g. carbon nanotubes and nanoclays) to engineer new hybrid polymeric parts and micro/nano fiber/film properties for nontraditional industries such as fuel cells, electronics, using injection molding, extrusion and electrospinning processes.

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Improving Toughness of polypropylene With Thermoplastic Elastomers in Injection Molding

Sabit Adanur

Transparent polymer networks for tough windshields

Protective enclosures Canopy / Wind shield/ Body Armor Helmet / visor

Impact-resistant lightweight transparent materials are in demand for use in automotive applications

Develop novel optically transparent Interpenetrating Polymer Networks (t-IPN) to enhance optical, mechanical, thermal and chemical performance of currently fielded materials used for transparent protection.

Maria Auad

Shape Memory Polymers (SMPs).

Shape memory polymers are smart materials capable of “remembering” their original shape after they are deformed. Thus, under appropriate conditions (usually thermal stimulus), they can be made to recover their original shape almost completely. These polymers find applications in a broad range of temperature sensing elements and biomedical systems.

The aim of this project is to tailor the chemistry of shape memory polymers and to create new ways to generate the stimulus-responsive expression of these materials (UV and magnetic activation).

SMPs synthesized at Auburn University. Recovery temp. 50°C.

Maria L. Auad Polymer & Fiber Engineering NASA EPSCoR

Auad et al, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011

The aim of this study is to show the effect of nanotubes/epoxy systems on the damping capacity of the material in an extended temperature range.

The damping capacity opens important practical applications, as light-weight and robust damping components that can be integrated into the heterogeneous composite structures.

Damping behavior in Carbon Nanotubes/epoxy Elastomers

Noise reduction and attenuation of vibration have become important technological issues associated to the application of structures and machines. The demand of materials with high structural damping capacity is growing in a variety of sectors : aerospace, transport, construction and machinery.

Maria L. Auad Polymer & Fiber Engineering

Auad et al, 2006, 2009, 2009, 2010

Green polymeric materials for composites or other applications

Lowering the eco footprint by replacing conventional polymers from petroleum with polymers from renewable resources, such as biomass

Biodegradable resins made from biopolymers (e.g., PLA from biomass)

Reinforcing strong natural fibers (e.g., flax, sisal, ramie) or recycled fibrous materials

Green processing with non-toxic solvents and lowered energy needs

Reduced use of toxic chemicals from fossil fuels

and reduced emission of greenhouse gases Green chemistry for coloration

Gisela Buschle-Diller

Ultrafine electrospun biopolymers as matrix

Micrograph of flax fibers

Materials for biomedical applications

Responsive reinforced hydrogels that keep their shape even at high swelling ratio

Interpenetrating crosslinked networks of biopolymers for controlled release of active compound

Nano-crystalline cellulose as anchors for active compounds and for grafting

Release at at 37°C pH 7.4

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Controlled drug release from FDA approved polymers

Gisela Buschle-Diller

Coloration and pigmentation

Pigments for clear coatings from renewable resources

Gisela Buschle-Diller

Thermoplastic nanocomposites: processing for enhanced performance

Improved mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties of polymeric materials would enable increased metal resulting in lower weight more fuel efficient automobiles

Edward Davis

Surface Response DOE Traditional Methods

Elucidate how performance is affected by traditional processing conditions and develop new scalable processing methods that can be integrated with existing thermoplastic processing industry to provide improved materials at lower cost.

Novel Processing

Improved Dispersion Better Performance

Scratch resistant waterborne coatings

Aesthetic and protective coatings that can be applied in an environmentally friendly fashion with improved scratch resistance are needed

Edward Davis

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Silica fraction in dried film Particle Encapsulation by Emulsion Polymerization Improved Hardness Problem

Develop new technologies for encapsulating nanoparticles in water borne coating latex systems. Improve coating properties, enable use of novel nanoparticles, increase aesthetic appeal of vehicles, enable increased use of environmentally friendly application methods.

Optimal design of polymer matrix composite materials and structures

Material design: Developed pcGINA© to calculate mechanical and thermal properties and stress and strain distributions

Structural design and Finite Element Analysis of composite materials for complex structures, creation of special elements, failure analysis

Yasser Gowayed

Manufacture and testing of complex composite structures

Multi-direction composite flywheels

Mold design Develop and conduct testing protocols

Yasser Gowayed

Thermo-mechanical properties for Ceramic Matrix Composites

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Comparison of pcGINA© calculations to ANSYS results for SiC/SiC 01/01 material

Effect of defects on properties

Yasser Gowayed

Ballistic and bomb protection • Auburn’s technologies are

being designed for V22 Osprey and other aircraft

• Waterproof, sound and thermal insulation added.

• Level IIIA and frag protection at 0.75 – 0.85 lbs/ft2

• Next goal is 7.62x39 AP protection at 2 lbs/ft2

• Bomb protection at 2.5 lbs/ft2

tested by USMC against IED’s

Gwen Thomas

Scalable manufacturing of nanomaterials for enhanced toughness of composites

General Approach

Challenges: 1. Mostly lab-scale

manufacturing with high cost

2. Difficult to process and integrate into existing composite systems

Xinyu Zhang

Line-Patterned magnetic nanoparticles on flexible substrates

Challenges: Most pre-existing methods are costly, and not easy to scale up, such as e-beam lithography

Xinyu Zhang

Design the pattern using

office softwares

Dip-coating in magnetic

nanoparticle synthesis

Pattern of magnetic

nanoparticle

Sonication in toluene to

remove toner

Pattern after dip coating

Applications: 1. Ultra-high

density storage

2. Height sensor 3. Magnetic

imaging