Seminar- Strain Measurement of Nanocomposite Structures -Dr. Sivaram Arepalli

Strain Measurement of Nanocomposite Structures

Sivaram Arepalli Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston

Abstract

Strain measurement provides critical information for structural health monitoring of mechanical structures of interest in aerospace, automotive and medical fields. Addition of nanocomposites to a variety of these structural elements are known to improve their mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties. Nanoscale probing of these composites are conducted using contact as well as non-contact methods. In-situ monitoring of local strain helps to better understand the load transfer among the nanoscale structural components. This talk will discuss recent adaptation of conventional techniques such as strain gauges to nanoscale measurements using resistance and capacitance changes. In addition, recent advances in the application of Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence for strain measurements of carbon nanotube and graphene based composites will be presented. Examples of specific polymer nanocomposites will also be highlighted.

References:

1) “Carbon nanotube-reinforced elastomeric nanocomposites: a review”, International Journal of Smart and Nano Materials, Vol. 6, pp. 211-238 (2016).
2) “Near-infrared fluorescent single walled carbon nanotube-chitosan composite: Interfacial strain transfer efficiency assessment”, Appl. Phys. Lett. Vol. 102, pp. 171903 (2013).
3) “Raman probing of adhesion loss in carbon nanotube – reinforced composite”, Composites Part A, Vol. 42, pp. 1681-1686 (2011). r.

Biography 

Sivaram Arepalli is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Rice University. His current interests include synthesis and processing of nanomaterials (including CNT, BNNT and graphene) for energy applications such as fuel cells, solar cells, batteries and supercapacitors. He also focuses on experimental and computational research for material development for subsonic to hypersonic aerothermodynamic flows in addition to aerospace structures, environmental sensors and bioimplants. He enjoys teaching and conducts workshops on Nanomaterials and their applications for Energy, Medicine and Aerospace.

Dr. Arepalli provides consultancy services to industry, academia and government on flow diagnostics, aerothermodynamics, and applications of nanomaterials for Aerospace, Energy and Medicine. He was the Vice President of Graduate Education at the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA), Hampton, VA and coordinated a multi University consortium to provide education and research support for NASA Langley. From 2009 to 2013, he was a Senior Professor under the World Class University program in the Department of Energy Science at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in Suwon, South Korea. He was the Chief Scientist of the Applied Nanotechnology Program and Reentry Plasma Diagnostics Program at NASA-Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA and worked for 22 years before moving to Korea in 2009.

Dr. Arepalli received his Ph.D. in Physics from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur in 1979. He finished postdoctoral work at the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University and the University of Illinois at Chicago prior to joining Lockheed Martin at Houston in 1987. His activities were focused on laser based flow diagnostics, aerothermodynamics, and nanomaterials. He was responsible for the NASA-Rice workshops on carbon nanotube growth and NASA-NIST workshops on nanotube measurements. He was part of the ISO team in establishing international standards for nanomaterials and carbon nanotubes.

Dr. Arepalli is an Associate Fellow of AIAA and is nominated as a Fellow of APS. He is a member of AIAA National Technical Committee on Terrestrial Energy. He was on the AIAA National Technical Committee on Aerodynamic Measurement Technology from 1994-2001. He was the recipient of the “Chairman’s Award for 1998” from G. B. Tech., Inc. and “President’s Award for 2005”, from Jacobs Technology for his support of NASA-JSC. In 2007, he received “Rotary National Space Achievement Award” for the accomplishments of the Carbon Nanotube Team. He received the “Nanocarbon 2008 Award” from the Carbon Society of Japan in 2008. He conducted several Nanotechnology based workshops and conferences. In 2009, he organized the first International Green Energy Nanocarbon Conference. He was the editor-in-chief of Journal of Nano Energy and Power Research.

His contact information is:
Dr. Sivaram Arepalli
Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Rice University, Houston, TX 77251
sivaram.arepalli@gmail.com
757-771-3651