Special Seminar: “Modeling Advanced Energetic Materials for Solid Propellants and Explosives”

Abstract:

Propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics, and fuels are typical classes of energetic materials. These have a high amount of stored chemical energy that can be released exothermically. For propellants such energy is used for thrusting a vehicle or projectile; explosives are typically characterized by a detonation event resulting in large and violent explosions, which makes them ideal for use in munitions manufacturing and mining. Modeling such materials requires robust predictions of mechanical-thermochemical material behavior from normal combustion to extreme conditions, and from the microscopic to the macroscopic scale for initiating reaction and maximizing designated outputs. Depending on the characteristics of the system of interest, the modeling strategy can be tested and analyzed with either a scientific or engineered model; this considers reduced or full species along with simple or detailed chemical kinetics. This talk describes a theoretical continuum framework for modeling energetic materials including how equations of state and chemical kinetics can be modeled and improved. Modeling the behavior of solid phase materials including elasticity, plasticity, and damage mechanism in hydrodynamics system will also be explored.

Bio:

Dr. Kibaek Lee is a post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at University of Florida. He obtained his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Pusan National University, South Korea, his M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degree in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research interests lie on computational mechanics, condensed/gas-phase combustion, material modeling, and chemical kinetics.