Highlights

Order of Magnitude Improvement in Fatigue Performance of Nanoscale Alumina Filled Epoxy

Novel nanoscale alumina particle filled epoxy nanocomposites were designed and developed for potential use in electrical machine insulation. One of the potential advantages of nanoparticle filled thermosets is the unique combination of mechanical properties that can be obtained. In the present study, a model system of nanoscale alumina filled epoxy with two interface conditions, weak interface for non-treated alumina filled epoxy and strong interface for silane treated alumina filled epoxy, was used to highlight the micromechanical mechanisms leading to significant improvements in fatigue crack propagation resistance. When the same cyclic load is applied to the nanocomposites, the fatigue crack growth rates drop more than an order of magnitude compared to the neat polymer, especially for the composites with silane treated particles. The micromechanical mechanisms leading to this improvement include crack deflection, debonding and plastic void growth, microcracking and plastic deformation of the matrix.

Su Zhao and Linda S. Schadler - Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center

Henrik Hillborg and Tommaso Auletta - ABB Corporate Research, Västerås, Sweden

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Researchers discover method to induce, suppress branching of nanorods

A new technique for growing single-crystal nanorods and controlling their shape using biomolecules could enable the development of smaller, more powerful heat pumps and devices that harvest electricity from heat. New Study Links Heat Transfer, Bond Strength of Materials

New Study Links Heat Transfer, Bond Strength of Materials

The study shows that this flow of heat from one material to another can be dramatically altered by “painting” a thin atomic layer between materials. Changing the interface fundamentally alters the way the materials interact. High efficiency, low cost fuel cells

Aligned nanostructures of carbon offer new promise as catalyst supports that minimize the amount of expensive precious metals required for the electrodes of next generation fuel cells. Crack Resistant Glass

There are two types of oxide glasses. Between these two types of glasses, there are intermediate glasses, whose properties do not change much with the cooling rate from the melts. These intermediate glasses were found highly crack-resistant. Photo/beta-voltaic Diodes

Due to unique electronic properties and the unusual quality of self-healing of radiation damage, boron carbide based semiconductors have been fabricated to form photo/beta-voltaic diodes which can be used for power harvesting and sensing applications. Anisotropic self-assembly of spherical polymer-grafted nanoparticles

Anisotropic self-assembly of spherical polymer-grafted nanoparticles

By attaching polymer brushes to spherical nanoparticles, nanoparticles orient into strings due to brush attachment. Photoactive acenes for organic photovoltaics (OPVs)

Photoactive acenes for organic photovoltaics (OPVs)

By designing the interaction between metal substrates and the first layer of molecules, acenes can be packed in a face-to-face fashion instead of the conventional herringbone (face-to-edge) arrangement. Nanorockets Propelled by Catalytic Chemical Reactions

Nanorockets Propelled by Catalytic Chemical Reactions

Rocket engines have been around for centuries and have carried humans to moon. The same propulsion principle is in fact applicable at the nanoscale. Nanostructures can propel themselves by burning the surround fuels, as shown by molecular simulations. Laser fabricated micro-/nanostructures

While others have used "Pulsed laser ablation in liquid" to produce nanoparticles for ten years, researchers at Rensselaer found for the first time that this approach could lead to more interesting structures.

To Find Out More Go To: http://www.eng.rpi.edu.eng

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Materials Science and Engineering faculty work across many discipliness, select a research topic from the list below to get a list of the faculty working in those areas:

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Rensselaer's Department of Materials Science and Engineering...

one of the oldest materials departments in the country,
has consistently ranked among the top 15 Departments in the United States,
committed to the educational process, to individual mentoring, and to academic excellence,
offers many Undergraduate & Graduate courses in an interactive, hands-on format, and
provides opportunities for undergraduate research.

Materials Science and Engineering offers students a variety of hands-on design opportunities—even bridge design! See a sample project from Design in Materials Engineering (MTLE – 4910)