Research Seminars @ Illinois

View Full Calendar

Tailored for undergraduate researchers, this calendar is a curated list of research seminars at the University of Illinois. Explore the diverse world of research and expand your knowledge through engaging sessions designed to inspire and enlighten.

To have your events added or removed from this calendar, please contact OUR at ugresearch@illinois.edu

Headshot photo of speaker

AE 590 Seminar Speaker Jason Patrick: Self-healing and Self-sensing in Structural Composites

Event Type
Seminar/Symposium
Sponsor
Aerospace Engineering
Location
CIF 2035
Date
Apr 7, 2025   4:00 - 5:00 pm  
Views
5
Originating Calendar
Aerospace Engineering Seminars

Abstract:
Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are attractive structural materials due to their high specific strength/stiffness and excellent corrosion resistance. However, constituent heterogeneity and lack of through-thickness reinforcement in layered FRP composites creates inherent susceptibility to fiber-matrix debonding (i.e., interlaminar delamination). This multi-scale damage mode has proven difficult to detect/repair via conventional methods and remains a significant factor limiting the reliability of laminated composites in lightweight structures.

In this talk, I will describe the development of a self-healing composite platform1-3 based on thermally-induced dynamic bond re-association of 3D-printed polymer interlayers. In contrast to prior thermal remending approaches, self-repair occurs in situ via resistive heating and below the glass-transition temperature of the thermoset epoxy matrix, thus preserving elastic modulus during repair. Rapid (minute-scale) and sustained (1000+) self-healing cycles have been achieved with fracture recovery reaching 100% of the toughened composite. In addition to capacity for self-repair, a self-sensing strategy is integrated to synchronously and repeatedly monitor both damage and healing, which provides feedback control for autonomous function. These latest FRP composite innovations exhibit unprecedented capacity for in-service diagnostics and self-repair, but also multi-functionality (e.g., thermal deicing), which engenders application versatility alongside structural resilience.

References

  1. A.D. Snyder, Z.J. Phillips, J.S. Turicek, C.E. Diesendruck, K.B. Nakshatrala, & J.F. Patrick, Prolonged in situ Self-healing in Structural Composites via Thermo-reversible Entanglement, Nature Communications, 13:6511 (2022).
  2. J.S. Turicek, A.D. Snyder, K.B. Nakshatrala, & J.F. Patrick, Topological Effects of 3D-printed Copolymer Interlayers on Toughening and in situ Self-healing in Laminated Fiber-composites, Composites Science and Technology, 110073 (2023).
  3. A.D. Snyder, J.S. Turicek, C.E. Diesendruck, R.J. Varley, & J.F. Patrick, Unraveling Chemical and Rheological Mechanisms of Self-healing with EMAA Thermoplastics in Fiber-reinforced Epoxy Composites, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 185:108271 (2024).

Bio:
Jason Patrick is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering with a courtesy appointment in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State University. He obtained his Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Beckman Institute before becoming faculty. Prof. Patrick has 20+ years of experience in R&D of advanced fiber-reinforced polymer composites with several patents issued and ongoing federally funded research projects by the DoD and NSF. He is a recipient of the US Air Force Young Investigator Award. Dr. Patrick’s group is directed toward the understanding and development of bioinspired material systems that exhibit multi-functionality for enhanced performance, reliability and longevity.

link for robots only