Composite materials are materials obtained by artificial combination of two or more components in order to attain performance that none of the components by itself can
attain. Fibrous and particulate composites involving polymer, cement, metal, carbon, and ceramic matrices are designed, developed, fabricated, tested, and modeled, as needed for structural, aerospace, thermal,
thermoelectric, electronic, electromagnetic, sensing, electromechanical, and biomedical applications.
Development, design, fabrication, testing and modeling of composite materials involving polymer, cement, metal and carbon matrices for structural, aerospace, civil, electronic, communication, thermal, energy and other applications.
SMART AND MULTIFUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
Smart structures are structures that can sense a certain stimulus or condition and be able to respond to it in an appropriate manner—somewhat like a human being.
Materials required for smart structures are called smart materials and include those for sensors and actuators. For example, strain sensors are used to detect vibrations, while actuators are used to suppress the vibrations.
Vibration control is needed for most structures. As another example, stress sensors are used to detect intruders in or around a building for improving security. Smart materials for use in devices (e.g., sensors) to
be embedded in or attached to a structure, as well as smart materials in the form of inherently smart structural materials, are developed and studied.
Development of structural materials that can provide both structural and selected non-structural functions,
such as the sensing of damage, the sensing of strain and stress, the blocking of electromagnetic interference, lightning protection, low observa
bility (Stealth), deicing, vibration damping and self healing.
MAGNETIC DATA STORAGE MATERIALS
Data storage at increasingly high density is needed in today's information age, as shown by the rapid recent advances in optical and magnetic storage devices. Materials are
key to data storage technology. In particular, magnetic thin films and magnetic field sensors, as needed for magnetic data storage, are developed, fabricated, and tested.
ELECTRONIC PACKAGING AND THERMAL MANAGEMENT MATERIALS
Electronic packaging pertains to the electrical interconnections, soldered joints, dielectric interlayers, encapsulations, substrates, printed wiring boards,
heat sinks, thermal interface materials, and electromagnetic interference shielding materials that are key to the performance, reliability, and further miniaturization of microelectronics. Materials for electronic
packaging and the associated thermal management, particularly those in the form of thick films and bulk materials, are developed and tested.
Development of materials for electronic packaging and thermal management, particularly materials for electrical interconnections, thermal contacts and electromagnetic interference shielding.
COMPUTATIONAL MECHANICS
The use of computational tools for simulating behavior of mechanical systems (manmade, biological, and natural) has revolutionized the way such systems are
designed/maintained by engineers and studied by scientists. We have an active program of research in the development of new computational techniques and their application to challenging problems in many areas,
including fracture, biomechanics, and debris avalanches.
Experimental methods for mechanics of materials are preferably nondestructive, so that observations can be made in real time during mechanical deformation, damage infliction,
temperature variation, humidity variation, etc. Real-time observation allows study of both reversible and irreversible effects, whereas observation after the fact permits study of irreversible effects only.
Electrical, optical, acoustic, and other methods are all used for experimental mechanics.
