EPSCOR RESEARCH FELLOWS: NSF: MULTIFUNCTIONAL METAMATERIAL DESIGN FOR FUTURE ELECTRIC VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND…

Assistance award details

Assistance award identifier

ASST_NON_2531663_049

FAIN

2531663

Recipient

TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

Awarding agency

National Science Foundation

Funding agency

National Science Foundation

Assistance listing (CFDA)

47.083

Total obligated

$300,000

Period

Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2027

Fiscal year

2025

Place of performance state

NH

Source file

FY2025_All_Assistance_Full_20261006.zip

Description

EPSCOR RESEARCH FELLOWS: NSF: MULTIFUNCTIONAL METAMATERIAL DESIGN FOR FUTURE ELECTRIC VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFTS -THIS RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT EPSCOR RESEARCH FELLOWS PROJECT PROVIDES A FELLOWSHIP TO AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND TRAINING FOR A GRADUATE STUDENT AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE. THIS WORK IS CONDUCTED IN COLLABORATION WITH MICHAEL HALBIG AND MRITYUNJAY SINGH AT THE NASA GLENN RESEARCH CENTER. THROUGH THE FELLOWSHIP, THE PI WILL DEVELOP MULTIFUNCTIONAL PIEZOCOMPOSITES TO ENABLE SAFE OPERATION, RELIABLE PERFORMANCE, AND IMPROVED THERMAL MANAGEMENT IN THE BATTERY SYSTEMS OF ELECTRIC VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING (EVTOL) AIRCRAFT. THIS WORK CONTRIBUTES TO THE BROADER FIELD OF INTELLIGENT MATERIAL SYSTEMS BY ADDRESSING KEY CHALLENGES IN AEROSPACE ELECTRIFICATION AND PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF MATERIALS-BY-DESIGN APPROACHES. THE RESULTING MODELS AND TOOLS WILL GUIDE FUTURE MATERIAL DESIGN DECISIONS AND PROVIDE ONSITE WORKFORCE TRAINING WITH INDUSTRY-RELEVANT ENGINEERING SKILLS. THIS PROJECT WILL OFFER KEY INSIGHTS INTO PROCESSING?STRUCTURE?PROPERTY RELATIONSHIPS, WHICH SUPPORTS DATA-DRIVEN MATERIALS INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABLE, NATIONALLY COMPETITIVE MANUFACTURING INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS FELLOWSHIP FOCUSES ON THE DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MULTIFUNCTIONAL LIGHTWEIGHT PIEZOCOMPOSITES TAILORED TO ENABLE MECHANICAL ENERGY HARVESTING FOR ADDITIONAL POWER GENERATION, WHILE PROVIDING IMPACTFUL FORCE SENSING WITH STRUCTURE INTEGRITY AND THERMAL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS. THE MULTIFUNCTIONAL NATURE OF THE MATERIALS DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE SIZE AND WEIGHT CONSTRAINTS OF TRADITIONAL EVTOL DESIGNS, WHERE ONE MATERIAL ONLY SERVES ONE FUNCTIONALITY. THE PROPOSED METHODOLOGY COMBINES 3D PRINTING AND EXPERIMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PIEZOCOMPOSITES WITH MULTISCALE MODELING TO PREDICT PERFORMANCE METRICS, SUCH AS MECHANICAL-TO-ELECTRICAL ENERGY CONVERSION EFFICIENCY, THERMAL HOTSPOT FORMATION, AND DEFORMATION OR FAILURE MECHANISMS UNDER VARIOUS OPERATING C