Thin-Layer Magnetostrictive Damping for Compressor Blade Damping

"Fortis Technology proposes to use their novel manufacturing technique based on magnetic fields to distribute nano-particulate in a polymer resin and apply it in thin-layer on turbomachinery blades for vibration damping. These magnetostrictiveparticulates, to be included in the resin, provide damping through domain wall switching, a non-conservative action which provides a high loss factor. These nanocomposites can be easily fabricated into thin films, provide stiffness and strength while alsoincorporating novel damping capabilities which exceed in performance and temperature range viscoelastic materials, the current state of the art for blisk damping. The objective of this program is to demonstrate that magnetic fields can be used toeffectively distribute the nano-particles throughout the thin film and produce a composite with properties superior to conventional polymer systems. Once demonstrated, we believe this economical process can easily be scaled up to large structures andcommercially implemental for a variety of applications. The passive damping technology provides extremely large damping losses in a structurally stiff polymer and carbon fiber composites. Currently damping is either active (expensive and complex) or usesviscoelastic materials (poor structural coupling and temperature range). The magnetostrictive particulate composite technology, patent applied and licensed by Fortis Technologies, provides a simple, large