Liquid-Cooled, 40 kHz High-Cycle Fatigue Testing Apparatus with Live-Monitoring Capabilities for Composite Materials

During this Phase I Navy SBIR program, NanoSonic, Inc. (NanoSonic) and our partners at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) propose to develop a Liquid-cooled, 40 kHz High-Cycle Fatigue (HCF) Testing Apparatus with live-monitoring capabilities capable of testing glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites to several billion cycles. Specifically, NanoSonic and their partners at Virginia Tech will develop an ultrasonic four-point bending test instrument that will produce results twice as fast as the current capabilities, while mitigating problems with temperature increase from the high-energy ultrasonic pulses. In addition to the testing apparatus, the team will also incorporate several live-monitoring techniques using NanoSonic’s extensive experience in sensor development and live-monitor testing capabilities. These contributions will help NanoSonic provide a tangible proof-of-concept HCF Testing Apparatus by the end of the Phase I. During the Phase I Option and Phase II efforts, we will optimize the prototype for higher accuracy of the resulting material properties and evaluate composites with complex layups and higher stiffnesses that typically result in earlier failures.