Recipient Organization
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
1310 BOLLEY DR
FARGO,ND 58105-5750
Performing Department
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Non Technical Summary
Polymer matrix composite (PMC) materials combine lightweight elements with excellent strength and other desirable thermal and mechanical properties, making them increasingly desirable alternatives to steel, aluminum, and other traditional engineering materials. The polymer resins and fibers used in PMCs are usually derived from petroleum and other nonrenewable resources; however, renewable oils and fibers are proving to be viable alternatives. A unique collaboration has been established at North Dakota State University (NDSU) that combines expertise from the Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering (ABEN) Department in the processing of northern-grown crops with expertise from the Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) Department in the processing of resins and fibers to develop and manufacture PMCs from renewable resources. Funding to purchase a dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) instrument is requested in this project to ensure that the biobased polymers
developed and used to manufacture biobased PMCs by this group will provide the needed thermomechanical functional properties. Acquisition of a DMA instrument will strengthen the biobased materials partnership at NDSU, provide a new educational tool for materials engineering courses taught at NDSU, and allow this group to be more competitive for federal grants.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
A North Dakota State University (NDSU) multidisciplinary group is seeking to upgrade its research capabilities in order to develop and improve the performance of polymer composite materials (PMCs) created from biobased resins and natural fibers. The objective of this project is to purchase a dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) instrument because of its ability to perform highly sensitive, dynamic characterization of material properties over a wide temperature range. The acquisition of a DMA will ensure that the biobased polymers and PMCs developed by this group will provide the needed functional properties, provide a valuable educational tool for students in the characterization of biobased materials, and enable this group to compete for federal grants. Specifically, a TA Instruments Q800 DMA is to be purchased through this project and is capable of performing the necessary analysis of neat polymer resin samples, fibers, and PMC samples.
Project Methods
A Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) instrument performs a highly sensitive, dynamic characterization of materials over a wide temperature range for relating molecular structure, processing conditions, and product properties. In particular, DMA is used extensively to characterize polymers and polymer matrix composites (PMCs) with highly viscoelastic material properties. Specifically for the research initiatives developed by the biobased research group at North Dakota State University (NDSU), the proposed DMA instrument will be used for the following measurements and data collected will be compared against properties commercially available synthetic polymers and PMCs: 1) Glass transition (Tg) or alpha relaxation of the biobased polymers and PMCs developed using a scanning temperature mode. 2) Variation of glass transition in biobased polymers and PMCs developed using a frequency sweep mode. 3) Any secondary transitions in the biobased polymers developed which arise from
side group motion with some cooperative vibrations for the main chain as well as internal rotation within a side group. 4) Stiffness of the biobased polymers and PMCs developed and modulus determination using a controlled force/strain rate oscillating mode. 5) Evaluation of the linear viscoelastic range (LVR) of the biobased polymers and PMCs developed using the multi-stress/strain mode. 6) Damping properties of the biobased polymers and PMCs developed by measuring the time lag in the displacement compared to the applied force. The instrument to be procured is the TA Instruments Q800 DMA. The following description is a synopsis of the capabilities described by TA Instruments: Viscoelastic measurements can be achieved on materials over a range of 1000 Pa to 1000 GPa, frequency range of 0.01 to 200 Hz, force range of 0.0001 to 18 Newtons, and amplitude range of 0.5 to 10,000 microns. Resolution is 1 nanometer over the 25 mm drive shaft travel using a linear optical encoder. The
temperature range is -150 to 600oC, with the lower end of this range made possible through cooled gaseous nitrogen using the gas cooling accessory with auto-fill capability. The DMA includes a 35 mm dual cantilever bending fixture with digital calipers, steel standards, and torque meter. It also includes a touch control color screen at the module, automated furnace movement, and easy clamping accessibility. Software permits time-temperature superposition, complete experimental control of thermal modules, comprehensive data analysis (Universal Analysis 2000). It includes help menus with diagnostics and multimedia support and is compatible with PC operating on Windows XP. Installation in accordance with an ISO 9000 procedure and training will be provided.