Gregory Odegard
Michigan Technological University, MI·Materials Science
Thermoplastic composites are carbon-fiber materials held together by plastics that can be melted again. That means they can be reshaped, welded, repaired and recycled.
- Fields
Materials Science
Engineering
Computer Science
- Topics
thermoplastic composites
carbon fiber reinforced polymers
integrated computational materials engineering
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Jun 2028
What they work on
- Use molecular dynamics simulations to measure how polymer chains mix, crystallize and build up stress at interfaces between carbon fiber layers. Simulate conditions from automated fiber placement, induction welding and stamp forming.
- Feed simulated interface properties into micro-scale finite-element models that capture uneven crystallinity and coupled heat and stress during consolidation.
- Model how layers bond and separate under service loads using cohesive-zone elements within continuum damage mechanics. Use the model to predict interlaminar strength and fracture toughness.
- Develop a machine learning surrogate model to search time, temperature and pressure settings for processing that maximizes mechanical performance. Validate predictions with experiments at several length scales.
More about the research
They could make aircraft, cars and medical devices lighter and less wasteful than parts made with conventional thermoset plastics, which set permanently when cured. Industry adopts them slowly, partly because it is hard to predict how manufacturing conditions affect strength. The weakest point is often the bond between stacked fiber layers.
Why it matters
Reliable predictions of how processing affects interlayer strength could help manufacturers adopt recyclable thermoplastic composites faster and with less energy. That could lead to lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft and cars and less waste. Openly shared models and data could also help certify next-generation composite structures.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Steven Kurtz
Drexel University, PA·Biomedical Engineering
Develop and optimize a hybrid additive manufacturing process for carbon-fiber-reinforced polyaryletherketones, combining 3D printing with heat-and-pressure consolidation, using design of experiments.
Yanfei Gao
University of Tennessee-Knoxville, TN·Materials Science
Examine how materials and manufacturing processes affect the mechanical, functional and environmental performance of welded or 3D-printed metal parts, to improve reliability and extend the service life of critical infrastructure.
Jun Li
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach, FL·Engineering
Develop direct mesoscale simulations of 3D printing that couple heat, mechanical forces, chemistry and fluid-structure interactions, to show how temperature gradients and melting between filaments and reinforcing fibers lead to micro-cracks.
The school
Michigan Technological University: 9 labs on PI Pages, $107M a year on research, 86 research doctorates a year.
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