This National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation award provides $516,989 over 3 years to the University of Massachusetts to conduct research on understanding the dynamics of colliding high-speed micro-particles with precisely manufactured microstructures. The research aims to observe energy exchanges between the speeding particles and periodic surface structures, model the ordered surface structures as planar metamaterials, and extend the understanding of tribological characteristics of microstructured surfaces under high-strain rate conditions. This work under NSF's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) has the potential to facilitate the development of novel industrial processes such as particle sorting and selection. The research may also advance the fundamental understanding of how mechanical metasurfaces can manipulate the scattering cross-section of incoming microparticles, thereby extending knowledge on transient rheological and tribological behaviors of deformable solid materials and structures under ultrahigh-strain-rate stimuli.
Generated 4/30/24, 5:29 AM