The Advanced Composite Materials Laboratory includes facilities for manufacturing, characterization and modeling of advanced composites and nanostructured materials. Compression molding hot press, filament winder, pultrusion equipment, single and twin-screw extruders and resin infusion vacuum pumps are available for manufacturing thermoset, thermoplastic and nanocomposites film, plates and structural components as well as nanostructured aerogels for thermal insulation applications.
Nanoparticle dispersion equipment such as ultrasonic bath, tip sonication and mechanical high shear mixer are also available for processing polymer nanocomposites. Fracture analysis and microstructural studies are carried out using available optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopes as well as x-ray diffraction in the Central Analytical Facility. An in-house FEA code (NOVA-3D) for predicting long term environmental durability of polymer and polymer composites is also available.