Lockheed Martin

Ultrahigh Performance Composite Material

This project focused on a Phase 1 effort to support the search for resin formulations that could improve compression performance in carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites for weight-sensitive structures such as aircraft wings. The project focused on aerogel-and-epoxy systems as a possible route to co-continuous crosslinks associated with resin stiffness and toughness. The student team surveyed commercial aerogel products, compositions, manufacturers, and factors affecting nanoparticle crosslink formation, including surface chemistry, particle size, loading, and host material. The project also aimed to document crosslinks in a selected aerogel using microscopy and SEM, and to create a data-compilation method that could combine supplier datasheets and generated test data into a single structured table while identifying duplicate or equivalent property labels.