Purdue Energetics Research Center - News

Defense Innovation PEI to meet national security challenges on the world stage

October 1, 2024

Purdue University has always had a resolute focus on serving those who serve our country, and its commitment to national security is paramount as a land-grant university. Purdue is now further strengthening its endeavors as a thought leader for national security and defense by announcing Defense Innovation, its newest Purdue Engineering Initiative (PEI).

Opinion: The U.S. Needs A New Push In Energetic Materials

October 1, 2024

With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in its third year, much attention has been paid to the West’s diminishing stockpile of weapons. Manufacturers have scrambled to increase production—or in some cases, restart production—of weapons that have proven vital to Ukraine’s defense. Dire warnings have been issued that we are rapidly depleting weapons stockpiles that our own military might require. At the same time, there are concerns that industry is not positioned to meet the increasing demand for rocket engines, driven in part by plans to produce large numbers of hypersonic weapons.

First energetics talent showcase attracts students and defense professionals from across the U.S.

October 1, 2024

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Energetics Research Center (PERC) hosted a first-of-its-kind energetic materials talent showcase that connects students and postdoctoral researchers interested in energetics careers with employers across the defense community.

Purdue University, AFRL Regional Network - Midwest collaborate on solid rocket fuel project

October 1, 2024

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) — Researchers at Purdue University, with support from the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, have filed a patent disclosure to develop solid fuels for rotating detonation engines. The project was awarded in collaboration with the AFRL Regional Network – Midwest, headquartered at Purdue. The Midwest Network is a new science and technology ecosystem that brings together academia, industry and government agencies to advance research and technology critical to the Air Force mission.

3D printing promises more efficient ways to make custom explosives and rocket propellants

October 1, 2024

Imagine you’re driving to work on a rainy day, when a distracted, reckless driver hits your car out of nowhere. With a “boom,” an air bag deploys faster than you can blink your eyes to save your life.

Boilermakers take a jaw-dropping visit to a naval aircraft carrier

October 1, 2024

Even Purdue’s globally renowned experts aren’t immune from geeking out over fighter jets, catapult takeoffs and blazing afterburners. A group of faculty and staff were invited by the U.S. Navy to a jaw-dropping and informative day this summer aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.

Keep up to date with the latest from The Blast Newsletter

October 1, 2024

From the world leader in academic energetics research, Purdue University

Purdue-launched solid rocket motor-maker Adranos flies off with Anduril

October 1, 2024

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Adranos Inc., a Purdue-originated company that grew from a doctoral project into an impactful company, has been acquired by a major Costa Mesa, California-based defense products company, Anduril Industries.

Energetic materials summer research program at Purdue completes fourth year

September 13, 2024

Thirty-six undergraduate students recently completed the Advancing Army Modernization Priorities – Undergraduate Program (AAMP-UP), a 10-week undergraduate summer research program that provides an immersive, experiential environment for undergraduates to collaborate with researchers who specialize in energetic materials — explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics.

New Purdue energetics faculty member uses lasers to capture high-speed particles in motion

September 13, 2024

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Energetics Research Center (PERC) recently recruited a new faculty member who uses lasers and high-speed imaging diagnostics to capture and measure energetic materials — explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics — as they move and transform, providing the crucial insights needed to develop efficient, next-generation fuels and propulsion systems.

Monique McClain: 3D Printing Energetic Materials

September 13, 2024

Our goal is to advance the manufacturing science necessary to develop state-of-the-art additively manufactured energetic materials (AMEMs). This includes developing complex, multi-material geometries and implementing in-situ monitoring of the manufacturing process to repeatably create high performance and high quality AMEMs. Our interdisciplinary expertise ranges from formulation development, machine customization, process optimization, in-situ qualification, and characterization of mechanical and combustion properties.

Undergraduate summer research program bolsters energetic materials workforce through network building and diversity

August 23, 2023

Energetic materials — explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics — are essential to national security strategy, but in recent years, the enterprise has struggled with workforce attrition and a lack of replacement hiring. The Advancing Army Modernization Priorities – Undergraduate Program (AAMP-UP), a collaboration between the Purdue Energetics Research Center (PERC) and DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL), aims to bolster the workforce by creating a network of students from a variety of backgrounds who are excited about energetic materials research.

PERC hosts energetics experts across academia, industry and government at PEMS'23

June 30, 2023

The 3rd biennial Purdue Energetic Materials Summit (PEMS'23), which took place June 13-15, 2023 on the Purdue University campus, hosted over 100 energetic materials experts from across government, industry and academia. PEMS brings together thought leaders and decision makers in the defense, security and academic communities to discuss key challenges and potential technical solutions associated with energetic materials.

Alum of the Month, Nov. 2022: Camilo A. Duarte-Cordon

November 30, 2022

Duarte-Cordon received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He is now a Postdoctoral Researcher at Columbia University.

AAMP-UP, PERC aim to promote diversity and inclusion in energetics

November 28, 2022

A core component of the Advancing Army Modernization Priorities – Undergraduate Program’s (AAMP-UP) mission is to promote diversity and inclusion in the field of energetics. To accomplish that goal, staff and graduate students traveled to two national conferences, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in Houston, TX and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) in Charlotte, NC, to recruit the next AAMP-UP cohort, as well as prospective graduate students interested in energetic materials and defense research.

MOU amendment expands partnership with Cranfield

November 14, 2022

On Oct. 27, 2022, representatives from Purdue University and Cranfield University met to sign an MOU amendment that expands their existing partnership to advance education and research in the defense space.

Open Graduate Assistant Positions for AAMP-UP Program: Spring & Summer 2023

November 2, 2022

The Advancing Army Modernization Priorities - Energetic Materials (AAMP-EM) Cooperative Agreement is looking for graduate students to join the leadership team for the Advancing Army Modernization Priorities - Undergraduate Program (AAMP-UP), an experiential education program involving research in explosives, pyrotechnics, and propellants.

Check out the latest issue of The Blast

October 24, 2022

The Blast is the official newsletter of the Purdue Energetics Research Center. Three times a year, the newsletter features a "blast" of content highlighting the projects, accomplishments and events associated with PERC and its affiliated faculty, staff, students, alumni and partner organizations. In this issue, read more about research from our featured faculty member, Monique McClain, the AAMP-UP Energetic Materials Research Symposium, faculty and student accomplishments and other related Purdue defense news.

Purdue University launches Institute for National Security

October 19, 2022

The Purdue Institute for National Security is an interdisciplinary institute that aims to promote national security and bolster the defense ecosystem on campus and within the Greater Lafayette area. Jeff Rhoads, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and member of PERC, has been named the inaugural Executive Director.

Alum of the Month, September 2022: Spencer Fehlberg

September 26, 2022

Fehlberg received his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He is now a Propulsion Engineer for Northrop Grumman at the Allegany Ballistics Lab.

Alum of the Month, August 2022: Kelly Brayton

August 1, 2022

Brayton received her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University. She is now a graduate student researcher in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University.

AAMP-UP Students Showcase Projects at Energetic Materials Research Symposium

July 28, 2022

On July 28, 2022, the Advancing Army Modernization Priorities – Undergraduate Program (AAMP-UP) held its end-of-summer Energetic Materials Research Symposium, which included a poster show and presentations, at the Stables Event Center in Lafayette, IN.

Alum of the Month, July 2022: Prashanth Bangalore Venkatesh

July 1, 2022

Dr. Bangalore Venkatesh graduated from both the MS and PhD programs in Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is now a Lead Propulsion Analyst at Agile Space Industries, Inc.

Check out the June 2022 issue of The Blast

June 1, 2022

The Blast is the official newsletter of the Purdue Energetics Research Center. Three times a year, the newsletter features a “blast” of content highlighting the projects, accomplishments and events associated with PERC and its affiliated faculty, staff, students, alumni and partner organizations. In this issue, read more about the AAMP-UP undergraduate research program, the Breakthrough Energetics conference, faculty and student accomplishments and other related Purdue defense news.

AAMP-UP kicks off its second summer of undergraduate energetics research

May 23, 2022

The Advancing Army Modernization Priorities – Undergraduate Program (AAMP-UP) kicked off its second year of in-person student summer research in Ray W. Herrick Laboratories on May 23, 2022. Until August 1, 2022, 41 students from nine universities across the country will be conducting energetics research with faculty, staff and graduate student mentors.

Inaugural Breakthrough Energetics conference hosted at Purdue University

May 4, 2022

The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), in partnership with Purdue University and Energetics Technology Center (ETC), hosted the inaugural Breakthrough Energetics Conference at Purdue on May 4-5, 2022. The goal of the conference was to advocate for increased investment in the U.S. energetic materials enterprise, including research & development, acquisition, adjacent technologies, manufacturing and workforce development.

Hypersonic ground testing site at Purdue will be first of its kind in U.S.

August 9, 2021

Purdue University continues to hit the throttle on its interest in aerospace and national security, as the university announced the construction of the first-of-its-kind U.S. facility to test hypersonic technologies

Singh to receive 2021 AIChE Environmental Division Early Career Award

August 2, 2021

Shweta Singh, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering and environmental and ecological engineering, will receive the 2021 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Environmental Division Early Career Award.

Dr. Brett Savoie awarded Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative funding from Department of Defense

February 1, 2021

Brett M. Savoie, the Charles Davidson Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University, will lead one of 25 teams to receive 2021 Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) funding from the Department of Defense as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 competition.

Purdue and U.S. Army to collaborate on next-generation energetic materials

August 31, 2020

Advancing technology associated with explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics — what the scientific community calls energetic materials — is the goal of a new joint project between Purdue University and the United States Army.

Now you can 3D print clay, cookie dough – or solid rocket fuel

June 11, 2018

Purdue Univeristy assistant professor Emre Gunduz used ultrasonic vibrations to maintain a flow of the material through the printer nozzle.

Team awarded $7.5 million grant to study multifunctional piezoelectric energetic materials

April 11, 2018

A multidisciplinary team of researchers led by Steve Son, a professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University, has received a $7.5 million grant by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) to study piezoenergetics, which combines piezoelectric properties with energetic materials such as explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics.

Inkjet-Printed Nanothermite Deposits Energetic Materials Safely

January 8, 2018

Researchers have developed a method to deposit tiny amounts of energetic materials (explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics) using the same technology as an inkjet printer.

Christopher Goldenstein awarded AFOSR Young Investigator Research Program Grant

October 11, 2017

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research today announced it will award approximately $19.9 million in grants to 45 scientists and engineers from 38 research institutions and small businesses who submitted winning research proposals through the Air Force's Young Investigator Research Program (YIP).