Project Description

One of the recent frontiers in space exploration is focused on building settlements on other planets. As such, there is a strong need to find efficient and technically sound solutions to employ in-situ additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) techniques to fabricate structures using Martian and lunar soil materials. However, the process of solidification of these materials as well their brittle characteristics presents a major challenge with respect to achieving resilient structures that can endure a variety of harsh loading conditions. The proposed work will focus on exploring the applicability of additive manufacturing to ‘print’ architectured materials from regolith, an unconsolidated rocky material present on Erath, Moon, mars and some asteroids, If successful, such approach will lead to the possibility of manufacturing extraterrestrial habitats for future Mars or Moon exploration using materials available on the surface of these planets. The proposers have pioneered direct ink writing (DIW) techniques for creating cement paste ink based architectured prisms and biomimetic helicoidal structures (known as Bouligand structures). The project will focus on the material formulation, printability and design aspects of the architectured materials. It is envisioned that structural elements printed using architectured, regolith-based materials will attain improved mechanical properties compared to elements cast from the same material.

Start Date

January 2020

Postdoc Qualifications 

Postdoctoral researchers with an engineering background in materials and microstructural characterization, mechanics of materials, and some chemistry of materials. More specifically, PhD in Civil Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or closely related fields. Experience with modeling and/or laboratory experimentation and 3D printing is desired.

Co-advisors

Prof. Jan Olek
olek@purdue.edu
Lyles School of Civil Engineering
https://engineering.purdue.edu/CE/People/ptProfile?resource_id=2108 

Prof. Jeffrey Younglood
jpyoungb@purdue.edu
School of Materials Engineering
https://engineering.purdue.edu/MSE/people/ptProfile?resource_id=11541

Collaborator  

Prof. Pablo Zavattieri
zavattie@purdue.edu
Lyles School of Civil Engineering
http://engineering.purdue.edu/~zavattie

References 

M. Moini, J. Olek, J. Youngblood, B. Magee, P.D. Zavattieri, "Additive Manufacturing and Performance of Architectured Cement-based Materials", Advanced Materials, 2018. in press, DOI: 10.1002/adma.201802123

M Moini, J Olek, B Magee, P Zavattieri, J Youngblood, Additive Manufacturing and Characterization of Architectured Cement-Based Materials via X-ray Micro-computed Tomography - RILEM International Conference on Concrete and …, 2018

N. Suksangpanya, N. A. Yaraghi, R. B. Pipes, D. Kisailus, P. Zavattieri, "Crack twisting and toughening strategies in Bouligand architectures" Int. J. Solids Structs. 150, pp 83-106 2018 

W. Huang, D. Restrepo, J.-Y Jung, F. Y Su, Z Liu, R.O. Ritchie, J. McKittrick, P. Zavattieri, D. Kisailus, Multiscale Toughening Mechanisms in Biological Materials and Bioinspired Designs, Advanced Materials, https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201901561