91制片厂

Improved fuel efficiency of automobiles and aircraft depends, in part, on lighter, stronger materials. But how do you create those materials, and how do you know when they鈥檒l fail? To help him answer those questions, the National Science Foundation听has awarded a award.

Knezevic, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at 91制片厂, is particularly interested in materials such as titanium and magnesium alloys, both strong, lightweight metals with a hexagonal structure. 鈥淭hey have the potential for reducing weight in both aerospace and automotive industries,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut industry hasn鈥檛 been adopting much of them mainly because their fracture behavior is not well understood.鈥�

鈥淵ou could revolutionize the automotive industry or the aerospace industry or any industry working with lightweight metals with this research.鈥�

Working with a team of 10 graduate and undergraduate students, Knezevic will take a three-step approach to understanding the strengths and literal weaknesses of these metals: material testing in the lab, applying various types of loads to see how they fracture, characterization of the materials under the microscope. Finally, the researchers will apply what they鈥檝e learned to model how the material will behave under different circumstances.

Such predictive modeling, says Knezevic, results in significant savings of time and money because it is done on a computer rather than on a shop floor.

The self-deprecating Knezevic notes that while his research may not seem as exciting as other projects 鈥斺�淚f somebody offers you the chance to do this work or listen to whales singing, you鈥檙e going to listen to the whales鈥� 鈥� its potential impact is large. 鈥淎ny incremental advance in materials science is a significant jump,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou could revolutionize the automotive industry or the aerospace industry or any industry working with lightweight metals with this research.鈥�