RII Track-4: NSF: Self-healing Modular Panels for Space and Lunar Missions

Tulane University, New Orleans LA

Investigators

Abstract

NASA, through the Artemis program, will return astronauts to the Moon by 2024. As part of the program, a permanent lunar base camp and human habitats is planned for 2033. An important concern for the safety of the astronauts is the probability that spacecrafts and lunar habitats are impacted by micro-meteoroids and orbital debris (MMOD), which can result in catastrophic damage and/or loss of life. The goal of this NSF Track-4 project is to develop a tough lightweight self-healing modular panel system that can act as a shield against MMOD impacts for lunar habitats and vehicles. This work will be performed in collaboration with the Structural Dynamics and Integration Branch at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The PI and a graduate student will leverage the expertise and facilities at NASA to design, fabricate, and test a prototype self-healing modular panel system. The PI will involve underrepresented students from a local HBCU. This project will establish a new outreach effort in partnership with Community Sailing New Orleans (CSNO), which serves low and moderate income and minority communities within the metro New Orleans area. The RII Track-4 fellowship will enable the PI to establish long-term collaborations and new expertise that will enhance the research and teaching capacity at Tulane University. This NSF EPSCoR RII Track-4 Research Fellows project supports the development of a tough lightweight self-healing modular panel system that can act as a shield against MMOD impacts for lunar habitats and vehicles. The proposed self-healing system is bio-inspired from the natural wound healing mechanism of animals and consists of a polypropylene/carbon nanotube (PP/CNT) composite that “bleeds” and seals cracks formed from MMOD impacts. To successfully design and fabricate such a self-healing system, a better understanding of the thermal properties and flow behavior of PP/CNT composite are required. Specifically, the project seeks to measure the thermal conductivity of PP/CNT composite as a function of CNT loading, measure the flow behavior of PP/CNT composite melts as a function of CNT loading, and design, fabricate, and test a self-healing panel prototype. From the technological perspective, the proposed self-healing concept can potentially be applied to technologies beyond space applications. For example, the self-healing concept can be applied as a part of the packaging for Li-ion batteries that prevent thermal runaway reactions. The PI and his student will visit NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, which will serve as the host institution, to explore a new research direction and gain new skill sets that will provide a transformative impact on their careers. This project cannot be accomplished without the unique expertise provided by the associated NASA collaborator and the resources available at the host site, including vacuum chambers that simulate space and lunar environments. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.