Dr. Kuang-Ting Hsiao’s         RESEARCH

Corresponding contact: Dr. Kuang-Ting Hsiao

Email: kthsiao@jaguar1.usouthal.edu ; Tel: 1-251-460-7889

 

ANNOUNCEMENT

 

RESEARCH LAB

Composites & Nanomaterials Research Lab (CNRL) (New webpage under development)

 

RESEACH AREAS  

Nanocomposites.  (PDF description) 

Cellulose Nanofiber Extraction Process and its Uses 

Nano-Enhanced Heat Transfer

Smart Composites and Sensor Algorithm Development

Manufacturing/Characterization of Functionally Graded Composite Materials.

Adhesive Joints for Composite Materials.

Intelligent and Virtual Manufacturing for Composite Materials (Flow, Cure, Sensing-Control, and In-situ Characterization). (PDF description)

Liquid Composites Molding Processes such as RTM, VARTM, and SCRIMP. (PDF description)

Transport Phenomena in Porous Media.

Micro/nano-fluids and suspensions.

Rheology,Viscous Flow, ER/MR fluids.

Heat and Mass Transfer.

Numerical Methods.

Artificial Intelligence in Engineering Applications.  

 

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Nimit Bajaj

Sudhir Gangireddy

Rex Little

Chymar Myint

Alejandro Rodriguez

Omar Restrepo  

Vishwanath Kedari

Kai Jin Teoh

Robert L. Clark III

Peter Sakalaukus (Current)

Basil Farah (Current)

Joseph Stewart (Current)

Andy Mosley (Current)

 

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Peter Gadalla

George Hudson

Ramin Sadeghian

Khoa Lu

Robert L. Clark III

Pamela A. Hoven

Joseph Stewart

Adam Culberson

Nathan Brock

James Ryals

Blakeley Williams

Gregory Hickman (Current)

Jeff Gill (Current)

Jie Zhou (Current)

 

SELECTED FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Standard Research Projects

Project Title: “Development of Prepreg and Out-Of-Autoclave Process for Z-Aligned Carbon Nanofiber Toughened Lightweight Composites.” Source: NASA/managed through Alabama Space Grant Consortium (ASGC), Duration: 9/1/2010-8/31/2013. Role: PD/Science-PI & PI of the Lead Institute. (Participating Universities: University of South Alabama (Lead), Tuskegee University, Auburn University).

 

Project Title: “Alabama Center for Nanostructured Materials (ACNM) - Rheology and Electrical/Thermal Transport Measurements for the Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of CNF-Based and Natural Fiber-Based Nanocomposites.” Source: NSF (Lead Institute: Tuskegee University). Duration: 08/1/2008-7/31/2013.  Role: PI at University of South Alabama.  

 

Project Title: “Nanostructure-Enhanced Phase Change Materials (NEPCM).” Source: DOE (Lead Institute: Auburn University). Duration: 8/15/2009-8/14/2012. Role: PI at University of South Alabama.

 

Project Title: “Non-Autoclave High-Performance Composite Materials - Manufacturing Process Development, Damage Tolerance Detection and Computational Simulations.” Source: NASA/managed through NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Duration: 10/01/2009 - 9/1/2010. Role: co-PI.

 

Project Title: “High Strength Composites.” Source: NASA/managed through NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Duration: 10/01/2006 - 8/31/2009.  Role: co-PI.

 

Project Title: “Manufacturing of Functionally Graded Hybrid Carbon Nanotube/Fiber Glass Composites.”  Source: USA Research Council (USARC).  Duration: 5/1/2004 – 6/30/2005. Role: PI.

 

Funded Student Research Projects through Research Proposal Competitions (Believing in research experience-enriched engineering education process , Dr. Hsiao has been continuously interested in helping his graduate and undergraduate students in developing their research capabilities including advising them to participate in student research proposal competitions.)

Project Title: “Basil Farah – Electric Field Induced Nanofiber Alignment in Nanocomposites.” Source: Alabama Commission Higher Education through Alabama EPSCoR GRSP program.  Graduate Student: Basil Farah; Faculty Mentor: K.-T. Hsiao.  Duration: 8/15/2009-8/14/2011. 

 

Project Title: “Study of Thermal-Fluidic Phenomena in the Non-Isothermal VARTM Manufacturing Process for Polymer Matrix Composites.”  Source: Alabama Space Grant Consortium Fellowship.  Graduate Student Applicant: Robert L. Clark III; Faculty Advisor: K.-T. Hsiao.  Duration: 8/16/2008-8/15/2010.

 

Project Title: “Finite Element Analysis of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Adhesive to Join Composites” to UCUR program.  Source: University of South Alabama UCUR program.  Undergraduate Student: Gregory J. S. Hickman; Faculty Advisors: K.-T. Hsiao, A.-V. Phan.  Duration: June 1, 2010-Aug 15, 2010.  

 

Project Title: “Natural nanocomposite materials engineering; Extraction of cellulose nanofibrils from plant material.”  Source: University of South Alabama, University Committee on Undergraduate Research (UCUR), Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship.  Undergraduate Student: Adam Culberson; Faculty Advisor: K.-T. Hsiao.  Duration: 5/26/2009-7/27/2009. 

 

Project Title: “Experimental Investigation of Thermal-Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanofiber/Polymer Composite Manufactured under Electrical Field.”  Source: University of South Alabama, University Committee on Undergraduate Research (UCUR), Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship.  Undergraduate Student: James Ryals; Faculty Mentor: K.-T. Hsiao.  Duration: 5/21/2007-8/15/2007. 

  

 

SPONSORS, PARTNERS, COLLABORATORS

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Department of Energy (DOE)

Alabama EPSCoR

Alabama Commission on Higher Education

Alabama Space Grant Consortium (ASGC)

University of South Alabama Research Council (USARC)

Tuskegee University

Auburn University

Composites One

Applied Sciences, Inc. (ASI)

Airtech International, INC.

Spirit AeroSystems

 

 

RESEARCH COLLABORATION OR/AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (Please contact Dr. Hsiao or/and U. of South Alabama Office of Technology Transfer (OOT) for more information)

 

 


[Mechanical Engineering]    [College of Engineering]    [University of South Alabama]