The intern will be working on a project to develop a new type of coating that is resistant to water, fire, and damage. This coating is made up of several layers, including an omniphobic layer that repels water, a fire-retardant layer that prevents flames from spreading, and a self-healing layer that can repair itself if damaged. The goal of this project is to create a multi-functional coating that can be used in a variety of industries to protect against water damage and fires while also being durable and long-lasting.

Ground engaging tools (GET), working under severe wear conditions, sometimes fail shortly after putting into service by fracturing at crawler shoes or severe wear at shovel teeth. The problem can be partially solved by improving the toughness of crawler shoes and shovel teeth. This proposal addresses the problem by developing a new heat-treatment procedure to improve the toughness. The specific method to achieve such an improvement will be deep cryogenic treatment, i.e., cooling down to -180 C.

In this project, we propose a new technique for controlling the formation of high-altitude balloons. Instead of using traditional high-pass filters, we suggest using high-gain observers to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of extremum-seeking control. Our research on this multi-agent approach aligns with the main objectives of Stratotegic Inc, which focus on the research and development of controlling aerospace systems.

This research project focuses on developing a compressed air energy transmission system as an alternative to the current electrical energy transmission system. Compressed air has the potential to be an efficient and cost-effective solution for storing energy from renewable sources like wind and solar. The project will focus on improving the efficiency of current compressed air energy storage systems by utilizing a novel Variable Pressure Vessel.

Excessive use of antimicrobials results in the evolution of antimicrobial resistant microbes, and the infection caused by such microbes are known as antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infections. AMR infections are on the rise and has a negative impact on the quality of life, healthcare system and ultimately on the economy. The current proposal aims at the external activation of one’s immune system as an alternative to the use of antimicrobials to treat AMR infections.

Climate change due to CO2 emission as a result of burning fossil fuels has become an urgent environmental
concern. Moving towards developing clean and sustainable energy sources is inevitable. Expansion of
electrification in the energy sector is one of the effective approaches to developing cleaner and more sustainable
energy sources. Metal-air batteries that are assembled from a metal anode and an air-breathing cathode in a
proper electrolyte, are very promising candidates for clean energy substitutes.

In the energy sector, developing renewable energies such as carbon capture and utilization (CCU), bioenergy (biogas, biofuels, or green bio-chemicals), and hydrogen-based technology depends on improving catalytic technology. Technology providers in these sustainable areas are focused on developing better catalytic technology, while stakeholders must decide which technology to bet on.

The proposed research project would focus on the development of high-value carbon fibers from low-value waste by-products, asphaltenes, for multifunctional applications. One part of the program would highlight the efforts to scale up the technology without deteriorating the process performance. The other part of the program would focus on working with North Forge in the L2M program to strengthen the customer discovery, product market fit, and the development of a minimum viable product (MVP) for our technology.

The pyrolysis of methane offers the potential for an affordable and clean route to hydrogen production. The reaction is endothermic and requires energy input, which must be provided without emissions if the process is to be CO2-free. One option is to use electricity provided from clean sources. Resistive heaters are challenged by low heat flux and high costs. The novel approach that will be investigated here is to use inductive heating with metal catalysts to provide the reaction energy using electricity.

Chromatography is the workhorse in biologics manufacturing processes, where its performance significantly contributes to the quality outcomes of the batch, and therefore must be carefully controlled. Process modeling and simulation is the best way to provide control to the process. This proposal aims to develop a hybrid chromatography modeling approach, utilizing state-of-the-art machine learning method, combines both first principal knowledge and data-driven sights to improve the speed and accuracy of chromatography modeling.