Development, optimization and production of fiber-based strain sensors for aerospace, automotive and health

The project will employ three undergraduate coop students and one post-doctoral fellow to work with the MesoMat team to improve the sensing capabilities of the fiber technology that has been developed at MesoMat and develop robust production methods. MesoMat has developed a fiber-based sensor manufactured from plastics and nanoparticles. These materials change their resistance when stretched and for this reason can be used as a sensor. Measuring the change in resistance as a function of strain is the operating principle of the sensors. The strain range over which the sensors are effective can be adjusted through the concentration of nanoparticle additives. The fibers are as thin as 10 micrometers in diameter. For this reason, they can be embedded within composites, bonded to the surface of materials that experience strain, placed within adhesive joints, or used to monitor biomechanical changes on the human body, amongst many other uses. The interns will determine optimal parameters for the nanoparticles, the concentration of nanoparticles, the various polymer materials that can be used for a range of applications and develop the required electronic data acquisition units required to read the signal. An ambitious aspect of the project is to develop fully scalable solutions for the

Faculty Supervisor:

Harald Stover

Student:

John Frederick Niven;Alexander Dingwall

Partner:

Mesomat

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

McMaster University