Hingeless arm for space robotics actuated through shape memory alloys.

Operating outside the spacecraft via remotely controlled structures is an important opportunity in different space applications. The research in this area is focused on designing robots that are sufficiently flexible to allow inspection in locations where access is difficult or impossible for astronauts, while minimizing weight and bulk. The purpose of the research is to design a borescope for space applications with no hinges or other mechanisms, exploiting biomimetic design concepts.

Poly(methyl methacrylate) as Healing Agent for Carbon Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Composites.

Self-healing materials offer a potential solution to the problem of damage to fibre-reinforced plastics (FRPs) by allowing for the in-service repair of composite materials at a lower cost, in less time, and with improved mechanical properties compared to traditional repair methods. This study investigates for the first time the use of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a self-healing agent in FRPs and evaluates its effectiveness both when blended with the matrix and when applied as a coating to carbon fibres. The self-healing properties of the material are evaluated using double cantilever beam (DCB) tests for up to three healing cycles.

Emergence of Elastic Properties in a Minimalist Resilin-Derived Heptapeptide upon Bromination.

Bromination is herein exploited to promote the emergence of elastic behavior in a short peptide-SDSYGAP-derived from resilin, a rubber-like protein exerting its role in the jumping and flight systems of insects. Elastic and resilient hydrogels are obtained, which also show self-healing behavior, thanks to the promoted non-covalent interactions that limit deformations and contribute to the structural recovery of the peptide-based hydrogel. In particular, halogen bonds may stabilize the β-sheet organization working as non-covalent cross-links between nearby peptide strands.

Compression Behavior of EBM Printed Auxetic Chiral Structures.

In this study, the cyclic compression and crush behavior of chiral auxetic lattice structures produced from titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) metallic powder using electron beam melting (EBM) additive manufacturing technology is investigated numerically and experimentally. For material characterization and understanding the material behavior of EBM printed parts, tensile and three-point flexural tests were conducted. Log signals produced during the EBM process were investigated to confirm the stability of process and the health of the produced parts.

Self-repairing systems based on ionomers and epoxidized natural rubber blends.

The development of materials with the ability of intrinsic self-repairing after damage in a fashion resembling that of living tissues has important scientific and technological implications, particularly in relation to cost-effective approaches toward damage management of materials. Natural rubbers with epoxy functional groups in the macromolecular chain (ENR) and ethylene-methacrylic acid ionomers having acid groups partially neutralized with metal ions possess self-repairing behavior following high energy impacts. This research investigates the self-repairing behavior of both ENR and ionomers during ballistic puncture test on the basis of their thermal and mechanical properties.