Harnessing thermal expansion in architected metamaterials
Presented by Professor Damiano Pasini
Mechanical Engineering, McGill University
For technology called to function under harsh temperature swings, e.g. satellite antennas, thermal expansion can be an enemy to fight against. But for others, e.g. deployable systems, thermal expansion can be an ally. In this seminar, I will contribute to address challenges currently existing on both fronts: i) how to meet strict requirements of thermal expansion in ultralightweight stiff materials, ii) how to engage temperature in morphable materials that deploy in situ under extreme conditions. The approach that I will follow draws from concepts of mechanics, geometry, materials, and structural optimization, through a combination of theory, computation and mechanical testing for performance validation.
Damiano Pasini is the Louis Scholar of the Faculty of Engineering at McGill University and Professor of Mechanical Engineering. His research interests lie in solid mechanics, advanced materials and structural optimization with current focus on mechanical metamaterials. He is fully engaged in understanding their mechanics, introducing reliable predictive models, and using them to engineer, build and test architected materials with optimally tuned functional properties that are of practical use in aerospace and other disciplines.