Dr. Eugene Olevsky, Director SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Engineering Sciences, Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering 

Novel Manufacturing Principle for Fabrication of Advanced Composite Materials 

A novel technique for the fabrication of complex shape composite materials with functionally distributed properties will be presented. The technique is based on the electrophoretic deposition of powders which allows continuous manufacturing of three-dimensional objects - particle-by-particle, layer-by-layer. The developed technological approach enables the net-shape production of functionally-graded components which have applications in thermal management of electronic circuitry.

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 Gordon Brown, PhD Candidate, Computational Science Department

 3-D Solar Cell Finite Element Sintering Simulation 

The sintering process is ubiquitous in manufacturing, but so far no standard simulation or modeling program exists to model the deformation that occurs in this process.  An application of the Skorohod Olevsky Viscous Sintering constitutive equation in a finite element model is developed and used to model a solar cell manufacturing problem.  Material properties are measured and a solar cell is then modeled using these properties.  Simulation results are compared to experimental results and analysis has been made to evaluate the adequacy and usefulness of this approach.

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Evan Khaleghi, PhD Candidate, Mechanical Engineering Department

Enhanced microstructure in dye-sensitized solar cells for improved absorption properties

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are a potential alternative to semiconductor solar cells, because of their lower cost and ease of manufacture. However, their performance is not on par with their semiconductor rivals.  Through the enhancement of the microstructure of the titanium dioxide layer of the DSSCs through various methods, improved absorption properties have been measured.  Some of the enhancement methods may have applications in other areas.

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Chaowei Wang, PhD Candidate, Mechanical Engineering Department

 Mechanism and Applications of Spark Plasma Sintering

Spark-Plasma Sintering (SPS), also known as Electric-Discharge Sintering (EDS), Pulsed Electric Current Sintering (PECS), and Field-Assisted Sintering (FAS), is a process for rapid heating of powder by electric current, with simultaneous application of external pressure. Compared with conventional hot-pressing, SPS has many advantages; such as high heating rate, less holding time, more uniform heating condition, and intrinsic field effects on mass transport. Various materials have been processed and synthesized by SPS.

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Yen-Shan Lin, PhD Candidate, Mechanical Engineering Department 

Analysis of natural cutting and piercing tools for biomimetic applications

Biomimetics is the process of replicating a natural material using synthetic materials and methods.  By analyzing how nature creates certain tools, particularly with the scanning electron microscope and mechanical testing, we can apply these same principles to improve modern tools.  Examples include studying the teeth of the great white shark, the proboscis of the mosquito, and the tooth of the Piranha.