Understanding the impact of space radiation on silk materials would provide insight into the potential utility of this tough protein-based material for space-related materials and biomedical needs, as well as afford a comparison of very stable beta sheet crystals in silk to the relatively less stable triple helical structure in collagen.
Among other things, he investigated the superconductivity properties of materials for space and aeronautical equipment.
This finding is critical in developing future materials for space needs as well as with regard to potential physiological impact.
Brad Holschuh, a postdoc in MIT's Man Vehicle Laboratory, has helped Newman develop smart textiles and active materials for space suits.
For example, protein-inorganic composites could be an important path forward in designing durable protein materials for space needs, as would protein materials pre-crosslinked on earth to reduce the radiation impact.
UHTCs are the most suitable materials for space and hypersonic, however in service they lose their properties owing to oxidation damages.
Functionally graded materials (FGMs) have recently been received with considerable interest, primarily as high temperature resistant materials for space vehicles subjected to high temperature environment.
Development of real satellites and actually launching them provides excellent materials for space engineering education as well as project management, which is rather difficult to teach in usual class lectures.
Due to low density, high mechanical rigidity and thermal conductivity, ease of machining beryllium is one of the most promising materials for space mirrors, including for studies of the solar corona in the wavelength range of 13 30.4 nm.
To realize the damage-free finishing of CVD-SiC substrates, which are used as materials for space telescope mirrors and glass lens molds, plasma chemical vaporization machining (PCVM) and plasma-assisted polishing (PAP) were combined.
