Supported by the National Science Foundation and the DFG, German Research Foundation, UC San Diego Professor Mehran Tehrani announces a new research grant he is leading on "Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) of Thermoplastic Composites." In collaboration with Gregory Odegard (Michigan Tech), Jann Simon (University of Wuppertal, Germany), and the NASA Glenn Research Center (Evan Pineda and Brett Bednarcyk), the central focus of this research grant addresses research-driven training and integrated computational materials engineering to develop a physics-based, multiscale modeling framework.

This international research effort aims to strengthen the science and engineering workforce while accelerating the industrial adoption of thermoplastic composites. The project will provide research-driven training for undergraduate and doctoral students and offer a free public short course on integrated computational materials engineering (ICME), with all materials made openly available online for self-guided learning.

By addressing the steep learning curve that has limited widespread use of thermoplastic composites, the research focuses on developing the fundamental science needed to predict and optimize manufacturing processes. Through open collaboration, the team will share experimental data, simulation codes, and validated processing methodologies, helping to accelerate innovation across aerospace, automotive, and other advanced manufacturing sectors.

At the heart of the project is a fundamental scientific question: how do processing-induced phenomena—such as polymer morphology, interdiffusion, crystallization, and residual stresses—govern the interlaminar strength and fracture toughness of carbon fiber–reinforced thermoplastic composites? To answer this, the team is developing a physics-based, multiscale ICME framework that links processing conditions directly to interfacial mechanical performance, enabling predictive design and optimization of next-generation thermoplastic composite structures.