Opportunity: High Throughput Mechanical Testing of Small Scale Specimens

Accelerating materials discovery is key to delivering novel materials solutions. One rate limiting step in the materials development chain is the evaluation of mechanical properties, particularly ductility and fracture properties. To address the challenge, high-throughput sample fabrication and testing methodologies must be developed. One solution is miniaturized mechanical testing enabled by femtosecond laser micromachining of millimeter scale specimens. In this opportunity, the participant will apply small scale mechanical testing to develop high throughput mechanical testing techniques for parameterizing material models. Loading methods include tension, compression, and novel geometries for fracture. Available testing environments include low temperatures up to extreme temperatures through laser heating. These approaches will be applied to Army relevant materials such as advanced high strength steels, additively manufactured metals, or functionally graded materials. The outcomes of this research will contribute to current and future DEVCOM ARL materials development programs.