Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Committee Chair

John W. Zondlo.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop a standard compression test for gathering mechanical strength properties, namely yield stress, modulus, and energy absorption all during a single compression test. Several carbon foams were tested using both the novel constrained method (developed herein) and the conventional unconstrained technique to compare the results. Statistical analysis has been performed on compression tests from three different carbon foams. Several other foams have also been tested to demonstrate that this procedure can be performed on any type of carbon foam, regardless of its precursor material or manufacturing process. This study shows that the constrained test gives nearly identical values of both yield stress and modulus compared to those from the unconstrained test. Yield stress results have been gathered at a 95 percent confidence interval with less than 1.5 percent error, and modulus values at less than 4 percent error. In addition, energy absorption results have been successfully gathered using the same test.

Share

COinS