A research group from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory to address the challenges in making light but super-strong structures.

Together they will build a compact device that mimics the extreme environment of hypersonic flight. It will operate alongside the upgraded Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science user facility at Argonne, which now provides the brightest synchrotron X-ray beam in the world. The device and X-rays will work together to capture real-time changes in hypersonic materials under stress.

“Recreating the environment of hypersonic flight can be complicated,” says Seetha Raghavan, professor of aerospace engineering and co-principal investigator. “There are so many factors and no perfect way to test them all. High enthalpy wind tunnels... use a lot of energy resources and are limited in access.”

Beamline scientist Victoria Cooley adds: “Brighter X-rays allow us to probe deep into materials... These two pieces come together to make world-changing projects such as this one possible.”

The findings may pave the way for military and civilian aircraft materials that are durable, cost-effective and suitable for cargo delivery vehicles.