Atoms to Autos: Bridging Fundamental Science with Applied Engineering to enable Sustainable Technologies Transforming the Mobility Industry
Abstract
The Pilla research group is involved in interdisciplinary research projects that encompass chemistry, engineering, and manufacturing, addressing crucial issues affecting human livelihoods and developing concepts beneficial to industry, education, society, and the environment. Their work spans the “Circular Economy” and “Sustainable Engineering” domains, drawing on the “Materials Genome Initiative” and “Hybrid and Intelligent Manufacturing Technologies”. Their research facilitates informatics-driven materials and manufacturing discoveries that pave the way for a truly sustainable future.
The presentation showcases the Pilla research group’s progress in advanced composites, titled ‘Atoms to Autos’, which combines fundamental science with applied engineering to foster sustainable technologies within the mobility industry. The research begins with the development of new polymer systems that are both 100% biobased and recyclable. It also introduces a circular non-isocyanate polyurethane foam technology that can be chemically recycled at the end of its service life. Furthermore, the presentation explores hybrid manufacturing techniques that integrate various technologies to produce multi-material constructs relevant to the automotive industry. It also provides insight into the world’s first carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites door project, showcasing the integration of precision engineering with innovative materials and manufacturing concepts.
Biography
Dr. Srikanth Pilla is a Professor and Director of the Center for Composite Materials at the University of Delaware (UD-CCM) with faculty appointments in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. He is also the Founding Director of ‘AIM for Composites,’ a Department of Energy-funded Energy Frontier Research Center. Pilla also co-directs IDeAS Composites, an NSF National Research Traineeship program focused on training next-generation composite leaders.
Pilla earned his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with postdoctoral training from Stanford University. Before joining UD-CCM, Pilla held the ExxonMobil Employees Chair in Engineering at Clemson University and was the founding director of the Clemson Composites Center. Pilla also worked as an Assistant Scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Pilla’s research interests lie in the fundamentals and applications of sustainable and lightweight functional materials and manufacturing. He has co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed archival publications. His research is supported by NSF, DOE, USDA, DOD, and NASA, as well as several foundations and industries, including automotive OEMs and their suppliers. Pilla is a fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers and is the recipient of the 2021 Green Chemistry Challenge award from the Environmental Protection Agency and the 2022 Team award from the Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office.