Research

Research Interests

• Study of carbon nanotube yarns or fibers. This research is focused on determining their mechanical, electrical, piezoresistive and thermal responses, and their tailoring and conditioning for their use in sensors in structural health monitoring and other sensing applications.

• Study and development of composite materials and polymeric materials that can be constantly aware of their own structural health condition. The research includes the study of "self-sensing" polymeric and composite materials that include carbon nanotube yarn sensors which are integrated, distributed and monitored through impedance measurements. The sensors can measure strain and detect initiating damage . This research may lead to the foundational technology of robust real-time and condition-based health monitoring of aerospace and other high performance structures.

• Fundamental studies of the thermomechanical and electrical response of laminated polymeric composite materials reinforced with carbon nanotube-based materials and development studies to create composites with superior multifunctional properties. These studies are being conducted through combined experimental, numerical and analytical approaches that include processing and fabrication, structure-property relationships, thermomechanical characterization, and multiscale modeling of constitutive behavior.

Journals' Special Issues and Conference Sessions

• Sensors, Special Issue: Sensing Concepts and Applications Using Carbon Nanotube Assemblies

• Sensors, Special Issue: Structural Health Monitoring Using Carbon Nanotube Yarn-Based Sensors 

• Sensors, Special Issue: Integrated Structural Health Monitoring in Polymeric Composites

• Journal of Carbon Research, Special Issue: Carbon-Based Sensors

• Journal of Multifunctional Composites, Special Issue: Novel Sensing Techniques and Approaches in Composite Materials

• 5th International Symposium on Sensor Science (I3S2017), Sensors for Structures 

• American Society for Composites, (ASC 2017), Smart and Multifunctional Composites

Associate Editorship

• Journal of Carbon Research

Editorial Boards

• Sensors

• Journal of Composites Science

• Functional Composites and Structures, Korean Society of Composite Materials

Advisory Boards

• Sci

Research Opportunities for Students

If you have research experience or interest on carbon nanotube fibers or very closely related materials, and are strongly motivated to conduct scientific research, please feel free to send your resume and a personal statement of interests to Prof. Abot at abot@cua.edu, specifically addressing how your technical interests match those in the research group and how you would like to contribute to the research projects. Funded student positions are not currently available for 2024.  Thank you so much in advance for your interest and best wishes.