CREST Phase II Center for Complex Materials Design

About This Grant

With support from the Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) and the Engineering Research Centers (ERC), this project aims to create new materials and devices (bioderived thermoplastics, flexible hybrid recyclable electronics, sensors/actuators) of importance to numerous industries and federal agencies and tightly integrate research and education at Florida A&M University (FAMU). With artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) techniques to identify promising building block candidates, the project aims to use state-of-the-art synthesis, characterization and additive manufacturing techniques to yield biodegradable/recyclable novel structures and devices. CREST Phase II will enable long-term and multidisciplinary research at the cutting-edge of hybrid design and bioderived materials. Furthermore, CREST will contribute to developing FAMU capabilities while training the next generation of students in areas of national need. The scope of this CREST Phase II comprises the following subprojects – 1) High-throughput Discovery & Integration of Programmable Functional Polymer Nanocomposite Devices, 2) Bioderived, Recyclable, and Printable Polymer Matrices for Advanced Composites, and 3) Stimuli-Responsive Bio-Hybrid Soft Material Processing For 4D Fabrication and Microactuation. The goal is to develop novel functional bioderived thermoplastics and obtain structure-processing-function relationships useful to a wide variety of industrial processes. CREST Phase II aims to play a critical role in FAMU building to R1 status by increasing the number of Ph.D. graduates and to impact students through research collaborations and pedagogical practices. The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program provides support to enhance the research capabilities of institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research. The Engineering Research Centers program supports collaborative, interdisciplinary research partnerships between universities and industry to advance engineered systems, drive technological innovation and cultivate a globally competitive engineering workforce for significant societal impact. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.