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Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Aerospace Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 23784

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Mario Marchetti

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Guest Editor

Department of Astronautic Electric and Energy Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Interests: materials science; aerospace structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue on Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications is dedicated to publishing original research in the aeronautical and space field. The main objective is to publish outstanding papers presenting cutting-edge advances in the field of Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications. The scope of the present Special Issue thus extends far beyond emerging technologies.

The main topics covered by this Special Issue are scientific contributions on the following research topics:

Structural health monitoring and non-destructive evaluation/inspection of composite structures;
Aircraft maintenance and failure analysis;
Aviation human factor;
Green aviation;
Adaptive structures for aeronautical applications;
Commercial space transportation: suborbital flights;
Solid, hybrid, liquid, and electric rocket propulsion;
Noise and vibration for cabin interiors;
Innovative nonstructural materials for cabin items;
Multifunctional materials and structures for aerospace applications;
Thermoacoustic insulation blankets in civil aircraft;
Space exploration;
Space engineering and technology;
Planetary exploration;
Nanosatellite systems and missions;
Spacecraft impact protection;
Life support systems and infrastructures for Mars and Moon colonization;
Hypervelocity impacts and protection;
Extreme space environment.

The above list is not exhaustive, and papers on other topics associated with advances in Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications are also welcome.

It is our pleasure to invite professionals from industry, academic institutions, and research centers from around the world to submit their contributions to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Mario Marchetti
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Morphing wing structures
Interior design of aircrafts
Multifunctional flap tip
Damage development and failure of composite laminates
Carbon/carbon structures
Adaptive structures
Additive manufacturing technology
Fiber-reinforced polymer composites
Aircraft noise
Operation modal analysis
Structural health monitoring
Structural adhesives
Plates advanced theories
Shape memory alloys
Cubesats as space platforms
Hybrid–electric aircraft
Space Thermal Protection
Lunar Cubesats
Infrastructures for Mars and Moon colonization
Unmanned Space Vehicle
Stratospheric balloons
Solid and liquid propulsion
Materials for rocket propulsion

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 9698 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Interaction between the LEO Satellite Constellation and the Space Debris Environment

by Shuyi Ren, Xiaohua Yang, Ronglan Wang, Siqing Liu and Xiaojing Sun

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(20), 9490; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11209490 - 13 Oct 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3039

Abstract

The wide application of satellite constellations in the field of space-based global communications and remote sensing has led to a substantial increase in small-satellite launch plans, a sharp increase in the density of space objects in low-Earth orbit (LEO), and a reduction in available orbit and frequency resources. This will further aggravate the trend of deterioration of the space debris environment. Taking the Starlink constellation as an example, this paper describes the influence of the constellation from the environmental debris flux of the satellite, the evaluation of the number of evasion maneuvers, the change of risk level, the success rate of post mission disposal (PMD) and the growth rate of space objects. The simulation results show that the collision risk of the Starlink constellation is related to the orbital parameters, and the higher success rate of post-mission disposal (PMD) can reduce the collision risk of the constellation. The large constellations increases the growth rate of space objects, and even if all the satellites are disposed of after the mission, the impact of constellations on the space environment can not be offset. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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13 pages, 6741 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization in Dynamic Load Environment of COTS Synthetic Sapphire Bearings for Application in Magnetic Suspension in Space

by Giovanni Ottavio Delle Monache, Maria Elisa Tata, Girolamo Costanza and Claudia Cavalieri

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(19), 9027; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11199027 - 28 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1210

Abstract

The present research investigates the application of a cardan suspension making use of permanent magnet (PM) bearings employed to obtain high reliable/low-cost solutions for the permanent alignment of directional payloads such as laser reflectors for the Next Generation Lunar Retroreflector (NGLR) experiment or antennas to be deployed on the moon’s surface. According to Earnshaw’s Theorem, it is not possible to fully stabilize an object using only a stationary magnetic field. It is also necessary to provide axial control of the shaft since the PM bearings support the radial load but, they produce an unstable axial force when losing alignment between the stator and rotor magnets stack. In this work, the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) sapphire as axial bearings in the cardan suspension has been investigated by testing their behavior in response to some of the dynamic loads experienced during the qualification tests for space missions. The work is innovative in the sense that COTS sapphire assembly has never been investigated for space mission qualification. As Artemis mission loads have not been yet provided for NGLR, test loads for this study are those used for the proto-qualification of the INFN INRRI payload for the ESA ExoMars EDM mission. Tests showed that, along the x and y directions, no damages were produced on the sapphire, while, unfortunately, on the z direction both sapphires were badly damaged at nominal loads. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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12 pages, 6579 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Experimental Reflection Evaluation for Attitude Monitoring of Space Orbiting Systems with NRL Arch Method

by Andrea Delfini, Roberto Pastore, Fabrizio Piergentili, Fabio Santoni and Mario Marchetti

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(18), 8632; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11188632 - 16 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1609

Abstract

The increasing number of satellites orbiting around Earth has led to an uncontrolled increase in objects within the orbital environment. Since the beginning of the space age on 4 October 1957 (launch of Sputnik I), there have been more than 4900 space launches, leading to over 18,000 satellites and ground-trackable objects currently orbiting the Earth. For each satellite launched, several other objects are also sent into orbit, including rocket upper stages, instrument covers, and so on. Having a reliable system for tracking objects and satellites and monitoring their attitude is at present a mandatory challenge in order to prevent dangerous collisions and an increase in space debris. In this paper, the evaluation of the reflection coefficient of different shaped objects has been carried out by means of the bi-static reflection method, also known as NRL arch measurement, in order to evaluate their visibility and attitude in a wide range of frequencies (12–18 GHz). The test campaign aims to correlate the experimental measures with the hypothetical reflection properties of orbiting systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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15 pages, 12327 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chiral-Lattice-Filled Composite Tubes under Uniaxial and Lateral Quasi-Static Load: Experimental Studies

by Kadir Gunaydin, Aykut Tamer, Halit Suleyman Turkmen, Giuseppe Sala and Antonio Mattia Grande

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(9), 3735; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11093735 - 21 Apr 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2388

Abstract

Our research investigated the energy absorption characteristics of chiral auxetic lattices filled cylindrical composite tubes subjected to a uniaxial and lateral quasi-static load. The lattice structures were manufactured using a 3D printing technique. Carbon fiber composite tubes without filler material were initially subjected to uniaxial and lateral quasi-static crushing load. The same types of experiment were then performed on chiral lattices and chiral lattices filled composite tubes. For the different cases, the load–displacements curves were analyzed and the specific energy absorption (SEA) values were compared. The SEA capability for the axial quasi-static crushing of the chiral lattices filled composite tubes decreased in comparison with the hollow composite design. However, the most significant result was that the average SEA value in the case of lateral loading increased dramatically in comparison with the hollow composite configuration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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11 pages, 1845 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermoplastic Polymeric Materials for Spacecraft Applications: Flame Retardant Properties and UV/AtOx Aging Analysis

by Roberto Pastore, Marta Albano, Andrea Delfini, Fabio Santoni and Mario Marchetti

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 949; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11030949 - 21 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1681

Abstract

Space-mission development introduced the problem of human isolation in extreme environments. The integration of architectural concepts such as windows, with their technical implications into human space missions, is necessary especially for long-duration space flights. Such solutions must be subjected to close certification testing in order to establish their compliance with severe space environment conditions. Moreover, projects of long-term missions involve a renewed concern about fire safety in manned space vehicles. The supposed occupancy time of the order of decades, in fact, makes unplanned fire ignition events virtually unavoidable. An experimental test-plan performed to qualify a commercial thermoplastic material for applications as transparent element in spacecraft is reported in the present work. A flame exposure test, as well as ultraviolet radiation and atomic oxygen erosion rate measurements, was carried out on a commercial poly-sulfone material, following ASTM standard procedures. The aim of the research was to develop and put forward flame retardant structures able to withstand the harsh space environment, preventing or mitigating the degradation of their physical and chemical integrity, with particular regard to the visible-light transparency. The results obtained show that the tested poly-sulfone may be considered as a promising material for the claimed application, even if further surface optimization treatments should be conceived in order to gain a full adaptability to the operative constraints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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15 pages, 9070 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Multi-Stage Homogenizations on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Al–Zn–Mg–Zr–Sc Alloys

by Yang-Chun Chiu, Tse-An Pan, Mien-Chung Chen, Jun-Wei Zhang, Hui-Yun Bor and Sheng-Long Lee

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(2), 470; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11020470 - 06 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1566

Abstract

This study is aimed at exploring the effects of multi-stage homogenization and trace amounts of Zr and Sc on the microstructures, mechanical properties, and recrystallization of Al–4.5Zn–1.5Mg alloys. The mechanical properties of the AA7005 aluminum alloys after the T6 heat treatment were evaluated through a hardness test and tensile test. The microstructures were analyzed by an optical microscope (OM), a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). The results show that the grain refinement effect of the as-cast, homogenized, and recrystallized Al–4.5Zn–1.5Mg alloy containing 0.05Sc (wt%) after the T6 heat treatment was more significant than that of the alloy containing 0.1Zr (wt%). In addition, compared with the aforementioned one-stage homogenization heat treatment, the two-stage homogenization made the dispersed grain phase (Al₃Zr/Al₃Sc) smaller. As a result, the T6 mechanical strength of the alloy after the two-stage homogenization heat treatment was better than that of the contrastive alloy after the one-stage homogenization heat treatment. However, the two different homogenization heat treatments caused a greater divergence between the sizes of the dispersed grain phases of the Al–4.5Zn–1.5Mg alloys containing Zr than between the sizes of the dispersed grain phases of the alloys containing Sc. Therefore, after the two-stage homogenization heat treatment, the alloy with 0.1Zr (wt%) promoted the mechanical properties better than the alloy with 0.05Sc (wt%). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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18 pages, 11129 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Sensitivity Analysis of the Damage Behavior of a Leading-Edge Subject to Bird Strike

by Francesco Di Caprio, Andrea Sellitto, Salvatore Saputo, Michele Guida and Aniello Riccio

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(22), 8187; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10228187 - 19 Nov 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2103

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the crashworthiness capability of a commercial aircraft metallic sandwich leading edge, subjected to bird strike events. A sensitivity analysis is presented, aimed to assess the influence of the skin parameters (inner and outer faces and core thicknesses) on the leading-edge crashworthiness and to determine, among the configurations able to withstand a bird strike event, the best compromise in terms of weight and structural performances. In order to easily manage the design parameters and the output data, the ModeFrontier code was used in conjunction with the FE code Abaqus/Explicit. A dedicated python routine was developed to define a fully parametric simplified leading-edge model. To fulfill the aerodynamic requirements, the external surfaces were considered fixed during the sensitivity analysis, and, thus, only the internal leading edge’s components were modified to study their influence on the structural response. The total mass of the model, the maximum deformation and the energy dissipated due to material failure and the plastic deformations were monitored and used to compare and assess the behavior of each configuration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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17 pages, 4427 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Calibrated Integral Equation Model for Bare Soil Moisture Retrieval of Synthetic Aperture Radar: A Case Study in Linze County

by Ling Zhang, Hao Li and Zhaohui Xue

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(21), 7921; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10217921 - 08 Nov 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2362

Abstract

Soil moisture plays a significant role in surface energy balance and material exchange. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) provides a promising data source to monitor soil moisture. However, soil surface roughness is a key difficulty in bare soil moisture retrieval. To reduce the measurement error of the correlation length and improve the inversion accuracy, we used the surface roughness (Hrms, root mean surface height) and empirical correlation length lopt as proposed by Baghdadi to introduce analytical equations of the backscattering coefficient using the calibrated integral equation model (CIEM). This empirical model was developed based on analytical equations to invert soil moisture for Hrms between 0.5 and 4 cm. Experimental results demonstrated that when the incidence angle varied from 33.5° to 26.3°, R² of the retrieved and measured soil moisture decreased from 0.67 to 0.57, and RMSE increased from 2.53% to 5.4%. Similarly, when the incidence angle varied from 33.5° to 26.3°, R² of the retrieved and measured Hrms decreased from 0.64 to 0.51, and RMSE increased from 0.33 to 0.4 cm. Therefore, it is feasible to use the empirical model to invert soil moisture and surface roughness for bare soils. In the inversion of the soil moisture and Hrms, using Hrms and the empirical correlation length lopt as the roughness parameters in the simulations is sufficient. The empirical model has favorable validity when the incidence angle is set to 33.5° and 26.3° at the C-band. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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21 pages, 7383 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Active Load-Sensitive Electro-Hydrostatic Actuator for More Electric Aircraft

by Ligang Huang, Tian Yu, Zongxia Jiao and Yanpeng Li

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(19), 6978; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10196978 - 06 Oct 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3781

Abstract

In the flight control system, using an electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA) instead of the currently used relatively mature electro-hydraulic valve-controlled actuator, there are three prevailing concerns, namely heating, size, and stiffness. This paper proposes a novel principle EHA, called active load-sensitive EHA (ALS-EHA), which can actively realize the adaptive adjustment of pump displacement with load pressure. Its principle analysis and mathematical modeling based on the direct load-sensitive EHA (DLS-EHA) configuration is done to obtain the relationship between motor current and hydraulic reduction ratio. Then, its stiffness characteristics are analyzed, especially the influence of hydraulic reduction ratio on impedance at low frequencies combined with investigating the power matching of ALS-EHA. A comparative experiment between the developed ALS-EHA and the EHA with fixed pump displacement and variable motor speed (EHA-FPVM) was carried out. The results reveal that the proposed ALS-EHA can reduce the motor heating and its displacement tracking error is smaller near zero speed owing to its higher impedance from the lower hydraulic reduction ratio under heavy load conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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Other

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14 pages, 4847 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Thermal Stability Design of Asymmetric Support Structure for an Off-Axis Space Camera

by Weiyang Song, Peng Xie, Shuai Liu and Yunqiang Xie

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(11), 5184; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11115184 - 03 Jun 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2270

Abstract

With the development of space optical remote sensing technology, especially off-axis space cameras, the thermal dimensional stability of the support structure has become increasingly demanding. However, the asymmetry of the camera structure has not been fully considered in the past design of the thermal stability of off-axis cameras. In order to solve this problem, a support structure with very low thermal deformation in the asymmetric direction is presented in this paper for an off-axis TMA camera. By means of the negative axial thermal expansion coefficient of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP), a composite laminate with near zero-expansion was obtained by adjusting the direction of fiber laying, and the asymmetric feature of the off-axis remote sensing camera structure was fully considered, thus enabling the support structure to have good thermal dimensional stability. We carried out a thermal load analysis and an optical analysis of the whole camera in the case of a temperature rise of 5 °C. The results show that the zero-expansion support structure has good thermal stability, and the thermal deformation in the asymmetric direction of the camera is obviously smaller than that of the isotropic laminate support structure. Compared with the isotropic support structure, the influence of thermal deformation on MTF is reduced from 10.43% to 2.61%. This study innovatively incorporates the asymmetry of the structure into the thermal sta-bility design of an off-axis TMA camera and provides a reference for the thermal stability design of other off-axis space cameras. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications)

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