The LaSPACE Research Enhancement Awards (REA) Program is intended to provide support for faculty (and students) at LaSPACE member institutions, particularly aimed at the emerging researcher or an established researcher who wishes to pursue new research directions, for the development of projects, contacts, and collaborations that will bring Louisiana scientists into the mainstream of NASA related research activity, thereby increasing their chances to successfully compete in the aerospace R&D marketplace. As is true with all LaSPACE Programs, minority participation is strongly encouraged. The REA Program is funded by state matching funds, through the Board of Regents Support Fund. The awards are intended to develop expertise and to contribute to research competitiveness. However, awards are not intended purely to support faculty salaries or graduate student stipends. It is anticipated (and strongly advised) that students (both graduate and undergraduate) will be involved in REA projects, but the overriding goal is the development of research capabilities and infrastructure in support of the countrys space/aerospace endeavors. In that regard, contacts/collaborations/ties to NASA centers and NASA researchers are strongly encouraged. The overall goal for this Program is to effectively utilize the resources available through LaSPACE as incentive for faculty and students: 1) to develop research competitiveness 2) to develop new research projects or directions, and 3) to foster collaborations among the campuses, as well as with NASA centers and/or other federal laboratories and with the business/industry community.

REA, Raush, ULL, Proposal Abstract: This LaSPACE REA proposal is being submitted as a Research Facilitation/Initiation Subprogram project. Accurate high-temperature thermophysical property data for liquid metals and alloys are important for simulation of laser-based 3D printing processes. To understand and better control such additive manufacturing (AM) processes, knowledge of density, viscosity, and surface tension of liquid metals and alloys versus composition and temperature is needed. Likewise, thermochemical property data information regarding alloys, including chemical activities and free energies relative to composition and temperature, aid in the understanding and development of phase data important in the material design process. Vacuum electrostatic levitation (ESL) is an important technique through which both thermophysical and thermochemical property measurements can be accomplished without physical contact with the liquid. The proposed project will study several important existing and proposed titanium and nickel based engineering alloys through a container-less oscillating drop technique at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Additional thermodynamic data are generated and compared to CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagram) results while thermophysical values of liquid alloys will be compared to molecular dynamics results. The test and simulation procedure, consistent with ICME (Integrated Computational Materials Engineering) principles and with the federal MGI (Materials Genome Initiative), will provide support for the development of improved AM simulation, and processing and control strategies.