PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS (April 25, 2022) Exploring space is one of the unique endeavors human beings have ever undertaken. A large part of that amazement is the complexity of having a stable and environmentally -friendly energy source, or propellant, to fuel the transport into space. However, there is no generic replacement for hydrazine-based propellant with a single green fuel. Dr. Nabila Shamim’s research leads the effort to design and characterize material properties for green alternative propellants with recent funding of $117,768 from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) – Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Program – Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP),
Dr. Nabila Shamim
Shamim states the AFOSR is interested in the ability to characterize and reliably predict the fundamental chemistry, physics, kinetics, and material science associated with high energy materials.
Shamim serves as an assistant professor in the chemical engineering department in the Roy G. Perry College of Engineering at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU).
She states, “In our lab, we will study the thermophysical properties of green propellants to understand the stable performance of the materials.”
Shamim finds that the energetic green materials have reduced toxicity and better storability when compared to the liquid propellant hydrazine, which is widely used as rocket fuel.
With the DURIP funds, Shamim will purchase a cutting-edge revolutionizing rapid-scanning Chip Calorimetry Flash Differential Scanning Calorimetry (Flash DSC). The state-of-the-art instrument can analyze reorganization processes that were previously impossible to measure.
“As a Carnegie R2 high research activity university, acquiring the Flash DSC instrument will provide PVAMU with advancement in performing a wide range of in-house experimental research and expanding multidisciplinary collaborations,” states Shamim.
“The focus will be on making the propellant more efficient by incorporating an in-depth study of metastability and reorganization of samples on the nano-gram scale for a small satellite, particularly micro and nanosatellites,” says Shamim.
“Dr. Shamim’s exploration of green propellants is timely as more countries are investing in alternative fuels for growing interest in space transportation. Her current study of the performance consistency of different materials will likely be of interest to other federal agencies. As the Board of Director for NASA Texas Space Grant Consortium, I am excited that this research will be of particular interest to NASA, which has a Green Propellant Infusion Mission,” said PVAMU Vice President of Research & Innovation Magesh Rajan, Ph.D., P.E., MBA.
The DURIP funding has the significance of being Shamim’s first external award. She states, “I felt honored to receive an award from the AFOSR and, at the same time, grateful that they recognize the importance of the research topic and provided the funding we need to continue developing scientific insights in our field.”
The award will enhance PVAMU’s institutional research capabilities by engaging faculty and students in state-of-the-art research. The project aims to increase the number of underrepresented students, predominantly minority female students, in STEM fields with comprehensive training in thermal sciences by an enhanced education experience with improved lab experiments and hands-on research experience.
“I am confident that the project will provide the capability at PVAMU to open new lines of research support for national defense interests. Materials relevant to defense applications will be studied, creating and analyzing data that can prepare our students for DOD-affiliated service and research.”
Co-Principal investigators on the project are Irvin Osborne-Lee, Ph.D., and Ananda Amarasekara, Ph.D., both professors in the chemistry department.
“I take this opportunity to recognize my Co-PIs for their continuous support in achieving success with this proposal,” said Shamim. “I am looking forward to starting the exciting project with Co-PIs and PVAMU undergraduate and graduate students.
Karen B. Cotton, MS, MA