Materials manufacturing is subject to uncertainty in raw materials and processes that can drastically alter the resulting properties. Defects can lead to costly re-tuning of the process recipes and prevent production of certified products. To address these challenges, this Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) award will support the development of a data-centric approach for integrated materials design and manufacturing, called Materials Architected by Adaptive Processing (MAAP). 

In this approach, the same data and data infrastructure applied for materials design will be harnessed for process monitoring and control to ensure consistent production of materials with targeted properties. As a specific example, the MAAP approach will be used to design and produce polymer blends with superior properties from recycled material. The award will also advance fundamental understanding of mixing and flow-induced crystallization in multi-polymer melts and apply that understanding to produce architected blends from recycled polymers. The ability to upcycle plastic waste will improve sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of plastics production. 

The project will contribute to the workforce development by: 
1) developing student projects that integrate data science, experimentation, and computation; 
2) providing research internships for high-school students traditionally underrepresented in engineering; and 
3) offering training for practicing engineers, technicians, and managers in recycling, melt blending, and quality control.