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A novel rapid prototyping technology incorporating a curved layer building style was developed. The new process, based on laminated object manufacturing (LOM), was designed for efficient fabrication of curved layer structures made from ceramics and fiber reinforced composites. A new LOM machine was created, referred to as curved layer LOM. This new machine uses ceramic tapes and fiber prepregs as feedstocks and fabricates curved structures on a curved‐layer by curved‐layer basis. The output of the process is a three‐dimensional “green” ceramic that is capable of being processed to a seamless, fully dense ceramic using traditional techniques. A detailed description is made of the necessary software and hardware for this new process. Also reviewed is the development of ceramic preforms and accompanying process technology for net shape ceramic fabrication. Monolithic ceramic (SiC) and ceramic matrix composite (SiC/SiC) articles were fabricated using both the flat layer and curved layer LOM processes. For making curved layer objects, the curved process afforded the advantages of eliminated stair step effect, increased build speed, reduced waste, reduced need for decubing, and maintenance of continuous fibers in the direction of curvature.

Segmented polyurethane elastomers for biomedical applications were synthesized and studied at macroscopic (by mechanical testing) and meso/nanoscopic length scales (by atomic force microscopy, AFM). The polyurethanes are composed of 4,4'‐methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate), 1,4‐butanediol and an ε‐polycaprolactone diol. The stoichiometric ratio of the isocyanate and hydroxyl groups is constant, but the polymer diol to total diol—varies from 0 to 100 %. We show the representative features of the morphology from phase separation to mixed phases, how this is related to the mechanical properties in the bulk and locally, at exposed free surfaces and at the nanoscale. We propose a morphological model considering the molecular structure, the length of hard segments, and the dimensions of both the soft and the hard phases, respectively. Understanding such structure–property relations is pivotal to establishing designer materials and controlling the performance of the final product to achieve optimal properties in polyurethane based medical devices. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016, 54, 2298–2310.

A comprehensive study of toughening unsaturated polyster and vinyl ester resins by addition of liquid rubbers was carried out by considering the effects of cure temperature and gel time on final resin/rubber morphology. The objective was to produce a dispersed rubber phase consisting of particles less than 15 μm in diameter with the addition of limited amounts of rubber, so as not to seriously reduce the modulus and strength of the base resin. A variety of liquid rubbers was used including those based on poly(butadiene acrylonitrile), poly(epichlorohydrin), and two poly(acrylates). Fracture toughness of unmodified and rubber modified materials was measured using the compact tension (CT) test geometry. Significant improvements in fracture toughness were achieved with little to no change in Young's modulus or glass transition temperature. With modest rubber additions, the fracture toughness increased up to 62% for the polyester resin and up to 116% for the vinyl ester resin. In general, fracture toughness increases with increases in volume fraction of rubbery second‐phase particles. However, results suggest that two‐phase particles may be more effective tougheners than single‐phase particles. The toughening mechanism appears to depend on the type of rubbery particle morphology present.