Principal investigator: Davide Piovesan
Co-PI: Matthew Gacura
University: Gannon University
Industry partners: Hayden Huynger Weaver
Pennsylvania is home to many metals-processing companies that rely on low- and high-temperature heat-treating processes. Improving heat-treat process control would strengthen the competitiveness of these firms. One opportunity is the development of a low-cost way to frequently and accurately measure product temperature during heat treatment. This challenge requires a sensor that can be attached to complex geometries and protected from extreme heat. Gannon and Hayden Hunter Weaver are developing a method for measuring the temperature of steel tubes during heat treatment. This proposed project will further investigate hempcrete as a fire-resistant, carbon-foam insulation that can be formed into complex shapes using additive manufacturing and molding. Hempcrete, a waste byproduct of hemp processing, is readily available from processors in the region. The project will study a hempcrete-based fabrication process using additive manufacturing and pyrolysis to create high-temperature insulation that protects wireless temperature sensors inside steel tubes during heat treatment.