Expertise
Materials science, 3D printing techniques, Automated fiber placement techniques
Research Interests
Composite Design & Manufacturing, Automated Composites Manufacturing, Buckling of Lightweight Fiber-Reinforced composite
Education
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, People’s Republic of China
Biosketch
Xiao Liu joined the Advanced Composites Materials and Textile Research Lab (ACMTRL) as a Ph.D candidate in fall 2015. His research interests lie in experimental and theoretical study of lightweight fiber-reinforced composite structures particularly using anisotropy in structures subject to buckling. Most structures for which buckling is an issue are designed to resist buckling. Another portion of the research is focused on developing and prototyping an innovative automation solution for fabricating the lightweight fiber-reinforced composite structures with 1,2 and 3-dimensional shapes. This automation solution is designed to avoid in-process defects (e.g. voids and resin reach area) within the final parts and decrease the capital cost for the fabrication.
Prior to pursuing a Ph.D degree, Xiao was a Research Assistant in the Heat Transfer Laboratory of UMass Lowell. His research efforts included prototyping 3-Omega thermal conductivity measurement system for measuring the thermal conductivity of thin film material and fabricating Ni nanowire-based paraffin composites (nanoPCMs).
Xiao received the Outstanding Student Leader Award of Henan Provence, China in 2011 and Outstanding Graduate Student Award at UMass Lowell in 2015.