Research Interests
Mechanical Behavior of Polymers
Francisco Castro won professional recognition for his Mechanical Engineering Outstanding PhD Dissertation in 2009. His research interests include the mechanical characterization of polymers, thermo-mechanical behavior of shape memory polymers and constitutive model implementation of shape memory polymers.
Select Publications
F. Castro, K.K. Westbrook, J. Hermiller, D.U. Ahn, Y. Ding, H.J. Qi, 2009. Time and
Temperature Dependent Recovery of Epoxy-Based Shape Memory Polymers. Submitted.
F. Castro, K.K. Westbrook, K.N. Long, R. Shandas, H.J. Qi, 2009. Effects of thermal
rates on the thermomechanical behaviors of amorphous shape memory polymers. Mech
Time-Depend Mater. Accepted.
K.K. Westbrook, F. Castro, K.N. Long, A.J. Slifka, H.J. Qi, 2009. Improved testing
system for thermomechanical experiments on polymers using uniaxial compression
equipment. Polymer Testing. Accepted.
T. D. Nguyen, H. J. Qi, F. Castro, K.N. Long, 2008. A thermoviscoelastic model for
amorphous shape memory polymers: Incorporating structural and stress relaxation, J.
Mech. Phys. Solids, 56: 2792-2814
H.J. Qi, T.D. Nguyen, F. Castro, C. Yakacki, R. Shandas, 2008. Finite Deformation
ThermoMechanical Behavior of Thermally Induced Shape Memory Polymers, J. Mech.
Phys. Solids, 56:1730-1751.