Ide Ezgi Onal
Advisors: Prof. Meisha L. Shofner and Prof. Julie S. Linsey

will propose a doctoral thesis entitled,

Materials Design and Fabrication Strategies for Flexible Electrodynamic Dust Shields (EDS) in Lunar Infrastructure

On

Monday, September 21, 2026 at 2:30 p.m.
MRDC Room 4404
and/or

 Virtually via MS Teams

Committee
            Prof. Meisha L. Shofner – School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (co-advisor)
            Prof. Julie S. Linsey – George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (co-advisor)
            Prof. Faisal M. Alamgir – School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
            Prof. Sundaresan Jayaraman – School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

      Prof. Álvaro Romero-Calvo - Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Abstract
Lunar dust presents a major challenge for space exploration due to its abrasive morphology and electrostatic charging, which contribute to mechanical wear and reduced equipment performance. Fine dust particles also pose health risks when inhaled or transported into habitats. Electrodynamic Dust Shields (EDS) offer a promising mitigation strategy by applying high-voltage signals across interdigitated electrodes to generate electric fields that mobilize and remove dust particles. While conventional EDS systems commonly rely on rigid metallic electrodes, next-generation lunar technologies require lightweight, mechanically compliant, and potentially transparent devices suitable for curved optical components and astronaut garments. This thesis addresses that need through the development of flexible electrodynamic dust shields (FLEDS) based on solution-processable conductive nanomaterials and polymers. The central objective is to determine how conductive-network architecture, conductive/dielectric interfaces, and processing strategies can be controlled to achieve electromechanically reliable and application-adaptable devices. The work builds upon chemically modified reduced graphene oxide (CMrGO) surface-localized nanocomposite electrodes, which form flexible percolated networks compatible with thermoplastic processing. Three complementary aims are pursued. Aim 1 develops thermoplastic encapsulation strategies to improve dielectric reliability and mechanical durability through controlled polymer infiltration and interface formation, supported by electromechanical strain-life modeling and cyclic fatigue experiments. Aim 2 advances the platform toward optical transparency using hybrid CMrGO/silver nanowire (AgNW) networks and investigates how nanoparticle dimensionality, composition, loading, dispersion, and morphology govern electrical conductivity, optical transmission, and mechanical compliance. Aim 3 translates these design principles to textile-integrated devices through direct printing, modular patch attachment, and fiber-level conductive-yarn integration for mechanically dynamic astronaut garment surfaces. Collectively, this research seeks to establish structure-processing-property relationships and scalable fabrication strategies for dust-mitigation devices spanning flexible, transparent, and wearable lunar applications. Expected outcomes include improved understanding of nanocomposite network degradation, thermoplastic encapsulation and dielectric reliability, hybrid transparent-electrode design, and integration with textile substrates. These findings will provide materials- and device-level guidelines for mechanically compliant EDS technologies and support their advancement toward future lunar surface infrastructure and astronaut systems.