A group of Rice University students has turned a single semester course project into a peer-reviewed research paper, demonstrating a new way to make high-performance composite materials both stronger and more resistant to catastrophic failure.
The study, published in Composites Part B , introduces an architectural approach to improving carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites, materials widely used in aerospace for their strength and light weight but known for their vulnerability to sudden, brittle failure.
What makes the work stand out is not only the scientific advancement but how it was achieved: The entire project was conceived, designed and executed by undergraduate and master's students as part of a fall 2025 course, MECH 471/571: Composite Materials for Aerospace Structures.
"This came out of a class in a very short time," said Denizhan Yavas , assistant teaching professor of mechanical engineering and the course instructor. "The goal was to make carbon fiber composites more damage tolerant by introducing architected soft layers, and the students were able to demonstrate that and publish it in a top journal in the field."
CFRP composites are essential in aerospace systems, including carbon-overwrapped pressure vessels used to store propellants. While they offer exceptional strength-to-weight performance, their failure can be sudden and severe, which is a major concern in safety-critical applications. But rather than altering the material chemistry to address this issue, the Rice team focused on redesigning the internal structure.
Inspired by nacre, commonly known as mother-of-pearl, the students developed custom-designed thermoplastic lattice interlayers — strategically placed, compliant regions embedded within the stiff composite. Unlike traditional soft interlayers that weaken materials, these discrete architectures preserve load-bearing pathways while allowing damage to spread gradually instead of catastrophically.
Their design resulted in composites that maintain stiffness and strength while dramatically improving damage tolerance. Experiments showed up to a fourfold increase in energy absorption, along with comparable or improved interlaminar strength. Using digital image correlation and simulation, the students found that cracks in the new material develop more slowly and in a more distributed manner, which is key for helping to prevent sudden failure.
For the students, the project bridged theory and practice in a way few classroom experiences can.
"The process itself was super fun," said Ethan Javedan, a senior in mechanical engineering who is taking a job with Honeywell Aerospace after graduation. "You go from learning the theory in the classroom to actually doing the manufacturing and testing. You don't really know what's going to happen, and then getting to see the results of your work was really exciting."
The students handled every stage of the research: concept development, fabrication, testing and analysis.
"It was really cool to be able to do this as part of a class and then have Dr. Yavas come to us and say, 'This is something we should publish,'" said Ricky Miller, a graduate student in mechanical engineering who is joining SpaceX after graduation. "In aerospace, when these materials fail, it can cost companies millions and set them back months. We wanted to find a way to keep the strength but make those failures less catastrophic."
The application for this work extends far beyond the classroom, Rice and even Earth.
Joanna Feaster, a master's student who contributed to the project and who now works at NASA's Johnson Space Center, said the research addresses a fundamental challenge in space systems.
"It's about balancing something that's lightweight but also won't break," Feaster said. "By combining the stiffness of carbon fiber with more flexible materials, you can create something that's more durable and better suited for the harsh environment of temperature extremes, radiation and vacuum in space."
Beyond its immediate applications, the study reflects a broader shift in how engineers think about materials.
"This work shows that performance can be engineered not just through chemistry but through architecture," Yavas said.
That insight opens the door to designing safer, more resilient materials for aerospace, transportation and other high-performance industries. For the students involved, it's also proof that meaningful scientific contributions can start in the classroom.
