Dr. Marcia Cooper
Research Interests
- Heterogeneous material behavior in thermal and mechanical environments
- Energetic materials including pyrotechnics, propellants, explosives
- Ignition, shock, detonation
- High velocity impact
- Laser velocimetry and high-speed optical imaging
Our group studies the complex behaviors of heterogeneous materials in severe environments. Of particular interest are heterogeneous materials formed from densely packed granular media which are found in a diverse range of applications including structural materials, energy storage, pharmaceuticals, and energetic materials including pyrotechnics, propellants, and explosives. Our experiments and analysis combine aspects of particulate science, mechanics of materials, and thermal science to uncover the effect of thermal and mechanical damage mechanisms on bulk material performance.
Phone: (979) 862-4461
Email: [email protected]
Educational Background
- Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology — 2004
- M.S., Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology — 2000
- B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University — 1999
Awards & Honors
- 2019 Sandia National Laboratories SPOT Award for Leadership
- 2011 Sandia National Laboratories Employee Recognition Award
- 2009 Outstanding Women at Sandia National Laboratories
Selected Publications
- Cooper, M. A., M. S. Oliver, D. C. Bufford, B. C. White, and J. Lechman (2020). Compression Behavior of Microcrystalline Cellulose Spheres: Single Particle Compression and Confined Bulk Compression Across Regimes. Powder Technology 374, 10–21.
- Cooper, M. A., A. W. Sapp, S. Guo, and T. J. Vogler (2020). Imaging Perturbed Shock Propagation in Powders. Review of Scientific Instruments 91(2), 025109.
- Skaggs, M. N., M. J. Hargather, and M. A. Cooper (2016). Characterizing Pyrotechnic Igniter Output with High-Speed Schlieren Imaging. Shock Waves, 1–11.
- Cooper, M. A. (2014). Optically Recording Velocity Interferometer System (ORVIS) Configurations and Impact of Target Surface Reflectance Properties. Applied Optics 53(24), F21–F30.
- Cooper, M. A. and M. S. Oliver (2013). The Burning Regimes and Conductive Burn Rates of Titanium Sybhydride Potassium Perchlorate (TiH1.65/KClO4) in Hybrid Closed Bomb-Strand Burner Experiments. Combustion and Flame 160, 2619–2630.