We have identified four major themes in hexagonal materials in order to address processing, properties and performance in the proposed synergistic manner bringing to bear the range of experimental, characterization and modelling techniques. All of the themes are interdependent and cannot be successful on their own. For example, the research in micromechanics and sonics on texture and macro-zone detection depends upon x-ray, SEM and EBSD characterization and property determination from fundamental mechanisms; conversely, understanding high-rate twin nucleation in the fundamental mechanisms work and slip localization in the nuclear performance work depends upon knowledge of microstructural-level stress and slip levels to be obtained from the micromechanics work. Similar arguments and examples can be provided for all the themes.
HexMat Themes
- Theme I. Fundamental Mechanisms
- Theme II. Micromechanics and Sonics
- Theme III. Aerospace Performance
- Theme IV. Nuclear Performance
Fundamental Mechanisms
Principal Investigator: Prof Angus Wilkinson, University of Oxford
Research Programme:
FT1: Experimental Technique Developments
FT2: Slip Transfer at Grain Boundaries
FT3: Deformation Twinning
FT4: Slip Planarity and Slip Band Spacing
FT5: Shear Band Formation
FT6: Elastic Anisotropy of beta Phase
Theme II. Micromechanics and Sonics
MT1: Polycrystal Ultrasound Dynamics
MT2: Ultrasonic Texture Detection
MT3: Intra- and Trans-crystal Behaviour
MT4: Polycrystal Property Prediction
MT5: Adiabatic Shear in High-rate hcp Deformation
Theme III. Aerospace Performance
AT1: High Cycle Fatigue
AT2: How Short Cracks Turn into Long Cracks
AT3: Dwell Fatigue
AT4: The role of temperature and rate
AT5: The role of oxygen
AT6: Quantifying microstructures
AT7: High rate surface damage and fatigue
AT8: Twinning and high rate deformation
AT9: Developing improved microstructures and alloys
Theme IV. Nuclear Performance
NT1: Developing experimental protocols for proton irradiation of Zr alloys in order to simulate neutron irradiation
NT2: Developing methods for mechanical experiments of proton irradiated material in context of fatigue and DHC
NT3: Microstructural factors that affect flow localisation and slip transfer
NT4: Effect of hydride formation on deformation mechanisms in irradiated Zr
NT5: Comparison of crack formation from defects in irradiated and non-irradiated material
NT6: Effect of aqueous corrosion environment on crack formation
Contact
If you are interested in joining the HexMat Programme, please contact Dr Saira Naeem