Hybrid materials with tunable mechanical response via topological interlocking and embedded kinematic agents. The project investigates a new approach to materials design targeting the inner architecture of materials. Such materials will be multifunctional and responsive to external fields. Applications include sound- and vibration-absorbing cladding, morphing aerospace and automotive materials, and protective civil engineering structures.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102588
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
A fundamental approach to generating new classes of light-weight amorphous alloys based on liquid-metal structures. An innovative alloy design method that harnesses the stable building blocks of the liquid structure will be used to develop new light-weight magnesium, aluminium, silicon and titanium amorphous metals. These new alloys will exhibit ultrahigh-strength, corrosion-resistance and functionality offering a new alternative to high performance materials.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100738
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,000.00
Summary
Materials Design for Self-toughening Bulk Metallic Glasses. Bulk metallic glasses are a new class of superior, high-performance structural material exhibiting ultra-high strength and high corrosion and wear resistance. However, they suffer from poor ductility and the inability to strain harden, which restricts their range of applications. A recent novel approach of embedding ductile shape-memory-alloy particles into the glassy matrix is a promising way to improve ductility. The project aims to i ....Materials Design for Self-toughening Bulk Metallic Glasses. Bulk metallic glasses are a new class of superior, high-performance structural material exhibiting ultra-high strength and high corrosion and wear resistance. However, they suffer from poor ductility and the inability to strain harden, which restricts their range of applications. A recent novel approach of embedding ductile shape-memory-alloy particles into the glassy matrix is a promising way to improve ductility. The project aims to identify the optimal structures of these particles and the corresponding process for improving the properties of copper-zirconium based metallic glasses. This project is expected to create ductile metallic glass composites attractive for engineering, medical, sporting, and military applications.Read moreRead less
Unlocking the twinning stress: confidence inspiring light alloys. The ultimate aim of this research is to reduce fuel consumption through weight reduction. It will achieve this by increasing the performance of the lightest structural metal, magnesium. Contrary to the metals it typically replaces (steel and aluminium), magnesium fails via mechanisms that involve deformation twinning. Better understanding of twinning is needed to enhance performance and give automotive makers confidence to apply t ....Unlocking the twinning stress: confidence inspiring light alloys. The ultimate aim of this research is to reduce fuel consumption through weight reduction. It will achieve this by increasing the performance of the lightest structural metal, magnesium. Contrary to the metals it typically replaces (steel and aluminium), magnesium fails via mechanisms that involve deformation twinning. Better understanding of twinning is needed to enhance performance and give automotive makers confidence to apply the metal more widely. The applicants have recently found evidence that a key missing piece of the puzzle is the role of plastic relaxation. The proposed work will use this idea to develop a new fundamental understanding of twinning using novel in-situ diffraction and modelling techniques.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100440
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,446.00
Summary
Engineering hierarchical microstructures in high strength low alloy steels. This project aims to develop a new steel processing technology that will simultaneously increase strength and ductility via multi-scale hierarchical microstructures. Specifically, ultra-fine grain sized steels will be produced with controlled precipitation, segregation and solute atom clustering. Atom probe crystallography will be used to study the structure and chemistry of grain boundaries, providing new insights into ....Engineering hierarchical microstructures in high strength low alloy steels. This project aims to develop a new steel processing technology that will simultaneously increase strength and ductility via multi-scale hierarchical microstructures. Specifically, ultra-fine grain sized steels will be produced with controlled precipitation, segregation and solute atom clustering. Atom probe crystallography will be used to study the structure and chemistry of grain boundaries, providing new insights into the toughness of structural steels. The expected outcome will be the identification of potential new manufacturing routes for future high strength low alloy steels that are stronger, more ductile, and safer.Read moreRead less
A new paradigm for creating fatigue-resistant light metals. Ninety per cent of failures of metal components are caused by fatigue. Fatigue arises from cycles of alternating stress during service which lead to failure at stress levels surprisingly short of the material's static strength. Fatigue is the 'Achilles heel' of complex engineering alloys and places significant limitations on adopting new lightweight solutions for improvements to fuel efficiency in transportation. Aluminium alloys in par ....A new paradigm for creating fatigue-resistant light metals. Ninety per cent of failures of metal components are caused by fatigue. Fatigue arises from cycles of alternating stress during service which lead to failure at stress levels surprisingly short of the material's static strength. Fatigue is the 'Achilles heel' of complex engineering alloys and places significant limitations on adopting new lightweight solutions for improvements to fuel efficiency in transportation. Aluminium alloys in particular have notoriously poor fatigue performance. This project aims to develop a new class of fatigue resistant light alloys whose properties improve, rather than deteriorate, during service. This development is based on a new understanding of the coupling of microstructure evolution and deformation.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100123
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$190,000.00
Summary
Quench and deformation dilatometer for studying phase transformations. Quench and deformation dilatometer for studying phase transformations: The quenching and deformation dilatometer is a high precision thermal analysis tool used to measure phase transformations in situ. This technique can make time-resolved measurements of transformations under the extreme conditions of heating, cooling and deformation that are experienced during industrial processing. This instrument will be the only one in A ....Quench and deformation dilatometer for studying phase transformations. Quench and deformation dilatometer for studying phase transformations: The quenching and deformation dilatometer is a high precision thermal analysis tool used to measure phase transformations in situ. This technique can make time-resolved measurements of transformations under the extreme conditions of heating, cooling and deformation that are experienced during industrial processing. This instrument will be the only one in Australia capable of temperature changes above 2000 degrees Celsius and will also be the only one equipped with a cryogenic module. The instrument is intended to be used to characterise new processing technologies and new alloy systems such as advanced high strength steels, age hardenable magnesium, high entropy alloys, and cluster hardening aluminium alloys.Read moreRead less
Reducing the environmental impact of passenger vehicles by the design of lightweight alloy components. There are approximately a billion passenger vehicles in the world and the number is growing each year. The reduction in vehicle weight is therefore critical as it is one of the major contributors to both fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. A major challenge for the automotive industry is to address this problem by replacing high density materials with lighter weight materials with co ....Reducing the environmental impact of passenger vehicles by the design of lightweight alloy components. There are approximately a billion passenger vehicles in the world and the number is growing each year. The reduction in vehicle weight is therefore critical as it is one of the major contributors to both fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. A major challenge for the automotive industry is to address this problem by replacing high density materials with lighter weight materials with comparable properties. The aim is to design new lightweight aluminium alloys with the desired properties to replace existing high density steel fasteners in vehicles. It is expected that the new components aim to reduce the total weight of a standard car by at least 20kg; this would be a significant achievement in the eyes of automotive manufacturers.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102778
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Enabling a new generation of advanced high-strength aluminium alloys through materials design. This project will create an analysis-engine of novel atom-sensitive methods to unlock the materials science of hierarchy-strengthening. It will assist in determining how hierarchical structures evolve and synergistically strengthen a new generation of advanced high-strength aluminium alloys that are strong as steel, but a third the weight.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190101495
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,000.00
Summary
Biodegradable porous shape memory alloys by additive manufacturing. This project aims to create a class of biodegradable Fe-Mn-Si based shape memory alloys and use additive manufacturing to fabricate porous structures with desired properties from these shape memory alloys. Biodegradable shape memory alloys offer great promise for biomedical applications due to their unique biodegradability, shape memory effects and superelasticity. However, a huge knowledge gap exists in developing and fabricati ....Biodegradable porous shape memory alloys by additive manufacturing. This project aims to create a class of biodegradable Fe-Mn-Si based shape memory alloys and use additive manufacturing to fabricate porous structures with desired properties from these shape memory alloys. Biodegradable shape memory alloys offer great promise for biomedical applications due to their unique biodegradability, shape memory effects and superelasticity. However, a huge knowledge gap exists in developing and fabricating biodegradable shape memory alloys with desired properties for biomedical applications. The project expects to fill the critical knowledge gap and open up new opportunities for biomedical applications of biodegradable shape memory alloys. This project will provide significant benefits through the creation of novel materials for application in the healthcare industry such as biomedical devices.Read moreRead less