research

Fully funded PhD studentship at The Open Univeristy campus, Milton Keynes, UK. The aim of this project is to optimise experimental techniques such as digital image correlation (DIC) and focused ion beam (FIB) hole drilling to investigate the micro scale stresses and strains occurring during martensitic transformations. The techniques will be applied to a range of materials from simple steels to complex shape memory alloys. There will also be scope within the project to study martensitic alloys using central facilities such as the ILL, ESRF and Diamond light source.

Although the cantilever beam has been widely used as a sensor to measure various physical quantities, important issues such as how residual stress affects its bending stiffness and what are the underlying physical origins have not been fully understood. We perform both theoretical analyses and finite-element simulations to demonstrate for the first time that without changing the material tangent stiffness, residual stress within the beam can directly influence the bending stiffness of the beam. This direct influence arises from two origins: geometry nonlinearity and Poisson’s ratio effect.

The fatigue behavior of Ag films on polyethyleneterephthalate substrates was studied using electrical resistance measurements.
Scanning electron microscopy images showed two types of failure: typical fatigue failure with extrusion–intrusion pairs, and ductile
failure with local necking. Once through-thickness cracks are formed in the metal layer, cracks propagate and the resistance increases abruptly for both failure modes. The effect of adhesion on fatigue life is discussed in terms of concurrent delamination, crack initiation and propagation.

In this paper, we report that silver films evaporated on poly-ethylene-terephthalate (PET) substrates coated with an acrylic primer can be stretched beyond 70% without fracture. As-deposited films show a larger failure strain than annealed coatings. These observations are rationalized in light of a ductile fracture mechanism where debonding from the substrate coevolves with strain localization. The results of this study indicate that PET substrates coated with an acrylic primer layer may be suitable for stretchable electronics.

 One PhD student position is available at Monash University, Sunway Campus in Malaysia with the leadership of Prof A.K Soh. 

 We expect students with the knowledge and experience in at least two or more of the following skills:



1. nano-/micro-mechanics.

2. computational mechanics.

3. fabrication and characterization of advanced materials, e.g.nano-thin-films, nano-wire arrays, functional materials, etc.

4. strong physics/chemistry knowledge, e.g., quantum mechanics.