Ni-base superalloys

The interaction of dislocations with precipitates is an essential strengthening mechanism in metals, as exemplified by the superior high-temperature strength of Ni-base superalloys. Here we use atomistic simulation samples generated from atom probe tomography data of a single crystal superalloy to study the interactions of matrix dislocations with a gamma' precipitate in molecular dynamics simulations.

Multiple PhD positions are available for the fall 2012/winter 2013 semesters in microstructure-mechanics relationships for structural materials at high temperatures in the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (http://www.cavs.msstate.edu) at Mississippi State University.  The project is funded through Air Force Office for Scientific Research (AFOSR) and will involve multiscale materials characterization, in situ SEM experiments, and high temperature mechanical testing for turbine blade structural materials (nickel-based superalloys). 

Simulation of crack bifurcation in single crystal nickel base superalloys under mixed mode conditions

PhD position available at the Centre des Matériaux , ParisTech , starting fall 2009.

This 3-year project is fully funded by Mines ParisTech, SNECMA and ONERA.

More details are given in the attached file.

During solid-solid phase transformations elastic stresses arise due to a difference in lattice parameters between the constituent phases. These stresses have a strong influence on the resultant microstructure and its evolution; more specifically, if there be externally applied stresses, the interaction between the applied and the transformation stresses can lead to rafting.