Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering Fall Seminar Series: Xinghang Zhang

Description

Xinghang Zhang, a professor of materials engineering at Purdue University, will give a talk titled "High-Strength, Deformable Metals and Ceramics with Nanoscale Defects" for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

Abstract:

Metallic and ceramic materials have been extensively used under high temperatures and high stresses. Consequently, the design of advanced materials with unique mechanical properties has become challenging. In this presentation, I will present several examples, where nanoscale defects, such as twin boundaries, stacking faults and phase boundaries, are essential in tailoring the mechanical properties and high temperature stability of metallic and ceramic materials. In situ micromechanical testing shows that CoAl intermetallics and TiO2 with nanoscale defects exhibit ultra-high yield strength and prominent plastic deformability at room temperature. The proper design of Al alloys with nanotwins enables high mechanical strength, comparable to martensitic steels, and high temperature thermal stability. The implications of these findings on the design of advanced materials will be discussed.