CAREER: Integrated Teaching and Research Activities on Computational Thermodynamics and Systems Materials Design of Magnesium Alloys

9983532

Liu

The objective of this CAREER grant is to create a completely new methodology for magnesium alloy design through a fundamental understanding of process/structure/property relationships in metal alloys. This work develops (a) a novel system materials design approach based on a combination of computational thermodynamics calculation, phase transformation simulation, and experimental prototype evaluation, (b) an efficient methodology of multi-component thermodynamic modeling by integrating thermodynamic predictions and critically designed experiments, and (c) thermodynamic models of phase interfaces. Computational thermodynamics is the important part of the program and is essential for understanding the fundamental mechanisms, morphology, and kinetics of microstructure development. The CAREER teaching program focuses on computational thermodynamics and system materials design, involving both undergraduate and graduate students. The planned effort will improve the core curriculum in materials science and engineering by applying fundamental principles in conjunction with state-of-the-art computer software to efficiently develop solutions to technological problems. It will enable students to visualize the abstract concepts in thermodynamics through phase diagram calculations and phase transformation simulations, strengthen their computational skills through computer experiments, and improve their communication skills through team projects and presentations.

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The proposed program will aid the development of magnesium alloys for automotive and aerospace applications and for hydrogen storage. The program is timely due to increasing industrial interest in magnesium alloys, and it is especially desirable in the U.S. as research activities on magnesium alloys are limited in comparison with Europe. New structural materials technologies are a determining factor in the global competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing industries. As one of the lightest structural materials, magnesium alloys have high potential for considerably reducing the weight of transportation vehicles and improving fuel efficiency.

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