James N. and Margie M. Krebs Professor of Materials Science and Engineering

Co-Director, Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN)

Werkstoffingenieur, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), 1986
PhD, metallurgy, 1991 Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Contact Info

Research Group Website

 

  Physical and Mechanical Metallurgy of Multiphase Metallic Materials

Our research focuses on metals containing second phases (ceramic, intermetallic, metallic) or pores, with particular emphasis on measuring and modeling their mechanical properties. Three main families of materials are being investigated:

1. Dispersion-strengthened metals: aluminum with Al3X (X=Sc, Ti, Zr, Li, rare-earth elements) nano-size precipitates.

2. Metal matrix composites: magnesium with superconducting MgB2 fibers.

3. Metallic foams:
     - Foams based on titanium (Ti, Ti-6Al-4V or NiTi) created by entrapment and subsequent expansion of argon bubbles or by use of leachable space-holder for biomedical applications;
    - Fe- or Ni-based foams, synthesized by sintering of powders with space-holders or infiltration of hollow spheres beds or salt beds, for fuel-cell applications;
    - Zr- and Mg-based amorphous alloy foams processed in the liquid state.

An additional area of study is the use of synchrotron X-ray radiation to study strains, phase composition and texture in technical metallic composites, archeological alloys, and biomineralized materials.

Associations and Awards

• Minerals Metals and Materials Society Structural Materials Division Distinguished Scientist/Engineering Award, 2008
• Fellow, ASM International, 2007
• James and Margie Krebs Professorship, 2005-present
• Visiting professor, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland), spring 2000
• Member, editorial board of Revue de Metallurgie, 1998-present
• Member, editorial board, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions, 1998-present
• Member, user group executive committee, Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, 1998-00
• Department Teacher of the Year, 1998
• AMAX career development chair, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1991-96
• Visiting professor, École Nationale de Chimie (France), summer 1994

Publications

M.L. Young, J.D. Almer, M.R. Daymond, D.R. Haeffner, D.C. Dunand
"Load Partitioning between Ferrite and Cementite during Elasto-Plastic Deformation of an Ultrahigh-Carbon Steel"
Acta Materialia  55, 1999–2011 (2007).

M.E. Van Dalen,  D.N. Seidman, D.C. Dunand
"Creep- and Coarsening Resistance of Al-0.06 at.% Sc-0.06 at.% Ti at 300-450"
Acta Materialia, 56(16), 4369-4377 (2008).
 
K.R. Erk, D.C. Dunand, K.A. Shull
"Titanium with Controllable Pore Fractions by Thermoreversible Gel-Casting of TiH2"
Acta Materialia, 56(18), 5147-5157 (2008).

H. Choe, C.A. Schuh, D.C. Dunand
"Superplastic Deformation Induced by Cyclic Hydrogen Charging"
Journal of Applied Physics A, 103, 103518.1-9, (2008).
 
Y. Chino, D.C. Dunand
 "Titanium Foam with Aligned Elongated Pores Processed by Freeze Casting"
 Acta Materialia, 56(1), 105-113 (2008).

 A. Bansiddhi, D.C. Dunand
"Shape-memory NiTi Foams Produced by Replication of NaCl Space-Holders"
Acta Biomaterialia, 4(6), 1996-2007 (2008).
 
J.D. DeFouw, D.C. Dunand
"Mechanisms and Kinetics of MgB2 Synthesis from Boron Fibers"
Acta Materialia, 56(19), 5751-5763 (2008).

Y. Boonyongmaneerat, D.C. Dunand
"Effects of Strut Geometry and Pore Fraction on Creep Properties of Cellular Materials"
Acta Materialia, 57(5), 1373-1384 (2009).