Proof That Comparing Apples to Apples is Harder Than Comparing Apples to Oranges or Bananas: An Alumina Case Study

Featuring Dr. John A. Nychka
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
University of Alberta, Canada

Location: McDonnell Douglas Engineering Auditorium (MDEA)

Abstract:
Materials characterization is fundamental to materials science and engineering. The wide variety of characterization techniques precludes all their use for any simple experiment, yet some in depth characterization is often necessary. We often assume a minimum level of composition difference below which there is said to be no behavioural difference in the material. However, certain atomistic processes are very sensitive to compositional variance; diffusion in ceramics can be highly influenced by small variations in chemistry. In this talk, Dr. Nychka will discuss the measurement of diffusion in thermally grown ceramic oxide thin films on metallic alloys to showcase how extremely small differences in materials chemistry can have drastic effects on materials behaviour.
 
About the Speaker:
Originally trained in physical metallurgy at the University of Alberta (B.Sc., 1997) Dr. Nychka obtained a Master’s in materials science and engineering from McMaster University (1999) on the microwave sintering of SiAlON ceramics, and then a Ph.D. in materials from UC Santa Barbara (2004) in the area of high temperature oxidation of metals. He has been an assistant professor at the University of Alberta since the summer of 2007, before which he held the same position at the University of Kentucky (2005-2007). Dr. Nychka’s current interests in materials research revolve around the effects of stress, strain, and structure on materials’ behaviour in a variety of systems, from parasitic insects to metallic alloys and bioactive bone implants.

Host: Professor Martha Mecartney, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science