| Abstract Scope |
Microstructure is the ‘fingerprint’ that identifies the unique characteristics of a material. Oftentimes that microstructure shows a hierarchy of length-scales, from point and line defects at the atomic scale to secondary phases at the mesoscale. This raises an important question about how various classes of defects emerge and interact with each other during processing. In this talk, I will focus on the microstructural complexity of metal matrix nanocomposites and shape memory alloys, highlighting efforts by my group in understanding and controlling that complexity to meet technological demands. Our work is made possible by real-time, three-dimensional imaging with synchrotron x rays, which enables us to obtain key insights on the evolution of microstructure, and ultimately, to test the predictions of simulations and theory. I will also explore future directions at the intersection of multimodal characterization and artificial intelligence to analyze next generation engineering materials and their hierarchical microstructures. |