Highlight: MAX Phase Review Article

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Michel



This review by Eklund et al is essentially an extremely comprehensive answer to the question “What are MAX phases?” and an excellent up-to-date overview of MAX phase research.

The article provides background on the phases known, a summary of electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties, synthesis and processing techniques with a comparison of bulk and thin films, and various topics addressing issues like phase stability (and why we can make some MAX phases and not others), defects, polymorphism, and future directions for research as well as applications.

For full text go to the Linköping University & Uppsala University publications page here.
The article reference is:

“The Mn + 1AXn phases: Materials science and thin-film processing”, P. Eklund, M. Beckers, U. Jansson, H. Högberg, & L. Hultman, Thin Solid Films 518, 1851-1878 (2010)

Sections included in the review article:

Overview of the Mn+1AXn Phases

  • Review of fundamentals
  • Polymorphism of MAX phases
  • Intergrown structures — hybrid “523” and “725” MAX phases
  • Vacancies
  • Solid solutions
  • Predictions of new MAX phases
  • Related inherently nanolaminated phases

Thin-film processing of MAX phases

  • Physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods
  • Chemical vapor deposition (CVD)
  • Solid-state reactions
  • Thermal spraying

Comparison of thin-film and bulk synthesis of MAX phases

  • Bulk synthesis methods
  • Differences and similarities between bulk and thin-film MAX-phase synthesis
  • Temperature ranges for MAX-phase synthesis
  • Thin-film and bulk synthesis of new MAX phases

Nucleation and growth of MAX phases

  • Growth mode as a function of temperature
  • Nucleation
  • Growth mode
  • Random stacking
  • Artificial MAX structures

Properties of MAX phases

  • Electrical properties
  • Mechanical properties
  • Tribological properties

Thermal stability and decomposition

  • Thermal stability — general aspects
  • Decomposition mechanism of MAX phase thin films

Applications
Outlook
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Justin will participate in the LANSCE Neutron School

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Michel

PhD student Justin Griggs has been selected to attend the 2011 LANSCE Neutron Scattering School, to be held July 12-22 at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This 10-day program is an opportunity to learn from reknowned experts and get introduced to neutron scattering techniques for current research topics, especially those related to energy and environmental issues.

For more information go here.

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Nina on the student committee for THERMEC

Posted on May 1, 2011 by admin

Nina Lane was selected to receive a student grant and serve on the student committee for the International Conference on Processing and Manufacturing of Advanced Materials (THERMEC) to be held in Québec City, Canada, August 1-5, 2011. She will also be giving an invited talk at the conference!

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Babak Anasori Wins Second Place at 2011 AIAA Regional Symposium

Posted on April 28, 2011 by admin

Babak is on a roll!

At the 2011 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Greater Philadelphia Regional Aerospace Engineering and Technology Symposium held on March 25, 2011 at Lockheed Martin in Newtown, PA., Babak Anasori won second place for best student presentation.

The symposium brought together the region’s scientists, engineers, students, managers, and educators to enable collaborations and partnerships of present and future regional leaders in aerospace related fields.

Babak’s award-winning talk was entitled “Extraordinary Thermally Stable Nanocrystalline Mg-matrix Composites with Ultrahigh Damping Properties.” He received $100 and a certificate of recognition signed by the Keynote Speaker & AIAA President, Mark Lewis, as well as entrance to the AIAA Greater Philadelphia Section Honors & Awards Gala in May 2011.

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Babak Anasori Wins Best Junior Researcher Award at TMS 2011 Annual Meeting

Posted on April 28, 2011 by admin

MAX Phase Group PhD student Babak Anasori won the First Place Best Junior Researcher Award in the 2011 Nanomaterials Symposium for his poster presented during the TMS 2011 Annual Meeting and Exhibition that was held in San Diego, CA, February 27 – March 3, 2011. The award includes a certificate and $500!

The award-winning poster is entitled “Effect of Reinforcement Volume Fraction on the Properties of Nanocrystalline Mg matrix Composite Reinforced with Ti2AlC.”

Co-authors are Shahram Amini (MAX Phase Research group alumnus), Volker Presser (post-doctoral research in the Drexel Nanomaterials Group) and Michel W. Barsoum.

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Darin Tallman’s candidacy

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Michel

Darin passed his candidacy exam Thurs 3/24/2011!
See his abstract here.

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Babak’s Thesis Proposal

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Michel

Congratulations to Babak Anasori! He successfully proposed and defended his PhD thesis Tuesday, January 18th.
See his proposal abstract here.

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MAX Dragon

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Michel

Babak Anasori’s SEM images have been selected by the Carl Zeiss Nanoimage Contest as two of the six images to be published in the Carl Zeiss 2011 calendar!
The “MAX Dragon” image came in 7th out of 134 in the Carl Zeiss 2010 nano image contest!

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