Welcome!

Our group is part of the Chemical and Materials Engineering department at the University of Kentucky. Our research primarily focuses on developing and utilizing techniques to better understand metallic materials and metal fabrication techniques. Areas of current focus include:

• Thin film deposition and characterization of refractory multi-principal element alloys
• Understanding the influence of build geometry on the properties and microstructure of additively manufactured Inconel 718
• Additively manufacturing aluminum and iron alloys with applied magnetic field
• Improving the performance of refractory cold spray coatings

We typically approach problems with a combined approach that spans from fabrication to characterization. Depending on the material and problem, mechanical tests are either performed ex situ in our custom built mechanical testing setup or in situ using a scanning electron microscope using our FemtoTools micromechanical testing platform. Our group also regularly uses the broad array of characterization equipment available at the UK Electron Microscopy Center. We strive to measure the performance and properties of materials guided by a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms that govern them. Members of our group become proficient in a wide range of characterization techniques and develop the conceptual expertise necessary to leverage those techniques to address problems at the forefront of materials research.