Event
Microstructure Development of In Situ, Melt Processed AI-TiC Nanocomposites for Improved Properties
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
University of Maryland, College Park
Robert Herschbach
301 405 2057
rherschb@umd.edu
https://mse.umd.edu/seminar-series
The Department of Materials Science & Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering Present the 2026 George Dieter Distinguished Lecture
"Microstructure Development of In Situ, Melt Processed AI-TiC Nanocomposites for Improved Properties"
Alan Taub
Robert H. Lurie Professor of Engineering
University of Michigan
Tuesday, March 31
3:00-3:30 p.m. - Reception
3:30-4:30 p.m. - Lecture
4:30-5:00 p.m. - Open Session
Glenn L. Martin Hall Room 1202
4298 Campus Dr, College Park, MD 20742
Speaker Bio: A member of the University of Michigan faculty since 2012, Alan Taub conducts research in advanced materials and processing. In 2022, he was appointed the first director of the newly-launched University of Michigan Electric Vehicle Center. He also founded and served as the first director of the Michigan Materials Research Institute.
Prior to his academic career, Taub was vice president of General Motors (GM) Global Research & Development, leading GM’s advanced technical work activity, seven science laboratories around the world, including the Israel Advanced Technology Center, and seven global science offices. He previously spent 15 years in research and development at General Electric, where he earned 25 patents.
Taub received his bachelor’s degree in materials engineering from Brown University, going on to earn master’s and Ph.D. degrees in applied physics from Harvard University. He was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering in 2006. The author of more than 80 papers, Taub's numerous honors and awards include the 2020 TMS Application to Practice Award and the 2011 Acta Materialia Materials & Society Award.
Abstract: Aluminum (Al) alloys have been employed extensively for structural applications owing to their high strength-to-weight ratio. However, these materials have limited stability at elevated temperatures. The incorporation of nanoscale particles in the Al matrix, termed metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs), represents a promising approach to improved ambient and elevated temperature mechanical properties, while still retaining the lightweight benefits of Al. In situ processing methods, where particles are created directly in the melt via direct reaction, have been demonstrated to exhibit improved particle/matrix interface stability and easier incorporation within the matrix. However, the ability to reliably control critical mechanical property-dependent particle characteristics (i.e., particle size, volume fraction, and dispersion) remains a barrier to large-scale processing.
This talk will describe a multimodal, multiscale investigation to analyze the formation mechanisms, morphology, and microstructure of aluminum-titanium carbide (Al-TiC) metal matrix composites processed by different in situ processes. Directional solidification experiments were used to observe particle pushing during solidification, resulting in bands of particle-rich regions. It was also found that applying low electrical currents during solidification results in refinement of the microstructure. By combining synchrotron-based X-ray nanotomography (TXM) with scanning and transmission electron microscopy, we visualize in over five orders-of-magnitude of length-scale the TiC nanoparticles and Al3Ti intermetallics. The results offer general guidelines for the rational synthesis and processing of Al-MMNCs.
