Michael Musi

I am a Postdoctoral researcher in the LSI team at the Hultgren Laboratory for Materials Characterisation focusing on the investigation of phase transformations in metallic materials using synchrotron X-rays and neutrons.

My role at KTH

• EU ReMade research project in collaboration with Alleima AB: Investigating the influence of aging treatments and alloy composition on phase transformations and resulting mechanical properties in Nickel-based superalloys.

• Research project on surface-treated steels: Using grazing-incidence diffraction and nano-diffraction with synchrotron radiation to study the phase distribution and structural changes near the surface.

• Support of large-scale infrastructure activities: Assisting collaborators in planning and conducting experiments at synchrotron facilities as well as the associated data evaluation and interpretation.

• Development of experimental infrastructure: Setup of high-temperature capabilities for laboratory X-ray diffraction (XRD) enabling in situ studies of phase transformations at elevated temperatures.

• Laboratory instrumentation responsibility: One of the responsible persons for the JEOL scanning electron microscope (SEM), including training of new users and supporting instrument operation.

Personal information and skills

I have a PhD in Materials Science from the Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria. My areas of interest include the characterization of phase transformations in complex material systems (e.g., intermetallic alloys, Titanium alloys, steels, Nickel alloys) under equilibrium and process-relevant conditions, in situ and ex situ diffraction and scattering experiments using synchrotron X-rays (high-energy X-ray diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering), investigation of the inner structure of materials from the micrometer to the sub-nanometer scale, and the development and optimization of manufacturing routes and materials. My technical skills include:

• Diffraction and scattering techniques
  • High-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD).
  • Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).
  • Lab-scale X-ray diffraction (XRD).
• Material characterization and testing
  • Electron microscopy: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM),in situ TEM (deformation and/or heating).
  • Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dilatometry.
  • Atom probe tomography (APT) and the associated sample preparation, i.e., electrolytic etching as well as different site-specific techniques using a focused ion beam (FIB).
  • Determination of mechanical properties using hardness, tensile, impact, and creep testing as well as statistical analysis.
• Processing and manufacturing
  • Investigation of established and emerging manufacturing techniques (casting, forging, powder metallurgy, laser- and wire-based additive manufacturing).
  • Optimization of processing parameters and heat treatments for tailoring of mechanical and physical properties.

Experience at Large-scale infrastructure facilities

I have over seven years of experience in planning, funding, and realizing radiation-based experiments using high-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and radiography at large-scale research facilities all around the world. During many beamtimes, I have used a variety of different experimental set-ups (e.g., heat treatments of bulk material and powders, tensile testing at room temperature and high temperatures, texture measurements) to investigate different aspects of metallic materials, e.g., phase transformations, lattice strain evolution, elasticity, plasticity, and texture.

• P21.2 beamline, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg, Germany.
• P07 beamline, DESY, Hamburg, Germany.
• P61 beamline, DESY, Hamburg, Germany.
• NanoMAX beamline, MAX IV, Lund, Sweden.
• ID3A beamline, Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Ithaca, USA.