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Tao Zhou

Profile picture of Tao Zhou

Researcher

Details

Address
BRINELLVÄGEN 23

Researcher


About me

Research interests

  • Integrating multiscale experimental and computational tools for metallic materials development
  • Complementary advanced characterization (such as TEM, APT, in situ SAXS/SANS and WAXS) and precipitation kinetics modelling (such as mean-field and full-field methods) of nanosale precipitation (mostly below 20 nm), such as Cu-rich precipitates, carbides, and intermetallics.
  • Research keywords: alloy development; precipitation kinetics; advanced characterization; physical metallurgy.

Research cases

Computational framework for precipitation-strengthened martensitic steels

  • Cr, Mo, and V are widely used as alloying elements for carbon steels, especially tool steels and heat resistant steels, to increase hardenability, hardness, thermal stability,etc. They can potentially form carbide phases of V-rich MC, Mo-rich M2C and M6C, Cr-rich M7C3 and M23C6, etc., except for Fe-rich metastable carbides, depending on the chemical composition and process conditions. Firstly, Mulitple carbides precipitation and mechanical properties of a high-performance tool steel were investigated, and it was found that coarse types of carbides were the dominant secondary phases at the tempering conditions, which is not ideal for the optimal performance. Thereafter, some efforts were put to tailor the carbides precipitation using computational thermodynamics and kinetics to achieve the precipitation of high number density of merely fine types of precipitates, as we know from open literature that the fine carbides precipitation has the merits of high precipitation strengthening, weak effects on toughness (also allowing the reduction in carbon content to improve toughness), H trapping for improved resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, higher thermal stability, increasing creep performance,etc.

Computational thermodynamics and kinetics-guided re-engineering of a high-performance tool steel