Materials Group
to create our future!!

Structural Materials Engineering Lab.
(Okayama University)

News

2023.4.4

Ms. Lee (M1) has sucessufully published her paper to internation journal.

2023.3.24

Mr. Wen (M2) visited our laboratory with his wife.

2022.12.16

Mr. Yang visited our laboratory.

Our Research Group

Over the past decades we have been studying the material properties as well as failure characteristics of a wide class of engineering materials, such as structural, bio and smart materials. Our research contributions have focused on the lattice and microstructural mechanisms to make excellent material properties of high strength and high ductility. If you are interesting in Materials Sciences and our research group, please don’t hesitate contact with us.

Main Research Topics

Development of casting, forging and stamping technologies

We have been studying new technologies concerning casting, forging, and rolling processes for light metals such as aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys. Our developed technologies have contributed to our various industries, e.g., automobiles and aerospace.

Hydrogen embrittlement of steels

Hydrogen embrittlement is a phenomenon in which a material becomes embrittlement due to the absorption of hydrogen into the material. It is considered that the higher the strength of the material, the higher the embrittlement rate. It is necessary to solve the problem to employ high-strength materials due to the weight reduction for automobile parts.

Research on composite materials and functional materials

Due to environmental issues, weight reduction of industrial parts and functional materials are special attention, and we have been working on material development and reliability evaluation of CFRP and piezoelectric ceramics.

Development of a new titanium alloy with shape evolution function

When heated with a slight force applied, this alloy spontaneously increases in deformation. This is a new function that is completely different from that of shape memory alloys . It is expected to be applied to the manufacture of high-strength thin-walled pipes.

High-resolution transmission electron micrographs of nano-precipitates in steel (left) and titanium alloy (right)

We make observations at the atomic level to obtain the required mechanical properties and functionality of materials. In general, high strength is required for structural materials, but flexibility is also required for biomaterials.

Microstructure of titanium alloys formed by spinodal decomposition

This geometric pattern is the microstructure of the Ti-Mo alloy. Phase separation, called spinodal decomposition, causes Mo-rich (dark) and Mo-poor (light) areas to appear alternately, forming a complex microstructure.

Plane bending fatigue tests machine (Tested peace:Ti-6Al-4V)

We are conducting plane bending fatigue tests on titanium alloys, which are advanced materials, to observe the behavior of fatigue crack initiation in detail, and to conduct quantitative evaluations.

Crystal plasticity finite element method

I’m working on simulating the growth behavior of small fatigue cracks by using crystal plasticity analysis. Revealing this mechanism will lead to the development of highly durable materials that are resistant to small fatigue crack propagation in the future.

Materials Group to create our future!!

Structural Materials Engineering Lab. (Okayama University)