Novel Alloys

Enabling New Properties 

Advanced manufacturing technologies enable the production of new materials that unlock unprecedented properties and performance when compared to traditional manufacturing approaches. MDF is accelerating materials development through computational modeling, rapid and advanced characterization, and performance and materials testing, linking back to the processing history for rapid optimization. 

MDF has developed a wide range of alloys for many applications including nuclear and fusion reactors, electric vehicles, commercial aerospace, a future domestic hydrogen economy, industrial energy generation, wind energy generation, and many more.  

Material Development 

Researchers are creating new materials uniquely designed with structures and properties exceeding conventionally processed materials. They are developing a foundational understanding of advanced manufacturing of commercially available materials for performance enhancements. Examples include iron, nickel, and titanium alloys, high-performance aluminum alloys, novel refractory metals—including those based on tungsten, niobium and molybdenum—and cobalt-based superalloys. MDF is also exploring coatings, graded structures, and hierarchical materials for improved component and system-level performance. 

Modeling 

Teams at MDF are developing and deploying physics-based models into the smart manufacturing ecosystem. Designs include automated workflows that leverage manufacturing data to configure, calibrate, and run simulations and then register their outputs with corresponding in-situ and experimental data. To achieve full-scale simulations of real manufacturing processes, researchers design novel model formulations, leverage modern numerical methodologies, and make use of performance-portable GPU computing. Combined with the development of an open-source software, this approach lowers the barrier to entry for industry to adopt physics-based modeling into their manufacturing practices. 

Learn more about MDF’s smart manufacturing

Advanced Metrology and Characterization

Metrology and characterization is a key component of understanding the structure and properties of materials and is important in the development of new processes. Researchers at MDF are developing industry-relevant techniques that leverage artificial intelligence to rapidly characterize materials, including defects, microstructures, and mechanical properties to enable qualified materials and quality assurance. MDF leverages the unique, world-class capabilities across ORNL and the DOE complex, including the Spallation Neutron Source, to characterize materials to unprecedented detail.