Advanced Hypersonic Materials

UVA has state of the art high temperature materials and coatings expertise and capabilities for processing high temperature (refractory) metals and alloys, carbon-carbon and SiC-SiC fibrous composites. We also specialize in metal bonded ceramics and thermal spray approaches for applying coatings system. We have extensive experience with the design and fabrication of ultralight lattices and sandwich panels.


The University of Virginia has maintained a very active research program in materials for extreme environments for more than 20 years. Initially motivated by the need to introduce new materials into gas turbine engines whose combustion gas temperatures continue to rise beyond 1500 degrees-C, UVA established world-renowned expertise in high temperature materials and coatings. The research groups led by Haydn Wadley and Elizabeth Opila have developed a deep understanding of the fundamental processes by which materials and coating systems degrade and fail in hot, high-speed, reactive gas flow environments, while Patrick Hopkins has developed new tools and analysis methods for study of heat transfer in materials from nano- to macro-scales in these extreme environments. These capabilities have been complemented by Leonid Zhigilei who developed computational tools for multiscale modeling of laser-materials interactions. Sean Agnew and James Fitz-Gerald have developed an understanding of the dependence of the mechanical properties of additively (selective laser melting) manufactured alloys on their unique microstructures while Wadley has developed similar capabilities for electron beam melting approaches with titanium alloys. Ji Ma has developed a wide array of additive manufacturing and smart materials development capabilities.  This laboratory houses specialized equipment for the design and manipulation of materials properties. 

 
 
 
haydn wadley

"The convergence of new refractory metal alloys, ultra-high-temperature ceramic coatings, integrated passive cooling technology and novel leading edge architectures allows low drag hypersonic vehicles to fly faster than ever before."

Haydn Wadley, Edgar Starke Professor Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Faculty

  • Sean Agnew

    Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering


    Expertise

    Additive manufacturing, metallurgy, materials characterization, advanced materials for transportation applications

     
     
     
     
     
     
    Faculty profile
  • J.M. Fitz-Gerald

    Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering


    Expertise

    Additive manufacturing, metallurgy, laser-materials interactions

     
     
     
     
     
    Faculty Profile
  • Ji Ma

    Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering


    Expertise

    Additive Manufacturing, Multifunctional Materials, Tailored Materials

     
     
     
     
     
    Faculty Profile
  • Elizabeth J. Opila

    Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering


     
    Director, Rolls-Royce University Technology Center on Advanced Material Systems

    Expertise

    Ultra-high temperature ceramics, ceramic matrix composites, environmental barrier coatings

     
     
     
     
     
     
    Faculty profile
  • Leonid V. Zhigilei

    Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering


    Expertise

    Microscale heat transfer, computation materials science

     
     
     
     
    Faculty Profile
  • Haydn N. Wadley

    Edgar Starke Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering


    Expertise

    Extreme materials design, synthesis and environmental performance

     
     
     
    Faculty Profile