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.
