Research Activities
The research activities of the Metallurgy Group are mainly focused on the microstructural, fractographic and mechanical characterisation of metallic materials.
Main current research topics:
- Mechanical and microstructural characterisation and thermal analysis of casting aluminium alloys. Study of the effects of process parameters, heat treatments and microstructure on the impact behaviour of aluminium foundry alloys. Several activities are in progress in collaboration with aluminium foundries.
- Mechanical characterisation and study of the effects of different shape setting heat treatments of NiTi shape memory alloys. Development and testing of active deformable structures.
- Investigation on phase transformations and on mechanical properties of high-strength steels and duplex stainless steels when subjected to different welding parameters and heat treatments.
- Microstructural analysis of the failure mechanisms of mechanical components due to wear and fatigue phenomena. Testing of the tribological properties of metallic materials and coatings by pin on disk and multispecimen tribometers.
- Archaeometallurgical investigations on metallic artefacts of artistic and historical interest. Evaluation of manufacturing procedures and their coherence with the possible dating. Study of corrosion products, the patina stratification and corrosion attack morphology.
More information about research equipment and facilities can be found in
