Materials Engineering

Research Topics

  • Application of Landau theory to ferroelasticity in tetragonal zirconia ceramics as a potential toughening mechanism;
  • Development of a new neutron diffraction technique for measuring anisotropic elastic constants;
  • Characterisation of new layered carbide ceramics. Major advances include:
  • Observations of ferroelasticity in a broad range of zirconia ceramics and an absence of other recognised toughening mechanisms;
  • Successful generalisation of our new technique for measurement of elastic constants to materials of arbitrary crystal symmetry;
  • Confirmation by lateral force microscopy that one of our layered carbide ceramics has the lowest coefficient of friction of any solid material (m < 10-3) on fresh cleavage faces. The low friction coefficient persists for > 6 months in normal laboratory air.

 

Research Staff


Professor Erich Kisi
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Discipline of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering
University of Newcastle
University Drive
Callaghan NSW 2308
Links:          Researcher Report
Location:    ES Building Room 317
Telephone: +61 2 4921 6213
Facsimile:  +61 2 4921 6946
Email: