Self-Healing Intermetallic (Metal, Polymer) Matrix Composites
(Zuid-Holland), 38 hours per week
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering
Job description

Function title: Researcher Self-Healing Intermetallic- (Metal, Polymer) Matrix Composites
Metal-matrixcomposites (MMCs) could not claim a significant number of aeronauticalapplications until recently. However, owing to increased efforts in theareas of materials and process development, design, manufacturing(scale-up), and certification of MMCs a number of key applications arenow a well established reality in both military and civil aeronauticalapplications. For instance, fiber-reinforced titanium has beenspecified as bill of material in a piston rod for a nozzle actuator inthe F119 engine for the F-22 aircraft and for use as an actuatorlinkage in the F110 engine for the F-16 aircraft.
A very obviousmotivation in introducing MMCs into aeronautical systems is the optimalbalance of specific strength and stiffness compared with othercompeting structural materials. In spite of the many attempts indeveloping high-performance MMCs very little research and developmenthas been carried out in the frame of intermetallic-(metal, polymer)matrix composites.
The possibility of integrating intermetallicphases which exhibit self-healing properties, e.g., yield stressanomaly (YSA) or the formation of an oxygen diffusion barrier (OBD)into a (metal, polymer) matrix remains almost unchartered territory butit certainly constitutes a very fine engineering modeling system ofpotentially great relevance in the frame of aeronautical applications.
Itmust be noted that such possibility must be assessed experimentally(intermetallics selection, metal and polymer matrix selection,composite fabrication, mechanical testing, and microstructureinvestigation) and eventually complemented with the necessarycomputational materials science studies (optimization, Monte Carlovariants, e.g., Bozzolo-Ferrante-Smith method) ultimately yielding acandidate material of exceptional aeronautical engineering properties.
Requirements

Required education/skills:Doctorate
Inthis context you will carry out the necessary research and developmentin order to fabricate a new class of self-healing intermetallic-(metal,polymer) matrix composite specifically designed (and certified) forcivil or military aeronautical engineering applications.

Required education/skills: Doctorate
Profile:
Thesuccessful candidate will have completed a doctorate in physics,materials science and engineering or aeronautical/aerospaceengineering, with experience in metallic alloys, intermetallic alloysand composite materials development (including fabrication), mechanicaltesting and microstructure characterization. Furthermore, the candidatemust be proficient in spoken and written English, and must havepublished in the English language in peer-reviewed scientific journals.The candidate must be prepared to interact closely with otherresearchers on the field of self-healing materials and be able todevelop new concepts to design and apply self-healing mechanisms in thecontext of intermetallic alloys and intermetallic-based compositematerials. Hence creativity and perseverance are a valuable assets.
Weexpect a candidate who can work independently and demonstrate activeinterest and abilities in innovative research. The candidate will alsobe expected to dedicate a small fraction of his/her time to superviseM.Sc students in the frame of related research projects when suchopportunities arise.

Job type(s):
- Post-doctorates
Job type: ENG_Onderzoek/ Advies
Workfield(s):
- Post-doctorates(Scientific discipline: Engineering)

Organization

Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering
Chair Fundamentals of Advanced Materials
TheFaculty of Aerospace Engineering has a reputation for excellence ineducation and highly relevant research, and as a world leader in thefield, works closely with industry and other world-class researchinstitutes.

Facilities:
The work will be done at the TUDelft, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering as well as other participatinggroups in different faculties and research institutes.
Date of entry: 01/09/2005

Conditions of employment

Estimated maximum salary per month: eur 3000 - 3500

Maximum salary amount in Euro's a month 3453
Employment basis: Temporary for specified period
Duration of the contract: Two years
Maximum hours per week: 38
Additional conditions of employment:
Estimated maximum salary gross per month: € 2179 - 3453 (salary scale 10), depending on knowledge, skills and experience.
Employment basis: Temporary for specified period.
Duration of the contract: two years (24 months).