Structure and Mechanics of Advanced Materials
The group Structure and Mechanics of Advanced Materials Group (SMAM) performs research on structural and mechanical properties of diverse soft matter systems, including samples of biological origin, as well as of metals and alloys. We are developing and applying various X-ray and neutron scattering, diffraction and imaging methods. We operate in situ devices such as various mechanical testing devices, a miniaturized laser powder bed fusion device for 3D printing of metals as well as microfluidic devices and in-situ 3D printing for ink-based soft materials, studying alignment in flow.
SMAM supports the user program at SLS and SINQ and welcomes active collaborations with groups at Swiss or internationally based universities, research centres and industry with the aim to advance the use of large facilities for material science and engineering.
The group is closely linked to the Institut des Matériaux at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne through Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Marianne Liebi. Teaching materials science at large scale facilities and supporting research at the masters and doctoral level are the primary responsibilities of SMAM at EPFL. Part of Marianne Liebi's research group is located at the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Marianne Liebi is an ERC starting grant holder of MUMOTT – Multi Modal Tensor Tomography. The project includes method development of tensor tomography, using X-rays as well as visible light and its application in materials and bio-science.
Steven Van Petegem is principle investigator in two Strategic Focus Area (SFA) consortiums: Multi-Mat – Multi-material laser powder-bed fusion and SMARTAM – Fast Optimization of Additively Manufactured Metallic Parts with a Combination of Adaptive Feedforward Control and Numerical Simulation.
The group arises from the PEM group in the Photon Science Divison.
Current Highlights and News
A close look at temperature profiles during laser 3D printing
Operando X-ray diffraction was used to measure process zone temperatures in laser powder bed fusion and compared with finite element simulations.
X-rays make 3D metal printing more predictable
Insights into the microscopic details of 3D printing from the Swiss Light Source SLS could propel the technology toward wider application
Solidification modes during additive manufacturing
The thermal conditions during laser-based additive manufacturing are inferred from high-speed X-ray diffraction data and can be linked to a model for rapid solidification.
Thermal cycling during 3D laser printing
High-speed in situ X-ray diffraction is used to measure temperature profiles and cooling rates during 3D printing of a a Ti-6Al-4V single-track wall.
In situ alloying during additive manufacturing
In situ alloying is an effective method to engineer microstructures of additively manufactured Ti6Al4V3Fe alloys.
Deep learning-based monitoring of laser powder bed fusion processes
We present a novel monitoring strategy for 3D print processes that consists of developing and training a hybrid machine learning model that can classify regimes across different time scales based on heterogeneous sensing data.