The MPIF says that it has finalized the keynote speech for MIM2019, taking place in Orlando, Florida, USA, from 25–27 February 2019.
Robert Dowding, director of lightweight and specialty metals at the US Army Research Laboratory, will present on the ‘Development of Particulate Materials and Their Processing for Army and Defense Applications’. He will discuss the US Army Research Laboratory’s engagement in the research of materials across all disciplines, emphasizing the development of metallic compositions, the MPIF says. The purpose and applications of these alloys ranges from ballistic protection of vehicles and personnel, armament and projectiles, aviation propulsion, to additive manufacturing (AM) in advanced locations. The presentation will cover the synthesis of materials including Fe-Ni-Zr, Cu-Ta, and Ni-based alloys with highly stabilized nanocrystalline grain structure, and the fabrication of parts and components from them. High-energy ball milling and other synthesis methods will be discussed, as will field-assisted sintering technology (also called spark plasma sintering) and hot isostatic pressing. Dowding will also discuss the ARL Open Campus concept for working with and in the US Army Research Laboratory.
During his time at the laboratory, Dowding has mainly researched material and process development for tungsten and tungsten alloys. He has performed research examining strain aging in tungsten heavy alloys (WHA), the processing of novel tungsten-based compositions, and the re-spheroidization of tungsten grains in heavily cold-worked WHAs.
This story is reprinted from material from MIM2019, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
