Stebner’s group runs the Multiscale Mechanics of Materials Lab in the department of Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science at the Colorado School of Mines, where they study the mechanics of advanced solid materials such as lightweight alloys, shape memory alloys, low symmetry alloys, and functional ceramics. They use and develop tools for in-situ diffraction experiments and are regular users of national facilities such as CHESS, the Advanced Photon Source (Argonne) and the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. The title of his NSF project is “CAREER: In-situ Advancements for Study of Multi-axial Granular Interplay of Elasticity, Plasticity, and Phase Transformations in Solids.”
Stebner’s group has visited CHESS three times. Their first two studies were carried out at the A2 high energy beamline, and during their latest visit they used the newly renovated F2 beamline and experimental station. Their project objectives included investigating asymmetry and anisotropy in martensitic alloys (steels + shape memory alloys) and, specifically, to tie phase transformations and plasticity to the macroscopic behaviors using high-energy x-ray diffraction (HEXRD). The Stebner group web site now highlights an animated video showing how the near/far-field data collection process proceeds, and displays images captured during their recent run at F2 (http://stebnerlab.mines.edu/). Just commissioned during 2014, the upgraded F2 beamline and experimental station now provides state-of-the-art capabilities for characterizing polycrystalline metals using in-situ loading coupled to near- and far-field x-ray diffraction.
We wish his group continued success in his research programs at CHESS and beyond.