Title:  Atomic-scale characterisation of structural and functional materials by atom probe tomography
Time: 10:00 to 12:00, Oct.31, 2018
Place: F103, School of Mechanical Engineering
Host:  NI Na, Associate Professor (Institute of Turbomachinery)

Biography:
Tong Li is an assistant professor for ‘characterisation of high-performance materials at the atomic scale’ in the Institute for Materials at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany. She obtained her PhD in Materials Science at the University of Oxford in 2011. She was a post-doctoral research associate in the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis at the University of Sydney and Alexander von Humboldt research fellow at Max-Planck Institute for Ion Research in Germany. She is currently establishing a junior research group in the centre for interface-dominated high-

performance materials (ZGH) at Ruhr University Bochum. Her research interests centre on the application of advanced characterisation techniques for the development of new functional and structural materials. She is currently investigating a wide range of materials such as advanced titanium alloys for aerospace, and catalyst nanoparticles for water splitting.

Abstract：
Atom probe tomography (APT) offers a unique method for resovling chemical identities of individual atoms, with near-atomic resolution, in three-dimensions. Since 2004, APT has changed dramatically with new hardware configurations that greatly simplify the technique and improve the rate of data acquisition. Applications of APT have expanded from structural metals and alloys to thin multilayer films on planar substrates, dielectric films, semiconducting structures and devices, and ceramic materials. This trend toward a broader range of materials and applications is likely to continue. In this presentation, the working principle and applications of this technique will be introduced followed by two examples, showcased how APT is used to solve scientific questions. The first study focuses on the investigation of beta-to-omega phase transformation in high-strength beta-titanium alloys. In the second example, APT was employed to characterise catalyst materials, such as catalyst nanoparticles and electrodes used in water electrolysers.