Kabra and Liss meet again at ORNL

Drs. Saurabh Kabra and Klaus-Dieter Liss met again at ORNL, here in front of the lab mural. Kabra and Liss worked together from 2008 to 2012 at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and published many papers together. Their interpretation of neutron scattering from zirconium alloys at very high temperatures led to a method allowing the investigation of defect kinetics in the material, such as dislocation annihilation upon heating, as well as the nucleation and growth of a second phase upon cooling. This was achieved by employing the dynamical theory of diffraction, leading to lattice strain sensitivity of 10^-6. The two collaborators went separate career paths through various countries and coincidentally both started positions at or around ORNL based on their expertise. Both are involved in neutron diffraction at the Spallation Neutron Source SNS.

Liss Lab Participates in REU Program

This year, in 2024, the Liss Lab participates in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program of the Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (CAMM). We are glad to welcome Erin James from Nashville, who is assisting in setting up an ultrasonic fatigue equipment. The setup is a lab-made system consisting of a commercial transducer stack, a self-designed ultrasonic horn, and fatigue specimens.

Currently, we are establishing an impedance measurement system using a Red Pitaya and the Bode analyzer command-line software. The learning outcomes for Erin will include understanding background theories on waves and vibrations, hands-on experience with hardware and software, and interpreting impedance spectra that change with specimen type, boundary conditions, and damping.

This is the first equipment being installed in the Liss Lab designed for in-situ neutron and synchrotron measurements on materials subjected to strong ultrasound.

Forging New Collaborations with Oregon State University

Prof. Megumi Kawasaki from Oregon State University visited our lab to brainstorm new collaborations with the University of Tennessee. Initial novel materials were exchanged with Prof. Peter Liaw's group, depicted here with Hugh Shortt, for grain refinement to the nanoscale through high-pressure torsion processing and further tailoring of their microstructure and properties. These preliminary studies aim to develop larger research projects between the groups. In the past, Liss and Kawasaki have successfully published papers in this field, now merging with the expertise of the Liaw group.

Prof. Liss Starting as a Volunteer

Starting with the month of June, Prof. Klaus-Dieter Liss has joined the Vols at the University of Tennessee, within the Oak Ridge Innovation Institute. On his first day, a visit to Neyland Stadium was a must-see. The stadium is still empty, just like the Liss Lab, which will gradually be filled with people, collaborations, and science. However, the stadium can fill very quickly, looking forward to exciting times!