NIST Nondestructive Evaluation of Additively Manufactured Alloys
This project aims to improve quality control of 3D-printed metal parts by developing new ways to inspect them without damage, linking material properties to performance.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $82,764 per year plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship at NIST to develop innovative nondestructive evaluation methods for additively manufactured metal alloys, linking material characteristics to mechanical performance.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree earned within the last 5 years; requires contacting a NIST research adviser prior to application.
Description
This postdoctoral fellowship opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) focuses on advancing nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques for additively manufactured (AM) metal alloys. Additive manufacturing by laser or electron-beam melting of metal powders enables fabrication of near-net-shape metallic parts with unique microstructures not achievable by conventional metallurgy. However, commercial adoption of AM parts is limited by challenges in material validation, particularly due to the inadequacy of conventional post-process NDE methods.
The project aims to develop innovative, nondestructive methods to characterize AM alloys and establish relationships between as-manufactured material properties and their in-service mechanical performance. Research areas include:
- Measurement of linear and nonlinear elastic and anelastic properties of macro- and mesoscale specimens using resonant or pulsed ultrasonic techniques.
- Three-dimensional microscale material structure analysis via X-ray computed tomography (CT).
- Microscale and nanoscale structural and compositional characterization using scanning-electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission-electron microscopy (TEM).
- Modeling the influence of micro- and nanoscale structures on nondestructively measured properties and mechanical performance.
This fellowship provides access to state-of-the-art facilities at NIST’s Material Measurement Laboratory, Applied Chemicals and Materials Division, located in Boulder, CO.
