Kris is currently a DPhil candidate at the University of Oxford under the supervision of Prof Steve Roberts and Dr Steven Fitzgerald.
His DPhil (PhD) project is primarily based on studying the formation of alpha prime precipitates within 14YWT ODS (Oxide Dispersion Strengthened) steels. ODS steels are of interest to many in the ‘nuclear materials’ community as they are candidate materials for a nuclear fusion tokamak.
The formation of these Cr rich precipitates within Fe-Cr based yields mechanical changes such as hardening and enhanced embrittlement. These changes are undesired and are detrimental to the functionality and commercial viability of future tokamak reactors.
To characterise these precipitates Kris uses both experimental and computational modelling techniques. The experimental and modelling techniques used are Atom Probe tomography (sample preparation is carried out via Focussed Ion Beam lift out) and phase field methods respectively. Project aspects associated with phase field modelling are in collaboration with INL (Idaho National Laboratory).