The University of British Columbia

Research Interests

• Advanced aluminum alloys
• High strengths, high formable steels
• Metal matrix composites
• Microstructure/property models

Microstructural engineering

The dream of the materials engineer is the ability to truly engineer the required properties of a material by careful control of processing. For example, a phenomenal range of properties can be achieved in steels and aluminum alloys by changing deformation and thermal processing conditions. Traditionally, this has been done in an empirical manner, however, the opportunity now exists to develop physically based computer models for complex industrial processes. Our work focuses on developing fundamental understanding where it is lacking and importantly integrating knowledge in a systematic approach.

Mechanical behaviour of two-phase materials

This work involves a variety of model structures ranging from two-dimensional metal matrix composites to systems where co-deformation of the second phase is possible. An experimental approach closely linked to finite element method calculations is used to develop fundamental understanding of the interaction between the two phases. In some cases, the question of length scales becomes of fundamental importance in which case dislocation mechanics must be incorporated into the analysis.

Primary collaborators: M. Militzer (UBC), M.A. Wells (Waterloo), Rio Tinto Alcan, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, U.S. Steel Canada

Group web site: Microstructure Group

Refereed Journal

1. H. Azizi-Alizamini, M. Militzer, W.J. Poole. “Austenite Formation in Plain Low C-Mn steels”, Accepted, Metall. Mater. Trans A, Oct 5, 2010
2. J. Jain, J. Zou, C.W. Sinclair and W.J. Poole. Double tensile twinning in a Mg-8Al-0.5Zn alloy. J. Microscopy, in press 2010.
3. Ai Serizawa, T. Sato and W.J. Poole. “The characterization of dislocation-nanocluster interactions in Al-Mg-Si(-Cu/Ag) alloys”, Phil. Mag. Letters, vol. 90, pp. 279-287, 2010.
4. J. Jain, W. J. Poole, C. W. Sinclair and M. A. Gharghouri. “Reducing the tension-compression yield asymmetry in AZ80 magnesium alloy via precipitation”, Scripta Mater., vol. 62, pp.301-304, 2010.
5. M. Habibnejad-Korayem, R. Mahmudi, H.M. Ghasemi and W.J. Poole. “Tribological behaviour of pure Mg and AZ31 magnesium alloy strengthened by Al2O3 particles”, Wear, vol. 268, pp. 405-412, 2010.
6. M. Habibnejad-Korayem, R. Mahmudi and W.J. Poole. “Enhanced properties of Mg-based nano-composites reinforced with Al2O3 nano-particles” Mat. Sci. Eng. A., vol. 519, pp. 198-203, 2009.
7. H. Proudhon, W.J. Poole, X. Wang and Y. Bréchet. “The role of internal stresses on the plasticity of the Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy AA6111”, Phil. Mag. vol. 88, pp. 621-640, 2008.
8. B. Raeisinia, C.W. Sinclair, W.J. Poole and C.N. Tome. “On the impact of grain size distribution on the plastic behaviour of polycrystalline metals”, Modelling and Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng. Vol 16, 025001, 15pp., 2008. (Paper selected to be showcased as one of 2008 Highlights for the journal Modelling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering).
9. F. Fazeli, W.J. Poole and C.W. Sinclair. “Modeling the effect of Al3Sc precipitates on the yield stress and work hardening of an Al-Mg-Sc alloy”, Acta Mater., vol. 56, pp. 1909-1918, 2008.
10. S. Sarkar, W.J. Poole, M. Militzer and A. Moreau. “Laser ultrasonic measurements of recrystallization and austenite grain size evolution in a low carbon steel”, Metall. Mater. Trans A., vol. 39A, pp. 897-907, 2008.
11. H. Azizi-Alizamini, M. Militzer and W. J. Poole. “A novel technique for developing bimodal grain size distributions in low carbon steels”, Scripta mater., vol. 57, pp. 1065-1068, 2007
12. S. Esmaeili, D. Vaumousse, M.W. Zandbergen, W.J. Poole, A. Cerezo and D.J. Lloyd. “A study on the early stage decomposition in AlMgSi(Cu) alloys by electrical resistivity and 3-D atom probe”, Phil, Mag., vol. 87, pp. 3797-3816, 2007.
13. J. Huang, W.J. Poole, S.C. Vogel, M. Militzer and P. Jacques. “A study on phase transformations in a Fe-C-Mn-Si steel using the neutron Bragg edge transmission technique”, Acta Mater., vol. 55, pp. 2683-2693, 2007.
14. D. Liu, F. Fazeli, M. Militzer, and W.J. Poole. “Microstructural evolution model for hot rolling of a Mo-TRIP steel”, submitted to Met. Mater. Trans A., accepted Jan 11, 2007.
15. M. Mazinani and W.J. Poole. “The effect of martensite plasticity on the deformation behaviour of a low carbon dual phase steel”, Metall. Mater. Trans. A., accepted Sept. 22, 2006.
16. C. Genevois, D. Fabrègue, A. Deschamps and W.J. Poole. “On the coupling between precipitation and plastic deformation in relation to friction stir welding of AA2024-T3 aluminium alloy. Mat. Sci. Eng. A., vol. 441, pp. 39-48, 2006.

Refereed Conference

1. P. Babaghorbani, W.J. Poole, M.A. Wells and N.C. Parson. “The Effect of Cold Deformation on Annealing Behavior of AA3xxx Alloys”, Proc. of the 12th Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys, Yokohama, Japan, Sept 2010.
2. Q. Du, W.J. Poole and M.A. Wells, Nick Parson. “Modelling Homogenization Heat Treatment for AA3XXX Alloys”. Proc. of the 12th Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys, Yokohama, Japan Sept 2010.
3. Y. Mahmoodkhani, M.A. Wells, N. Parson, Y. Geng and W.J. Poole. “Mathematical Modelling of the Extrusion of AA3xxx Aluminum Alloys“.Proc. of the 12th Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys, Yokohama, Japan Sept 2010.
4. A.D. Kubiak, W.J. Poole M.A. Wells and N. Parson. “Effect of Homogenization Practice and Mn Content on the High Temperature Constitutive Behaviour of AA3xxx Aluminum Alloys”. Proc. of the 12th Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys, Yokohama, Japan Sept 2010.
5. J. Go, M. Militzer and W.J. Poole. “The Effect of Precipitation on the Recovery and Recrystallization Behaviour of AA6111”, Proc. of the 12th Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys, Yokohama, Japan Sept 2010.
6. S. Li, R.K.W. Marceau, G. Sha, W. J. Poole and S.P. Ringer. “Atom Probe Tomography Characterisation of Solute Clustering in AA6111”, Proc. of the 12th Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys, Yokohama, Japan Sept 2010.
7. Ai Serizawa. W.J. Poole and T. Sato. “Nanocluster-dislocation interactions for two types of nanoclusters in Al-Mg-Si alloys”, Proc. of the 11th Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys, Aachen, Germany, Sept 2008, pp. 698-704.
8. H. Proudhon, F. Fazeli and W.J. Poole. “The temperature dependence of the Bauschinger effect in AA6111”, Proc. of the 11th Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys, Aachen, Germany, Sept 2008, pp. 1641-1645.
9. L.J. Colley, W.J. Poole and M.A. Wells. “Modelling microstructure evolution in an A356 casting alloy during solution treatment”, Proc. of the 11th Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys, Aachen, Germany, Sept 2008, pp. 1244-1250.
10. M. Mazinani and W.J. Poole. “Deformation behaviour of martensite in a low-carbon dual-phase steel”, Adv. Mat. Res., vol. 15-17, pp. 774-779, 2007.
11. H. Azizi-Alizamini, M. Militzer and W.J. Poole . “Formation of ultrafine grained low carbon steels via martensite deformation and annealing”, Adv. Mat. Res., vol. 15-17, pp. 750-755, 2007.
12. D. Liu, M. Militzer and W.J. Poole, “Microstructure model for a dual-phase steel”, Mat. Sci. For., vol. 539-543, pp. 4391-4396, 2007.
13. D. Fabregue, A. Deschamps, M. Suery and W.J. Poole. “Mechanical behaviour in the mushy state during isothermal tensile testing”, Mat. Sci. For., vol. 519-521, pp. 1877-1882, 2006.
14. J.D. Embury, W.J. Poole and D.J. Lloyd. “The work hardening of single phase and multi-phase aluminum alloys”, Mat. Sci. For., vol. 519-521, pp. 71-78, 2006.
15. F. Fazeli, W.J. Poole and C.W. Sinclair. “Work hardening behaviour of an Al-2.8Mg-0.17Sc alloy”, Mat. Sci. For., vol. 519-521, pp. 961-966, 2006.
16. H. Proudhon and W.J. Poole. “The Bauschinger effect in AA6111”, Mat. Sci. For., vol. 519-521, pp. 913-918, 2006.
17. S. Sarkar, M.A. Wells and W.J. Poole. “A comparative study on the softening behaviour of cold rolled ingot and continuous cast AA5754”, Mat. Sci. For., vol. 519-521, pp. 1641-1646, 2006.
18. X. Wang, W.J. Poole, J.D. Embury and D.J. Lloyd. “Delineating the role of second phase particles in AA6111”, Mat. Sci. For., vol. 519-521, pp 1913-1918, 2006.
19. B. Raeisinia and W.J. Poole. “Electrical resistivity measurents: a sensitive tool for studying aluminum alloys”, Mat. Sci. For., vol. 519-521, pp. 1391-1396, 2006.

Conference

1. J. Jain, J. Zou, W. J. Poole and C. W. Sinclair. “Effect of precipitates on deformation mechanisms at low-temperature in an AZ80 magnesium alloy”, Magnesium Technology 2009, Proc. TMS 2009 Annual Meeting and Exhibition, pp. 503-508.
2. Q. Du, W.J. Poole and M.A. Wells, ”Modelling the homogenization heat treatment of AA3003 Alloy”, Aluminum Alloys: Fabrication, characterization and applications II, Proc. TMS 2009 Annual Meeting and Exhibition, pp. 163-168.
3. M. Militzer, S. Sarkar, K. Mukherjee, H. Azizi-Alizamini and W.J. Poole . "Advanced steels with complex ultra-fine grained microstructures". Proc. of the Conference on New Developments on Metallurgy and Applications of High Strength Steels, pp. 929-941, Buenos Aires, 2008.
4. J. Jain, W. J. Poole and C. W. Sinclair, “Study of deformation modes in AZ80 magnesium alloy”, TMS 2008 Annual Meeting & Exhibition. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, March 9-13, Magnesium Technology 2008, Edited by: Mihriban O. Pekguleryuz, Neale R. Neelameggham, Randy S. Beals and Eric A. Nyberg, pp. 171-176.
5. S. Sarkar, F. Fazeli, W. J. Poole and M. Militzer. “Microstructural Evolution in a Complex-Phase Steel”, Proc. Materials Science and Technology 2007, Detroit, MI, pp. 61-72, 2007.
6. S. Sarkar, M. Militzer and W.J. Poole. “A novel technique for austenite grain size measurements in modern low carbon steels”, Advanced Steels, Proceedings of the Conference of Metallurgists, Montreal, PQ, Oct. 2006, Edited by J.A. Szpunar and H. Li, pp. 13-24.
7. H. Azizi-Alzamini, M. Militzer and W.J. Poole. “Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of fine grain low carbon steels produced via martensite processing route”, Advanced Steels, Proceedings of the Conference of Metallurgists, Montreal, PQ, Oct. 2006, Edited by J.A. Szpunar and H. Li, pp. 119-130.
8. S. Sarkar, W.J. Poole and M. Militzer. “Simulation of Microstructure Evolution during Hot Strip rolling of Complex-phase steel" in the International Conference on Advances in Materials and Materials Processing, Eds. U. K. Chatterjee and B. K. Dhindaw, ICAMMP -2206, 3-5 February, 2006, pp. 682-692.
9. J. Jain, W.J. Poole and C.W. Sinclair. “A study on the static recrystallization of cold rolled magnesium alloy AZ80”, Magnesium Technology 2006, ed. A.A. Luo, N.R. Neelameggham and R.S. Beals, TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society) Warrendale, Pa, USA, pp. 147-152, 2006.