Material degradation challenges at the interface between mechanics, chemistry and materials science are hindering the energy transition. Examples include the embrittlement of metals exposed to hydrogen, cracking and interface instabilities in Li-Ion batteries, and the early failure of wind turbines due to corrosion. However, there is an opportunity now to develop electro-chemo-mechanical models that can predict these material degradation phenomena, bring new insight, and serve as a platform for testing potential solutions.
In this talk, I will showcase how new experimental insight, increasing computer power, multi-physics modelling paradigms and the development of techniques capable of handling evolving interfaces (namely, phase field) have opened new horizons in the simulation and prediction of technologically-relevant phenomena in the areas of hydrogen embrittlement, Li-Ion batteries (conventional and all-solid-state), and metallic corrosion. Emphasis will be placed on the development of new electro-chemo-mechanical schemes that can explicitly simulate the underlying physical processes. Also, I will showcase how phase field methods enable predicting complex interfacial phenomena: from fracture mechanics to corrosion. The predictive capabilities of these formulations will be demonstrated by benchmarking against experimental data. Large-scale case studies of engineering interest will also be addressed to demonstrate the potential of phase field multi-physics modelling in enabling Virtual Testing in the energy sector.
Join at http://imt.lu/seminar