A new Materials Research Group will investigate microstructure in polycrystalline materials. The objective is to study, in real time, the evolution of thermo-mechanical processing events, and their impact on the mechanical, electrical, and elastic properties of engineering materials. The work will exploit recent advances in electron diffraction techniques (backscatter Kikuchi diffraction) which will enable automated measurements of a new class of microstructural measures of texture in polycrystalline materials. These microtextures are believed to affect a wide range of material properties and performance. The scope of activity will involve an inter-disciplinary, multi- collaborator group, centered at Yale University, with additional group members at Drexel University, The University of Bristol (England), and NIST (Boulder). The research involves both theoretical and experimental aspects of texture analysis. The project should result in development of a timely and necessary new generation of tools required to address fundamental topics which have great potential for application in materials processing occurring in both the primary and advanced metals industries.
