The curriculum concentrates on the comprehensive study of materials properties and failure processes from the point of view of physics and physical metallurgy. Students should develop capability to apply their knowledge in inventive manner to new technologies and materials, such as plasma spraying, special methods of thermo-mechanical and thermo-chemical treatment, etc. Special attention is paid to the degradation processes and to the synergetic effects of various materials properties on material failure. The subjects of study are metallic and non-metallic materials, e.g., structural ceramics, polymers, amorphous and nanocrystalline materials and intermetallics.
The Ph.D. programme requires proficiency in mathematics and physics at the MSc. degree level obtained from Faculty of Science or Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

prof. RNDr. Petr Dub, CSc.

1. Ab initio study of phase stability of transition metal alloys

   Relative stability of phases for different binary alloys can be successfully studied with help so called first-principle or ab initio simulations. These methods are based only on basic postulates of quantum mechanics and do not need any input experimental data. Obtained results will be used as input data for advanced thermodynamic modeling. Dissertation work will be focused on estimation of equilibrium structural parameters and heats of formations for different alloys and their relative stability with help of ab initio calculations. The PAW method implemented in simulation package VASP will be used these work. For study of disordered or doped alloys the EMTO-CPA method will be used.

   Tutor: Zelený Martin, Ing., Ph.D.

2. Cyclic plasticity of materials produced by SLM technique

   Additive manufacturing technologies (AM) are in the focus of experts in materials processing area. These methods allow rapid prototyping of structural parts namely if conventional technologies are inconvenient or particular part cannot be produced in classical way. One of increasingly used methods for production of parts of high quality and low cost together with simple reproducibility is Selective Laser Melting method (SLM). For broader application of alloys produced by SLM technique it is necessary to know the connection between processing parameters, microstructure and mechanical properties. This relation should be addressed not only to static loading, but to dynamic and thermal loading (in combination with mechanical loading) as well. At the beginning of doctoral research it will be necessary to optimize processing parameters of studied materials in bulk with accent on minimal porosity and presence of defects. Cyclic plasticity, fatigue durability, microstructural/substructural changes as a response of investigated material to cyclic loading will be studied in the next phase of the research.

   Tutor: Pantělejev Libor, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

3. Hi entropy alloys strengthened by particle disperzion

   The high entropy alloys receive considerable amount of attention these days as promising materials in many application fields. This topic shall explore in the realm of BCC hi entropy alloys with the aim of materials for hi temperature applications. For this, the materials shuld also be stengthened by particle disperzion.

   Tutor: Jan Vít, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

4. Interactions of substrate and polycomponent metal systems during metal-ceramiics bonding

   Joining of ceramic materials using metallic alloys usually involves melt of the metallic alloy that reacts with the substrate to reate the bond. The work will deall with chracterising of these interactions and with design of metallic systems that would not ude high temperature metl for creation of the bond.

   Tutor: Jan Vít, doc. Ing., Ph.D.