Christoph Martin Hell

About

Background

I received my B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Materials Science and Engineering from Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Germany. My bachelor curriculum covered the broad field of Materials Science, from functional materials, e.g. biomaterials and semi-conductors, to structural materials, e.g. superalloys and inorganic non-metallic materials.
My master was mainly focused on advanced materials characterization, mechanical properties of materials and processing of metals.

Noteworthy:
2013-2018: Research assistant at the Institute of Micro- and Nanostructure Research
2015-2016: Operator at the electron microscope laboratory of Unisversidade de Brasília (UnB), Brazil. 
2018: ERASMUS scholarship at Universitetet i Oslo (UiO), Norway

Research Activities

In my doctoral research I investigate clustering in the 6xxx Aluminum (Al) family. Clusters are the first (atomically small) traces of a new phase which ultimately give the alloy its physical and mechanical properties. By understanding the clustering behaviour, processes and alloys can be tailor made and engineered to yield optimal properties. Increasing the thermal stability or the strength of Al alloys furthers the replacement of heavier structural materials, e.g. steels, by such a light-weight solution. My research is therefor contributing to a more sustainable and greener world and is part of the KPN project "SumAl".

My daily bread-and-butter is:

Electron Microscopy to prepare samples and image atomical arrangements
Material Characterization to get further indirect insights
General Metallurgy for producing samples

Teaching Activities

TFY4185: Measurement Techniques
TFY4190: Instrumentation

Publications

2025

Hell, Christoph Martin; Holmestad, Randi; Bjørge, Ruben; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Marthinsen, Knut. (2025) Age Hardening in 6xxx Aluminium Alloys - A Story of Clusters, GP-Zones and Precipitates. NTNU Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet NTNU Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral dissertation
Kawahara, Yasuhito; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Hell, Christoph Martin; Thrane, Elisabeth Savitri; Mørtsell, Eva Anne; Røyset, Jostein. (2025) Effect of Cu addition on atomic clusters and its influence on the dispersion of precipitates in Si-rich Al-Mg-Si alloys. Materials Science & Engineering: A
Academic article

2024

Marioara, Calin Daniel; Andersen, Sigmund Jarle; Hell, Christoph Martin; Frafjord, Jonas; Friis, Jesper; Bjørge, Ruben. (2024) Atomic structure of clusters and GP-zones in an Al-Mg-Si alloy. Acta Materialia
Academic article
Hell, Christoph Martin; Frafjord, Jonas; Bjørge, Ruben; Friis, Jesper; Holmestad, Randi. (2024) On the visibility of GP-zones in 6xxx Al alloys in atomic LAADF-STEM. Materials Characterization
Academic article

2023

Hell, Christoph Martin; Holmedal, Bjørn; Bjørge, Ruben; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Holmestad, Randi. (2023) The microstructural origin of a hardness double-peak in an age-hardened EN-AW 6082. Acta Materialia
Academic article
Holmestad, Randi; Thronsen, Elisabeth; Kawahara, Yasuhito; Bergh, Tina; Sørhaug, Jørgen Andre; Hell, Christoph Martin. (2023) Nucleation and Phase Development of Precipitates in Age-hardenable Aluminium Alloys Studied by 4D-STEM. Microscopy and Microanalysis
Academic article

2022

Tvedt, Haakon; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Thronsen, Elisabeth; Hell, Christoph Martin; Andersen, Sigmund Jarle; Holmestad, Randi. (2022) AutomAl 6000: Semi-automatic structural labelling of HAADF-STEM images of precipitates in Al–Mg–Si(–Cu) alloys. Ultramicroscopy
Academic article
Hell, Christoph Martin; Søreide, Hanne-Sofie Marie Scisly; Bjørge, Ruben; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Li, Yanjun; Holmestad, Randi. (2022) Influence of natural aging and ramping before artificial aging on the microstructure of two different 6xxx alloys. Journal of Materials Research and Technology (JMR&T)
Academic article

2019

Hell, Christoph. (2019) Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Nucleation during Selective Electron Beam Melting. Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg
Masters thesis

2015

Hell, Christoph. (2015) in situ light- and ex situ electron microscopy on the solid-state dewetting behavior of Au thin films under different atmospheres. Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg
Masters thesis

Journal publications

Kawahara, Yasuhito; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Hell, Christoph Martin; Thrane, Elisabeth Savitri; Mørtsell, Eva Anne; Røyset, Jostein. (2025) Effect of Cu addition on atomic clusters and its influence on the dispersion of precipitates in Si-rich Al-Mg-Si alloys. Materials Science & Engineering: A
Academic article
Marioara, Calin Daniel; Andersen, Sigmund Jarle; Hell, Christoph Martin; Frafjord, Jonas; Friis, Jesper; Bjørge, Ruben. (2024) Atomic structure of clusters and GP-zones in an Al-Mg-Si alloy. Acta Materialia
Academic article
Hell, Christoph Martin; Frafjord, Jonas; Bjørge, Ruben; Friis, Jesper; Holmestad, Randi. (2024) On the visibility of GP-zones in 6xxx Al alloys in atomic LAADF-STEM. Materials Characterization
Academic article
Hell, Christoph Martin; Holmedal, Bjørn; Bjørge, Ruben; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Holmestad, Randi. (2023) The microstructural origin of a hardness double-peak in an age-hardened EN-AW 6082. Acta Materialia
Academic article
Holmestad, Randi; Thronsen, Elisabeth; Kawahara, Yasuhito; Bergh, Tina; Sørhaug, Jørgen Andre; Hell, Christoph Martin. (2023) Nucleation and Phase Development of Precipitates in Age-hardenable Aluminium Alloys Studied by 4D-STEM. Microscopy and Microanalysis
Academic article
Tvedt, Haakon; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Thronsen, Elisabeth; Hell, Christoph Martin; Andersen, Sigmund Jarle; Holmestad, Randi. (2022) AutomAl 6000: Semi-automatic structural labelling of HAADF-STEM images of precipitates in Al–Mg–Si(–Cu) alloys. Ultramicroscopy
Academic article
Hell, Christoph Martin; Søreide, Hanne-Sofie Marie Scisly; Bjørge, Ruben; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Li, Yanjun; Holmestad, Randi. (2022) Influence of natural aging and ramping before artificial aging on the microstructure of two different 6xxx alloys. Journal of Materials Research and Technology (JMR&T)
Academic article

Report

Hell, Christoph Martin; Holmestad, Randi; Bjørge, Ruben; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Marthinsen, Knut. (2025) Age Hardening in 6xxx Aluminium Alloys - A Story of Clusters, GP-Zones and Precipitates. NTNU Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet NTNU Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral dissertation
Hell, Christoph. (2019) Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Nucleation during Selective Electron Beam Melting. Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg
Masters thesis
Hell, Christoph. (2015) in situ light- and ex situ electron microscopy on the solid-state dewetting behavior of Au thin films under different atmospheres. Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg
Masters thesis

Outreach

2024

Academic lecture

Hell, Christoph Martin; Fröck, Hannes; Frafjord, Jonas; Broer, Jette; Bjørge, Ruben; Milkereit, Benjamin. (2024) Correlative DSC and (S)TEM analysis of GP-zone formation and precipitation in an Al-Mg-Si alloy. ICAA19 - International conference on Aluminium alloys , Atlanta, GA 2024-06-23 - 2024-06-27
Academic lecture

Holmestad, Randi; Bergh, Tina; Sørhaug, Jørgen Andre; Hell, Christoph Martin; Thronsen, Elisabeth; Bjørge, Ruben. (2024) Advanced TEM studies of precipitation in aluminium alloys. Ranshofener Leichtmetalltage 2024 , Saalfelden 2024-09-26 - 2024-09-27
Academic lecture

Holmestad, Randi; Bergh, Tina; Sørhaug, Jørgen Andre; Hell, Christoph Martin; Thronsen, Elisabeth; Bjørge, Ruben. (2024) Advanced electron microscopy – SPED and HAADF-STEM – of age hardenable aluminium alloys. ELMINA24 , Belgrade 2024-09-09 - 2024-09-13

2023

Academic lecture

Holmestad, Randi; Thronsen, Elisabeth; Kawahara, Yasuhito; Bergh, Tina; Sørhaug, Jørgen Andre; Hell, Christoph Martin. (2023) Nucleation and Phase Development of Precipitates in age-hardenable Aluminium Alloys studied by 4D-STEM. Microscopy and Analysis , Minneapolis 2023-07-23 - 2023-07-27

2021

Academic lecture

Thronsen, Elisabeth; Lervik, Adrian; Hell, Christoph Martin; Wenner, Sigurd; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Bjørge, Ruben. (2021) Studying clusters and nano-precipitates in Aluminium alloys using (S)PED and ADF-STEM. Microscopy and Microanalysis (M&M) 2021 , USA (virtual meeting, supposed to be in Pittsburg) 2021-08-01 - 2021-08-05
Academic lecture

Thronsen, Elisabeth; Lervik, Adrian; Hell, Christoph Martin; Bjørge, Ruben; Marioara, Calin Daniel; Wenner, Sigurd. (2021) Clustering and precipitate nucleation in Al alloys studied by SPED and HAADF-STEM. PICO 2021 (Conference on Frontiers of Aberration Corrected Electron Microscopy) , Virtuell 2021-05-02 - 2021-05-06

2020

Academic lecture

Sunde, Jonas Kristoffer; Lervik, Adrian; Thronsen, Elisabeth; Hell, Christoph Martin; Christiansen, Emil; Marioara, Calin Daniel. (2020) How TEM is used in aluminium alloy development. Nasjonal konferanse for Materialteknologi 2020 , online 2020-12-02 - 2020-12-03

2017

Poster

Hell, Christoph. (2017) Quantitative electron diffraction study of y and y' lattice parameters in a model Co- based superalloy. MC2017 , Lausanne 2017-08-21 - 2017-08-25

Språkvelger

Christoph Martin Hell