Background and activities

Ida Westermann is Associate Professor at Department of Materials Science and Engineering. She is head of the research group within Physical Metallurgy. She has a broad teaching experience and has been responsible for several courses at different levels from freshman courses to PhD level. 

 

Research areas

Her main research area of interest is understanding the interplay between thermo-mechanical processing, microstructure and mechanical properties of metallic materials, mainly steel and aluminium. The scale ranges from nanoscale (precipitates and particles) through micro scale (grain structure) to macro scale (final products/structures).

Some of her recent work includes in-situ testing in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) combined with digital image correlation (DIC). This technique requires that you have markers in/on the material that you can trace during deformation. We have used both the microstructure as specific marker, but also the gold remodelling technique, where a high density of small gold droplets are formed. The latter technique gives a very high resolution of the strain field during deformation.

Another topic I been working with the last years is multi-materials and joining of dissimilar materials. E.g aluminium and steel have been bonded together through rolling, heat treated and mechanical tested. The heat treatments leads to formation of intermetallic phases, which strongly influence the properties of the bond. Alloying elements in the bulk materials influence the initiation and growth of the intermetallic phases in different ways.

Another way of joining dissimilar metals is by additive manufacturing. Using this technique it is possible to combine different properties like high heat conductivity from e.g. Cu and the strength from e.g. steel.  

Courses:

Courses Ida Westermann has taught and been responsible for the last years:

  • Introduction to materials science TMT4171
  • Microstructure and properties of metals TMT4240
  • Experts in Team: A bright, light and strong future with materials TMT4850
  • Applied electron microscopy (PhD course) MT8219
  • Material processes and final properties (EVU course) IMAK6001

Links the department and other large research centers she is involved in:

Scientific, academic and artistic work

A selection of recent journal publications, artistic productions, books, including book and report excerpts. See all publications in the database

Journal publications