HDR Scholarship - Additive manufacturing of titanium aluminides

Deakin University has been at the forefront of advanced manufacturing for more than 18 years. To meet the challenges of the future-forward thinking and technology demanded by advanced manufacturing, Deakin has built a strong research team in metal additive manufacturing (AM) over the past decade. Deakin’s metal AM capabilities cover four AM research themes: process and microstructural control, new materials for AM, new AM processes for rapid alloy design, and design for AM.

This three year full time PhD scholarship (with possible 6 month extension) is supported by both Deakin University and Boeing India to develop novel titanium aluminides (TiAl) for high-temperature applications. TiAl can be used at application temperatures of up to 750 - 850 °C due to their high specific strength and stiffness, oxidation resistance, and good creep properties. They are light compared to existing high temperature materials and are candidate materials for high temperature applications including aircraft pylon heat shield, aero-engines, future supersonic & hypersonic air vehicles. However, these materials are brittle in nature. Through close collaborations with Boeing-India, this project will develop a new titanium aluminide combined with new processing techniques like additive manufacturing to enable improved performance and open up applications especially in aerospace.

Applications close 5pm, Monday 8 April 2024

This scholarship is available over 3 years.

• Stipend of $34,400 per annum tax exempt (2024 rate)
• Relocation allowance of $500-1500 (for single to family) for students moving from interstate
• International students only:  Tuition fees offset for the duration of 4 years. Single Overseas Student Health Cover policy for the duration of the student visa.

To be eligible you must:

• be a domestic or international candidate. Domestic includes candidates with Australian Citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency or New Zealand Citizenship.
• meet Deakin's PhD entry requirements
• be enrolling full time and hold an honours degree (first class) or an equivalent standard master's degree with a substantial research component.

Please refer to the research degree entry pathways page for further information.

Additional desirable criteria include:

• Master/bachelor degree in materials science, materials engineering, mechanical engineering.
• Research experience in a related discipline is desired.