Friday, April 14th, 2023 Aziz Asphahani on Computational Materials Design and Engineering

Dr. Aziz Asphahani, Chairman and CEO of QuesTek Innovations, LLC, Evanston IL, will speak on Computational Materials Design and Engineering. Advanced materials are recognized as critical building blocks that drive significant innovations in key sectors of the global economy(e.g., Aerospace, Automotive, Defense, Energy, Medical). Also, these materials are being considered as key enablers in addressing the energy-climate challenges and accelerating the energy transition to near net zero emission targets. The advent of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) technologies (built on thermodynamics and kinetics databases and aided by physics-based models and computational simulations) have led to the design and deployment of several advanced higher-performance alloys. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) play important role in the discovery of new compounds, the ICME technologies coupled with the Accelerated Insertion of Materials (AIM) methodologies have been successful in designing and deploying novel, advanced alloys. The ICME/AIM implementations are also proven effective in the practices of Engineering Concurrency (combining innovative product design with advanced materials). The acquired expertise from 26 years of applying the ICME technologies, and the ensuing cumulative know-how are QuesTek basis for the development and implementation of predictive software packages in the form of an Integrated Computational Materials Design (ICMD®) platform. As envisioned in the ongoing Materials Genome Initiative, the ICMD platform will assist in breaking down barriers between materials discovery and deployment. Presently, the ICMD platform have demonstrated usefulness in predicting the physical properties of Additive Manufacturing (3D-printing) of metals, and in designing printable higher-performance alloys powders.

Dr. Asphahani’s early research activities were focused on identifying the parameters affecting alloys resistance to corrosion. His research involved assessing the mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement and its deleterious impact on corrosion-resistant alloys (CRA). Furthermore, he identified the roles of key alloying elements that were essential to developing CRA with improved resistance to corrosion and wear [one of his patented alloys (HASTELLOY alloy C-22) was selected as a durable material to contain nuclear waste for the Yacca Mountain project]. QuesTek Innovations is a leader in developing and deploying novel, advanced materials based on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) technologies and the Accelerated Insertion of Materials (AIM) methodologies, using genomic science-based data, and physics-based modeling. He holds eight patents. In 2017, Aziz was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering "for executive leadership in STEM education, integrated computational design of materials, and innovation and production of corrosion-resistant alloys." He is a past president of ASM International and past chair of its educational foundation. His degrees include Diplome Ingenieur-Physique from École Centrale de Paris and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from MIT.