My main
research interest lies in the determination of
atomic-scale structure in inorganic materials, with
emphasis on nanoscale crystals, crystalline defects and
aperiodic phases (incommensurate crystalline phases,
quasicrystals, but also curved graphitic
structures).
In addition to the fact that structure is a fundamental starting point to the science and engineering of materials and minerals, understanding the mechanisms of solid-state nucleation and growth is my main motivation for determining atomistic structure.
To achieve this I use a variety of techniques available in the great versatile tool that is transmission electron microscopy (TEM), in particular atomic resolution imaging techniques such as high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) scanning (S)TEM and high-resolution TEM in conventional and aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopes. If necessary I also use scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All these (and more!) are available at the wonderful Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy.
The current projects described below constitute my main research activities; I am also involved in other studies requiring TEM.
In addition to the fact that structure is a fundamental starting point to the science and engineering of materials and minerals, understanding the mechanisms of solid-state nucleation and growth is my main motivation for determining atomistic structure.
To achieve this I use a variety of techniques available in the great versatile tool that is transmission electron microscopy (TEM), in particular atomic resolution imaging techniques such as high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) scanning (S)TEM and high-resolution TEM in conventional and aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopes. If necessary I also use scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All these (and more!) are available at the wonderful Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy.
The current projects described below constitute my main research activities; I am also involved in other studies requiring TEM.
Atomistics
of Nucleation and Growth of Solid-State Precipitates in
Light Alloys
Light alloys such as aluminium and magnesium alloys are important engineering materials. They also constitute very nice model systems for the study of solid-solid phase transformations, such as the nucleation and growth of a crystalline phase from another crystalline phase. We use high-resolution STEM to experimentally determine the structure of crystal precipitate phases and defects, and, through collaboration with computational materials experts, construct atomistic models for the mechanisms of phase transformations.
Specific
Areas of Interest:
- Crystallography and interfacial structure of intermediate precipitates
- Crystalline defects
- Role of micro-alloying additions on precipitate structure and mechanisms of nucleation and growth.
- Solid-solid phase transformations in model systems
Selected Relevant Publications:
- Zezhong Zhang, Rosalie, Medhekar and Bourgeois. Acta Mater. 174 (2019) 116.
- Zezhong Zhang, Bourgeois, Rosalie, Medhekar. Acta Mater. 132 (2017) 525.
- Yong Zhang, Zezhong Zhang, Medhekar and Bourgeois. Acta Mater. 141 (2017) 341.
- Y. Chen, ..., Medhekar and Bourgeois. Acta Mater. 125 (2017) 340.
- Bourgeois, Medhekar et al. PRL 111 (2013), 046102.
- Bourgeois,
Zhang, Li and Medhekar. Acta Mater. 105
(2016) 284.
- Bourgeois
et al. Acta Mater. 60 (2012) 633; Acta
Mater. 59 (2011) 7043; Phil. Mag. Lett. 90
(2010) 819.
- Rosalie et
al., Acta Mater.
69 (2014) 224;
Acta Mater.
60 (2012) 6033; Acta
Mater. 59 (2011) 7168.
Collaborators:
- Dr Christian Dwyer (Monash) - STEM
image calculations, DFT
- Dr Nikhil Medhekar (Monash) - Computational
Materials Laboratory
- A/Prof. Philip
Nakashima (Monash) - electron diffraction, electron density measurements (see webpage)
- Prof. Jian-Feng Nie (Monash) - phase transformations, physical metallurgy
- Dr Julian Rosalie (Erich Schmid
Institute of Materials Science, Leoben, Austria
- webpage)
- physical metallurgy, TEM
- Dr Andrew E. Smith (Monash) - first
principles calculations
- A/Prof. Matthew Weyland (Monash) - aberration corrected STEM, electron tomography
- Dr Paul Rometsch (Monash)
- Prof. Xinhua Wu (Monash)
Current Project Members:
- Qingbo Jia (Ph.D.), co-supervised with X. Wu, M. Weyland and P. Rometsch
- Xiaofen Tan (Ph.D.), co-supervised
with P. Nakashima
- Shiqi Liu (Ph.D.), co-supervised with J.F. Nie
- Yunhe Zheng (Ph.D.), co-supervised
with J.F. Nie
Alumni:
- Zezhong Zhang (Ph.D. 2018; Research
Fellow 2018)
- Yong Zhang (Ph.D. 2019)
- Dr Yiqiang (Kelvin) Chen (Research Fellow 2016-2017)
- Dr Hui (Issac) Zhang (Research Fellow 2017-2018)
- Julian Rosalie (Ph.D., 2006)
- Sally Goh (Ph.D.)
- Jasmine Shih (Ph.D.)
- Shen Wu (4th year Materials Science & Engineering, 2018)
- Hannah Pollock (4th year Materials Science & Engineering, 2018)
- Amalia Tsalanidis (4th year
Materials Science & Engineering, 2015)
- Yiming Fu (4th year Materials Enginering, 2014)
- Ke Deng (4th year Materials Enginering, 2011)
- Houssam Benmansour (4th year
Materials Enginering, 2009)
- Amy He (4th year Materials Enginering, 2012)
- Yao Qiu (4th year Materials Enginering, 2012-13)
- Zezhong Zhang (4th year Materials Enginering, 2013)
- Onkit Chai (4th year Materials Enginering, 2013)
- Nasyriq Zainudin (4th year Materials Enginering, 2013)
- Aurélie Lancien (overseas graduate, 2009)
- Gwenaël Bougaran (overseas graduate, 2007)
- Tim Wong (vacation student, 2005-6)
Curved
Graphitic Structures
Specific
Areas of Interest:
- Structure and topology of nanoporous carbon and boron nitride
- Development of curvature in graphitic materials
Selected Relevant Publications:
- Bourgeois
et al. Cryst. Growth & Design 11 (2011) 3141.
- Bourgeois
et al. PRB 61 (2000) 7686.
Collaborators:
- Prof. Yoshio Bando
(National Institute for Materials Science, Japan)
- Prof. Dmitri Golberg (National Institute for Materials Science, Japan)
- Dr Tim Williams
(Monash)
Alumni:
- Deming Zhu (Ph.D., 2006)
- Cameron McQualter (4th year Mat. Eng. 2010)
- Sally Goh (4th year Mat. Eng., 2002)
- Richard Derrien (overseas graduate, 2008)
Structure
of Modulated and Aperiodic Phases
Collaborators:
- Prof. Ray Withers and his group
(Australian National University)
- Prof. Joanne Etheridge (Monash)
Alumni:
- Yingyi Zhang (Masters, 2013)
Other
Projects
Quantitative Convergent Beam Electron Diffraction (led by A/Prof. Philip Nakashima)
Students: Xiaofen Tan (Ph.D.)
Mrigi Munjal (IITB-Monash undergraduate internship student)
Alumni: Tianyu Liu (Ph.D. 2019)
Nanostructure
Stabilisation of energy materials (led by
Prof. Sankara Tatiparti, Indian Institute of
Technology Bombay, co-supervised with A/Prof.
Nikhil Medhekar)
Student: Alhad Parashtekar (Ph.D.)
Student: Alhad Parashtekar (Ph.D.)
Porous
Silicon for Surface Enhanced Raman
Spectroscopy (SERS) Applications
Alumni: Kamran Khajehpour (Ph.D., 2014), co-supervised with Dr Tim Williams and Prof. Sam Adeloju
Alumni: Kamran Khajehpour (Ph.D., 2014), co-supervised with Dr Tim Williams and Prof. Sam Adeloju