Thermal Stability and Oxidation Kinetics of MAX Phases

Prof. Low gained his B.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees in Materials Engineering from Monash University prior to taking up lecturer positions first at Auckland University and then Curtin University. In 1986-1988, he conducted post-doctoral research with Prof. Y-W Mai on fracture and toughening micromechanics of epoxy systems at Sydney University. He was awarded a Visiting Professorship by the Japanese Ministry of Education to work with Prof. Nihari at Osaka University in 1995/1996. He is a Fellow of the Australian Ceramic Society and serves on the editorial boards of several materials-related journals. He is also the recipient of the prestigious 1996 Joint Australian Ceramic Society/Ceramic Society of Japan Ceramic Award for excellence in ceramics research. Prof. Low has authored or edited more than 10 books (4 of these with Elsevier) and is author of over 250 archival research papers. His research interests include polymer- and ceramic matrix composites, nanomaterials, toughening and failure micromechanics.

• 1. Introduction to MAX Phases2. Literature review of MAX Phases3. Materials synthesis and characterization of MAX Phases4. Physical and mechanical properties of MAX phases5. Oxidation characteristics of Ti3SiC26. Oxidation characteristics of Ti3AlC27. Oxidation characteristics of Ti2AlN8. Thermal stability and decomposition kinetics of Ti3SiC2 in argon9. Thermal stability and decomposition kinetics of Ti3SiC2, Ti2AlC, Ti2AlN, Ti3AlC2 and Ti4AlC in vacuum10. Thermal stability and decomposition kinetics of Cr2AlC in vacuum11. Critical parameters controlling the decomposition kinetics of MAX phases12. Concluding remarks