Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Committee Members

Amir Farajian, Ph.D. (Advisor); Marina Ruggles-Wrenn, Ph.D. (Committee Member); Darryl Ahner, Ph.D., P.E. (Committee Member)

Degree Name

Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering (MSMSE)

Abstract

Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics are a class of ceramics that possess high strength and melting points in excess of 3000°C. These ceramics are promising for aerospace applications, where materials need to endure high-temperature and high-stress environments. Utilizing ab initio simulations, this thesis research focuses on the atomistic details of oxidation for a typical ultra-high temperature ceramic material, namely hafnium diboride. The simulations provide energy barriers for transition from the initial to final structures via transition states on the (0 0 0 1) surface. These result in estimates for reaction rates and other thermodynamic features that are essential for assessing applicability under extreme aerospace conditions.

Page Count

66

Department or Program

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Year Degree Awarded

2025


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