Solidification Processing and Engineering

Welcome to Solidification PRocessing and engineerING (SPRING) Group of IMDEA Materials Institute. The research group focuses on the advanced alloy design and development of processing technologies supported by both the experiments and the computational modeling. Beside the basic research activities, the emphasis is put on the close collaboration with industry and the transfer of technology to industry. The research is guided by the following mottos: microstructure-properties relationship and processing for properties. The microstructure is tailored not only varying existing alloying concepts, but also exploring novel concepts. On the other hand, processing for properties is focused on the improvement of existing processing techniques, as well as exploring alternative manufacturing processes and joining technologies. The research lines of the group are:

• Development of advanced materials for high temperature structural applications: Ni/Co-based superalloys, NiAl, TiAl and FeAl intermetallics and their alloys, heat resistant steels.
• Solidification and Casting: optimization of casting processes and solidification-microstructure relationships using traditional (vacuum induction melting, vacuum arc melting, gravity and tilt casting, directional solidification) and advanced techniques (centrifugal and suction casting, vacuum melt atomization)
• High throughput methods: generation of bulk compositional spreads and materials libraries for the fast assessment of macro mechanical properties.

SPE Research Group is well-equipped with the-state-of-the-art facilities for alloy development, processing and characterization. Also, it is actively participating in the projects funded by European Union, industries, national and regional government. Moreover, the group has established a close cooperation with several distinguished scientific institutions from Germany, Austria and Spain.