U-M Assistant Professor Yue Fan studies how materials perform in extreme conditions, where atomic-level defects occur. These too-tiny-to-see defects can make an otherwise strong material break down. Fan and his team use computational simulations, cross-validated by experiments, to research the atomic dynamics of defects and prevent potential disasters.

By modeling material behavior in extreme environments, the Fan lab facilitates the development of new high performance materials with strength, durability, and resistance to traditional degradation.

Meet Yue Fan

Yue Fan, PhD, is Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan.

 

Defects

In material science, defects give materials interesting properties. Atoms have an orderly pattern. But when the structure strays, these are called defects.

Dr. Fan studies defects at atomic scale, a scale so small that 100 million atoms fit into a single centimeter.

Frustrated Atoms

There are countless kinds of defects where atoms don’t align. One-dimensional defects are called a line defect, or dislocation.

At atomic scale, these defects evolve through time, eventually becoming a deformation we can see with the naked eye.

 

Grain boundary

Two-dimensional defects are called grain boundaries. Grain boundaries and line defects are the most critical defects that occur in metals.

Computer modeling

Dr. Fan and his team conduct virtual experiments, using computer modeling and simulations. Using visualization software, they plug in raw data that includes the coordinates of each individual atom, and visualizes defects through time. 

Dr. Miao He, a research scientist with Fan’s Research Group, explains one type of animated simulation called an atomic configuration.

 

Monte Carlo simulation

Dr. Fan’s team also runs Monte Carlo simulations, where complex systems or processes are analyzed through the use of random sampling.

This foundational research gives insight into the mechanical performance of materials. Dr. He shows us how silicone and magnesium atoms disperse, aggregate, and cluster over time to reach a more stable state.

 

 

 

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