RESEARCH INTERESTS

I am currently Adjunct Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Materials Engineering at Monash University, Honorary Senior Research Fellow of the School of Physics, University of Sydney and Honorary Research Associate of the Australian Key Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis, University of Sydney. I was Senior Research Fellow in the Optical Fibre Technology Centre, University of Sydney and Honorary Senior Lecturer in the School of Bioengineering &Chemical Engineering, University of Sydney. I was Principle Scientist at Telstra Research Labs. for ~14 years. In the UK I worked in Applied Physics, University of Strathclyde, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Liverpool, Cranfield Institute of Technology and the UKAEA., RFL Springfields.
My research interests are in correlation of microscopic, nanoscopic, atomic and subatomic scale structures of materials with macroscopic properties, mathematical modelling and nano-characterisation of structures and fabrication processes; also  accurate measurement of properties of bulk materials, thin films and complex devices. My materials work falls mainly in the areas of glass, photonics, optical fibre, superconductivity, creep and Mössbauer spectroscopy

Optical Glasses, Optical Fibres, Photonics and Metallic Glass

I have developed a unique theory of devitrification and glass-formation applicable to all known glasses including silicates, fluoride, chalcogenides and metallic glasses. CAD software and databases were developed to compute glass-forming phase diagrams, glass-stability prediction and other properties of glasses. I have practical, hands-on experience in glass-making, Modified Chemical Vapour Deposition, optical fibre-drawing, fibre design and applications of special glasses and fibres in defence, medicine telecommunications and astronomy.

Superconductivity: Materials and Applications

Early projects included a study of Type I superconductors (Pb) doped with ferromagnetic and paramagnetic rare earths and associated cryogenics and vacuum physics. I have also done work on Type II superconductors (niobium tin and niobium titanium) windings in rotating electrical machines, design studies for superconducting cables, superconducting bolometry for IRAS (European Infra-Red Astronomical Telescope) and high temperature yttrium barium cuprate superconductors.

Creep and Mechanical Properties of Metals

I conducted experimental and theoretical studies of creep, fatigue and rupture in nuclear reactor fuel element cans at RFL Springfields, UKAEA, and developed mathematical models of creep in Nimonics, Al alloys and steels. Modelling of mechanical properties;  tensile strength, hardness, fracture mechanics, corrosion, solid solutions, grain boundaries, dislocations and precipitates, microstructure and fabrication methods. Micrographic work was also done at the Department of Mining and Metallurgy, University of Melbourne.

Mössbauer Spectroscopy

Working with A/Prof J. Cashion at Monash Physics I did Mössbauer spectroscopy of materials containing Fe, Sn and Gd, and several industrial applications including detection of  iron in fly-ash of coal-fired power stations, firebrick degradation in tin-smelting furnaces, corrosion in steel-rolling and pickling and investigation of the Sydney-to-Moomba gas-pipeline explosion.

Primary collaborators:

Prof. Geoff Barton, Chem.Eng. University of Sydney
Prof. Simon Ringer, AKCMM, University of Sydney
Prof. Simon Fleming, OFTC, University of Sydney
Dr David Lancaster, DSTO, SA
Dr Roger Haynes, Anglo-Australian Observatory, NSW
Dr Ranjan Sen, CGCRI, Kolkata, India
Prof. Dr. Satoru Inoue, NIMS, Tsukuba Japan

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