Dr Lewis Owen - University of Sheffield

Dr Owen’s current work explores a novel family of materials called high-entropy alloys. These materials contain five or more elements in roughly equiatomic proportions. Some of these materials have demonstrated promising physical properties, including radiation damage tolerance that could be of use for nuclear fusion applications. However, the origin of these properties remains poorly understood. It is thought that local structure effects, which occur on the atomic scale, could have a profound influence on the observed physical properties of these materials. Dr Owen’s research is using an advanced scattering technique called total scattering, and computational techniques (such as reverse Monte Carlo), exploring the material on the atomic scale. This local understanding will help us understand these novel materials, enabling better future design and their adoption in key industries such as the atomic energy sector.