Collaborative Research: DMREF: NSF-DST: Metastability Engineering in Refractory Multi-Principal Element Alloys

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $367,900 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

This Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) joint NSF-Department of Science and Technology of India (NSF-DST) project aims to establish a transformative framework for the development of structural alloys that simultaneously achieve high strength at high temperatures and enhanced ductility at room temperature. The research focuses on a relatively new class of metallic materials known as refractory multi-principal element alloys (RMPEAs), which are recognized for their high-temperature strength but typically suffer from limited plasticity under ambient conditions. The team will develop the new alloy design paradigm through a concept called “metastability engineering,” which activates novel nano-scale deformation mechanisms by controlling dislocation dynamics and phase stability. The research integrates combinatorial synthesis, advanced in-situ experiments, atomistic and mesoscale simulations, and machine learning (ML)-guided discovery. The resulting framework will enable accelerated design of high-performance RMPEAs across broad temperature ranges. In parallel, the project will contribute to training a new generation of materials scientists in experimental, computational, and data-driven methods, while supporting outreach and international collaboration through partnerships with five US universities and Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. This project aims to establish a transformative framework for metastability engineering in refractory-typ

Key facts

NSF award ID
2522655
Awardee
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus (OK)
SAM.gov UEI
EVTSTTLCEWS5
PI
Shuozhi Xu
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
NSF-INTERNAT COOP IN MATERIALS RES-OTHER, International Partnerships, INDIA, US-India Collaborative Research, Materials Under Extreme Conditions, (MGI) Materials Genome Initiative, Materials Data, Materials AI, EXP PROG TO STIM COMP RES, OFFICE OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY AC, DMREF, INDIA (COOPERATIVE SCIENCE)
Estimated total
$367,900
Funds obligated
$367,900
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
10/01/2025 → 09/30/2029