Aytac Yilmaz

Aytac holds a Master of Science degree from University of Florida in Material Science and Engineering. As of November 2016, he joined the CTE group as a PhD candidate. His research is focused on investigating the effects of microstructure on corrosion properties of high strength steel.

Current Project:
The effect of microstructure on localised corrosion of high strength steel (MICROCORR)
Funded by: FOM/M2i

Research Summary:

Corrosion is an overwhelmingly important issue in the use of high-strength steels. However, although corrosion has been widely investigated, there is still an essential lack of understanding of the influence of microstructural features on the corrosion process. Accomplishing adequate corrosion resistance in metals is only possible when it is based on fundamental insight into the microstructure-corrosion relation. In the past decades, great advances have been achieved in the understanding of the microstructure-strength relations, but we are still seriously lacking knowledge of microstructure-corrosion relations. The present project combines expertise on metallic microstructures with expertise on localized corrosion and electrochemistry. Studies on well controllable model alloys will enable the identification of relations between microstructure and corrosion on a scale and degree of detail that as yet has not been reached. This knowledge will, in combination with microstructure-strength relations, subsequently be applied to specific high-strength steels. The project will significantly contribute to the basic understanding of corrosion in steel microstructure and to the development of corrosion-resistant high-strength steels.