Md Zakaria Quadir

• PhD
• Facility Leader at Curtin University

This study reports on the development of three spodumene reference materials referred to as Curtin University (CU) Tri‐1, Kun‐A‐1 and MG‐1 for calibrating the instrumental mass fractionation for oxygen isotope measurement by secondary ionisation mass spectrometry (SIMS). Millimetre‐sized fragments were prepared from gem‐quality spodumene crystals w...

In natural corundum, a strong geochemical correlation is sometimes observed between Be and heavy high field strength elements (HHFSEs) such as Nb, Ta and W, and it has been hypothesized that trace elements are hosted in primary inclusions. However, no known mineral enriched in both Be and HHFSEs stable at these geological conditions can explain thi...

Accessory minerals like zircon, rutile and monazite are routinely studied to inform about the timing and nature of geological processes. These studies are underpinned by our understanding of the transfer processes of trace elements and the assumption that the isotopic systems remain undisturbed. However, the presence of microstructures or Pb-bearin...

Austenitic stainless steel UNS S31603 (SS316L) is widely used in the resources industry due to its excellent corrosion resistance, ductility, and weldability. Recently, laser-based powder bed fusion (LPBF) manufacturing has gained popularity for creating SS316L components with complex geometries and superior mechanical properties. However, the rapi...

Seafloor hydrothermal chimneys from back-arc basins are important hosts for metals such as Cu, Zn, Pb, Ag, and Au. Although the general growth history of chimneys has been well documented, recent studies have revealed that the fine-scale mineralogy can be highly complex and reflects variable physicochemical conditions of formation. This study utili...

Element mobility is a critical component in all geological processes and understanding the mechanisms responsible for element mobility in minerals is a fundamental requirement for many geochemical and geochronological applications. Volume diffusion of elements is a commonly assumed process. However, linear defects (dislocations) are an essential co...

Selective laser melting (SLM) or powder bed fusion is a type of additive manufacturing (AM) technology with applications in, e.g., the orthopaedics, energy, and aerospace industries. Several studies investigated the localised corrosion behaviour of SLM-fabricated Type 316L (UNS S31603) stainless steel. Little is known, however, about the effects of...

Low alloy steels combine relatively low cost with exceptional mechanical properties, making them commonplace in oil and gas equipment. However, their strength and hardness are restricted for sour environments to prevent different forms of hydrogen embrittlement. Materials used in sour services are regulated by the ISO 15156-2 standard, which impose...

The isotopic composition of water in Earth’s oceans is challenging to recreate using a plausible mixture of known extraterrestrial sources such as asteroids—an additional isotopically light reservoir is required. The Sun’s solar wind could provide an answer to balance Earth’s water budget. We used atom probe tomography to directly observe an averag...

The influence of peak compressive stress on the dynamic tensile fracture (spall) in a multi-phase steel, austenite, ferrite and martensite phases, was investigated in as-received and pre-strained conditions. Plate impact experiments were done at ⁓3.0 GPa and ⁓6.0 GPa compressive peak stresses. Results showed that peak stress increase results in abo...

Glassy melt inclusions are unique geological repositories that preserve evidence of the formation and evolution of mantle and crustal-derived magmas. However, the mechanisms responsible for their preservation in slowly cooled crustal rocks remain contentious, in some part due to their small size (commonly < 10 µm) and the technical difficulty in qu...

Strengthening of magnesium (Mg) is known to occur through dislocation accumulation, grain refinement, deformation twinning, and texture control or dislocation pinning by solute atoms or nano-sized precipitates. These modes generate yield strengths comparable to other engineering alloys such as certain grades of aluminum but below that of high-stren...

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a serious environmental issue associated with mining due to its acidic pH and potentially toxic elements (PTE) content. This study investigated the performance of the Fe-Al bimetallic particles for the treatment of combined AMD-gold processing effluents. Batch experiments were conducted in order to eliminate potentially...

Precipitation hardened (PH) nickel alloy UNS N07725 used in oil and gas subsea service have experienced several brittle fractures linked to hydrogen embrittlement (HE). The alloy’s susceptibility to cracking was associated with the precipitation of a Cr-and Mo-rich phase at grain boundaries (GBs). Since the failed components were compliant with the...

Low Alloy steels (LASs) are, by volume, the most widely used alloy family in critical oil & gas (O&G) components. However, the strength and hardness of LASs for sour environments are limited to prevent different forms of hydrogen embrittlement, such as hydrogen stress cracking (HSC) and sulfide stress cracking (SSC). Moreover, ISO 15156-2 (1) restr...

The formation of interconnected grain boundary (GB) phases in precipitation hardening (PH) nickel Alloy 725 (UNS N07725) compromises its mechanical properties and has been linked to hydrogen embrittlement failures. However, normative industry standards such as API 6ACRA are inadequate for differentiating between Alloy 725 batches with a critical ex...

Precipitation hardened nickel-based Alloy 725 (UNS N07725) has been proven susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement in oil and gas production. Moreover, current standards cannot differentiate unequivocally between acceptable and affected microstructures, making the development of an appropriate quality control test a priority for the oil and gas indus...

Microstructural changes and ferrite phase transformation under shock loading, between 8.5 GPa and 17.5 GPa, in a hot-rolled Lean Duplex Stainless Steel (commercially known as LDX 2101) were investigated in as-received and pre-deformed conditions. The latter condition was considered to distinguish classical deformation twins at high strain rates fro...

The effect of peak stress and deformation history on the spall strength and associated microstructure evolution in a dual phase (50% α, 50% γ) stainless steel has been investigated. Symmetric plate impact experiments using a single stage gas- gun were performed at peak stresses in the 3.0-6.0 GPa range, pulse duration and strain rate were kept cons...

Super Duplex Stainless Steels (SDSS) have excellent corrosion resistance due to their high concentration of alloying elements like Cr, Mo, and N. There is still, however, disagreement on the role of tungsten in the corrosion resistance of stainless steels. In this regard, the influence of tungsten on tertiary phase precipitation kinetics remains a...

Cristobalite is a low-pressure, high-temperature SiO2 polymorph that occurs as a metastable phase in many geologic settings, including as crystals deposited from vapor within the pores of volcanic rocks. Such vapor-phase cristobalite (VPC) has been inferred to result from silica redistribution by acidic volcanic gases but a precise mechanism for it...

The exploitation of unconventional reserves is pushing the limits of the materials selected in the oil and gas (O&G) industry. Precipitation hardened nickel alloys (PHNAs) such as UNS N07725 are typically used in applications that require high strength levels, corrosion, and environmentally assisted cracking resistance. However, unexpected cleavage...

Low alloy steels (LASs) combine relatively low cost with exceptional mechanical properties, making LASs commonplace in Oil and Gas equipment. However, the strength and hardness of LASs for sour environments and for applications that generate atomic hydrogen at the surface, e.g., cathodic protection, is limited to prevent different forms of hydrogen...

Unravelling complex microbial activity in modern hydrothermal vents can provide crucial insights into the evolution of ancient life on Earth. It is well established that microorganisms in hydrothermal vents have a significant impact on the cycling of metals and mineral formation. However, the detailed roles played by microorganisms in driving sulfi...

Tribo-electrochemical behavior of a high chromium white cast iron (high-Cr WCI) used in, e.g., slurry pumps in mining and mineral processing applications, was investigated using a combination of electrochemical techniques, including zero resistance amperometry as well as potentiostatic and potentiodynamic polarisation. The effects of third body par...

A recent subsea failure of two subsea connectors made of UNS S32760, a 25 wt% Cr super duplex stainless steel, led to an extensive root cause failure analysis. The components showed a single longitudinal crack along a swaged section, which arrested toward its thicker end. The brittle nature of the fracture surface, calcareous deposits on the compon...

The Hall–Petch relation has long been used to relate the yield strength of a metal to its grain sizes in which the effectiveness of grain size strengthening in the metal is dictated by the Hall–Petch coefficient (slope). Therefore, understanding the microstructural dependence of the Hall–Petch slope would be very useful in designing new high-streng...

A recent subsea failure of two coupling assembly flanges made of UNS S32760, a 25 wt% Cr super duplex stainless steel, lead to an extensive root cause failure analysis. The components showed a single longitudinal crack along the swaged ferrule, which arrested towards its thicker section. The brittle nature of the fracture surface, calcareous deposi...

In a hypervelocity impact event, the temperatures and pressures generated by the shock waves far exceed the values produced by endogenic processes. The shock-induced processes can modify the distribution of trace elements in zircon grains located in target rocks, potentially affecting the geochemical reliability of zircon, but also providing an opp...

Body-centred cubic magnesium-lithium-aluminium-base alloys are the lightest of all the structural alloys, with recently developed alloy compositions showing a unique multi-dimensional property profile. By hitherto unrecognised mechanisms, such alloys also exhibit exceptional immediate strengthening after solution treatment and water quenching, but...

The plastic anisotropies of two hot-rolled Lean Duplex Stainless Steels (commercially known as LDX 2101 and LDX 2404) were investigated by applying compressive strains, at 10 ⁻³ s ⁻¹ rate, along the rolling- and transverse-directions (RD and TD). The microstructural changes were elucidated by Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) as a function of...

Pulse shaping techniques are an integral component of designing and executing valid Split-hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experiments. Proper pulse shaping is vital for achieving stress equilibrium and a constant strain rate within the dynamically tested sample. A systematic method based on two-dimensional finite element (FE) analysis was developed t...

The mechanical response and microstructural evolution of cold-rolled lean duplex stainless steel 2101 (LDX 2101) has been investigated along the rolling and transverse directions. Compression tests at 10 ⁻³ s ⁻ strain rate and up to a strain of 24 and 40% were conducted in a universal testing machine. A comparison was drawn between the cold-rolled...

The blast response of a High Strength Steel (HSS), classified as a High Hardness Armour (HHA), subjected to a 60 g charge mass at a Stand-Off Distance (SOD) of 25 mm has been investigated. Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) and microhardness measurements were used to determine the microstructural evolution in the through thickness and the asso...

Precipitation of a LiBH4 solution into an anti-solvent led to formation of nanoparticles in the size range of 2 to 18 nm. By direct deposition of these nanoparticles onto a Nickel(II) phthalocyanine substrate, LiBH4 was destabilized and the hydrogen release temperature was dramatically reduced to 350 C through a single step decomposition. Remarkabl...

The establishment of intimate electrode/electrolyte interface is very important in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), because it plays a critical role in the overall cell performance and durability. In this study, Mn segregation and interface formation between directly assembled La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSM) electrode and yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) or g...

A better understanding of structural coarsening mechanisms is of significance to effectively tackle structural instabilities in nanostructured materials. In this work, the microstructural evolution of nanostructured metallic powder particles during thermomechanical consolidation has been investigated to gain new insights into the evolution of reinf...

The effect of strain rate on the mechanical response and microstructural evolution of Lean Duplex Stainless Steel 2101 (LDSS 2101) has been investigated. The compressive response of LDSS 2101 at different strain rates was measured by using a universal testing machine and Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB). The microstructural changes were examined...

The effect of loading direction on the spall strength and damage in Lean Duplex Stainless Steel 2101 (LDSS 2101) has been investigated. Experiments were conducted in a single stage gas-gun to test the spall strength of LDSS 2101 along the Rolling Direction (RD), Transverse Direction (TD) and Normal Direction (ND). Microstructural examinations were...

The dynamic mechanical response of additive manufactured (AM) Ti-6Al-4V has been investigated via Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) and single-stage gas gun plate-impact experiments. Rods of Ti-6Al-4V were manufactured from Arcam and Renishaw electron beam melting (EBM) and laser melting deposition (LMD) powder bed systems, respectively. Horizont...

Electrode/electrolyte interface plays a critical role in the performance and stability of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Here, interface formation, Sr segregation and reaction of directly assembled La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF) cathode on barrier-layer-free Y2O3- ZrO2 (YSZ) electrolyte are studied at 1000 mAcm-2 and 750°C using focused ion beam...

Ultrafine-grained Cu–5 vol%Al2O3 nanocomposite rods were fabricated by a combination of high-energy mechanical milling of Cu and Al2O3 powders and powder compact extrusion at 300, 500, 700 and 900 °C. The extruded rods were investigated to evaluate microstructures, mechanical properties, fracture behavior and electrical resistivity. It was found th...

In article number 1700122, Kondo‐Francois Aguey‐Zinsou and co‐workers demonstrate a novel and simple approach to control the properties of ammonia borane (AB) and investigate the drastic effect of such a strategy on the hydrogen storage properties of AB. Nanosizing AB and further coating with nanosized nickel (Ni) leads to a AB/Ni matrix that enabl...

A bulk ultrafine grained Al-0.6 wt%Mg-0.4 wt%Si-5vol.%SiC nanocomposite was fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) of a corresponding nanocrystalline metal matrix nanocomposite powder produced by high energy mechanical milling. The as-SPSed samples were either heat treated or hot extruded at 500 °C. Microstructural characterization of the sampl...

A member of the family of compounds with formula Na3V2O2x(PO4)2F3-2x is synthesized by carbothermal reduction and 2 consecutive hydrothermal processes. The initial structural and spectroscopic characterization indicates that there are two phases in the as-synthesized material, a mixed valent phase with intermediate V oxidation state adopting P42/mn...

Lean Duplex Stainless Steel 2404 (LDX2404) is the newest commercial type of duplex stainless steels, recently introduced by Outokumpu®. This paper investigates the dynamic tensile failure (spall strength) of this new alloy under different peak stresses (4.5 GPa to 8.2 GPa) via the recovered plate-impact experiment using a single stage gas gun. The...

A sequence of cyclic annealing experiments was performed to trace the growth of secondary grains after primary recrystallization in a two-pass cold rolled Fe-3.5%Si steel. By using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), the development of grain growth and texture in the early stages of secondary growth in as-received and annealed samples was ex...

The thickness of the lamellar band (LB) structure that is generated in an accumulative roll bonded nickel sheet represents the degree of structure refinement. The LBs reach a saturation in thickness after several roll bonding cycles due to adiabatic heating that balances the dislocations generated during rolling. The thermal restoration process sta...

Ammonia borane (AB), with one of the highest hydrogen content (19.6 mass%), has attracted much attention as a potential hydrogen storage material. However, its complex and multistep thermal decomposition process has left the idea that AB can only be an irreversible hydrogen storage material. Herein, we demonstrate the potential of a novel nanosizin...

Aluminium hydride (AlH3) is a promising hydrogen storage material due to its competitive hydrogen storage density and moderate decomposition temperature. However, there is no convenient way to prepare/regenerate AlH3 from (spent) Al by direct hydrogenation. Herein, we report on a novel approach to generate AlH3 from the decomposition of triethylalu...

In this investigation, a long-standing grain growth question is addressed in a Fe-3.5% Si steel. This material undergoes secondary growth of Goss oriented grains, but the underlying mechanisms of this growth remain unresolved despite extensive investigations for almost a century. In this investigation, a key question concerning this subject is reso...

With the impetus for less reliance on fossil fuels and an increasing demand for environmentally friendly energy materials, lithium is emerging as an important material of the future. The ability to extract lithium from ores economically is essential. However, a comprehensive understanding of the deportment of lithium and associated minerals in some...

In this investigation, a grain oriented silicon steel was annealed from a starting state of its primary recrystallized condition by varying time, temperature and heating rate to elucidate the phenomena that occur during the secondary recrystallization growth of Goss grains. Goss secondary recrystallization occurs in a temperature range from 900 to...

Lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH4) is a promising hydrogen storage material with a storage capacity of 10.6 mass % H2. However, its practical use is hampered by the lack of direct rehydrogenation routes. In this study, we report on the confinement of LiAlH4 into the nanoporosity of a high surface area graphite resulting in a remarkable improvement...

The microstructure and mechanical response of additive manufactured Ti64 under compression and tension has been investigated. Quasi-static and dynamic experiments were conducted on electron beam powder bed Arcam A1 (EBM) and blown powder laser Optomec LENS MR-7 (LMD) additive manufactured specimens. Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) was conducted on bot...

The quasi-static mechanical response of hot rolled lean duplex stainless steel 2101 (LDSS 2101) in rolling, transverse and normal directions under compression loading has been investigated for its perceived anisotropic behaviour. Microstructural characterization is performed by optical microscopy and Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) to qual...

The high strain deformation and recrystallization behaviour of a Fe/Ni multilayered composite sheet fabricated by accumulative roll bonding has been investigated. The comparable initial hardness and subsequent strain hardening behaviour of the Ni and Fe layers reduces the flow compatibility related challenges at the bonding interfaces, thereby gene...

Understanding the impact response of aluminiumfoams is essential for assessing their energy absorption capacity under dynamic loading. In this paper, the dynamic compaction behavior of closed-cell aluminiumfoam (CYMAT ™) has been tested using the plate-impact technique. Post-impacted samples have been examined using optical microscopy to observe th...

The effects of impact velocity and temperature on the dynamic mechanical behavior of two bulk metallic (BMG) alloys with slightly different elemental compositions (Zr55Cu30Ni5Al30 and Zr46Cu38Ag8Al38) have been investigated. Bullet-shaped samples were accelerated by a gas gun to speeds in the 400∼600m/s range and tested at both room temperature and...

A rod gravity cast aluminum alloy of nominal composition Al-3.0Mg-0.8Sc-0.08Zr has been tested at high strain rates in tension and compression using a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar. Peak aging heat treatments were performed in an attempt to grow secondary phase Al3Sc particles at grain boundaries to strengthen the alloy under high strain rate loads...

In this study the effects of heating rate on the sharpness and size of Goss oriented ({110}<001>) grains during secondary recrystallization annealing at 900 °C was observed. The results show that, at the same annealing temperature, rapid heating of the samples to this temperature generates a higher drag force compared to a slower heating rate (5°C/...

Microstructure and texture evolution of commercially pure Ni processed by accumulative roll-bonding (ARB) up to eight cycles were studied using electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD). During ARB processing, the original coarse equiaxed grains were gradually transformed into refined lamellar grains along the rolling direction (RD). Shear bands s...

Accumulative roll bonding is a severe plastic deformation technique capable of generating nano-scale microstructures in sheet metals. This technique can also be exploited for processing novel sheet products that are not possible through conventional rolling. In this investigation, cross rolling was combined with accumulative roll bonding of commerc...

Ultrafine grained AA6063-SiCnp nanocomposites with 1, 5 and 10 vol.% SiCnp have been fabricated by a novel powder metallurgy process. This process combines high energy ball milling of a mixture of 6063 alloy granules made from machining chips and SiC nanoparticles and thermomechanical powder consolidation by spark plasma sintering and hot extrusion...

Although high carbon martensitic steels are well known for their industrial utility in high abrasion and extreme operating environments, due to their hardness and strength, the compressive stability of their retained austenite, and the implications for the steels' performance and potential uses, is not well understood. This article describes the fi...

LiH has great potential as a high capacity hydrogen storage material (12 wt.%), however its thermodynamic stability has so far precluded practical application. Temperatures near 700 °C are required for hydrogen release and uptake. Herein, we report on a novel method to realise hydrogen uptake and release under milder temperature conditions without...

This paper describes the changes in microstructures and their effects on property degradations in an environmentally friendly eutectic [Formula presented].7Cu (wt.%) solder alloy when subjected to harsh service conditions. A thorough microscopy investigation was conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EB...

A novel in-situ sensor fabrication method consisting of one dimensional (1-D) core-shell TiO2-Al2O3 nanostructures is reported. The 1-D nanostructures were synthesized on Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) particles by a robust, simple, inexpensive and highly scalable route based on thermal oxidation. The in-situ fabricated sensors were tested in various reducing an...

Lithium is a material of choice for batteries, but it has also the potential to store energy with high density as a hydrogen storage material, i.e. via the formation of its hydride (LiH). However, the high thermodynamic stability of LiH has so far precluded the use of lithium as an effective hydrogen storage material owing the high temperature 700...

A magnesium alloy of nominal composition Mg-9Al-1Zn-0.2Sc was formed into plates by die casting and underwent annealing and T4 condition heat treatments to investigate the mechanical response of varying microstructures at strain rates from 10-4 -103/s in tension and compression. Full microstructural characterization was performed using optical micr...

The effect of microstructural anisotropy on the mechanical behavior of a hot rolled Ti-6Al-4V alloy has been investigated. Quasi-static and dynamic experiments in compression and tension were conducted on specimens with their deformation axis aligned along the rolling (RD), transverse (TD), and through thickness (TT) directions. Digital image corre...

A nanocrystalline Al-7Si-0.3Mg (wt%) alloy powder prepared by high energy mechanical milling was consolidated by two powder metallurgy routes to produce a bulk ultrafine grained Al-7Si-0.3Mg Alloy: vacuum hot pressing (VHP) in combination with hot extrusion (HE) and spark plasma sintering (SPS) in combination with HE. Dynamic recrystallization, Al...

A series of cross-rolled cold rolling experiments, followed by annealing experiments, were carried out on a commercial two-pass cold rolled Fe-Si alloy. Even though no major influence was observed on the primary recrystallized grains after the sheet was subjected to ~10% deformation, its effect on the texture distribution of the sheet (prior to ann...

A magnesium alloy of nominal composition Mg-9Al-1Zn-0.2Sc was formed into plates by die casting and underwent annealing and T4 condition heat treatments to investigate the mechanical response of varying microstructures at strain rates from 10−4-103/s in tension and compression. Full microstructural characterization was performed using optical micro...

The effect of microstructural anisotropy on the mechanical behavior of a hot rolled Ti-6Al-4V alloy has been investigated. Quasi-static and dynamic experiments in compression and tension were conducted on specimens with their deformation axis aligned along the rolling (RD), transverse (TD), and through thickness (TT) directions. Digital image corre...

This investigation aims to understand the differences in the recrystallization and grain growth textures in aluminum layers along the thickness direction of two layered composite sheets. The sheets were processed by five cycle accumulative roll bonding of commercially pure aluminum and an aluminum alloy containing 0.3 wt.% Sc both in the supersatur...

The limit in structural refinement of lamellar bands (LBs) generated during accumulative roll bonding (ARB) of commercially pure nickel was investigated by transmission electron microscopy and transmission Kikuchi diffraction. A typical LB consists of an internal cellular substructure of low angle boundaries (LABs) bounded by two high angle boundar...

Alternatively layered composite sheets of commercially pure (99.8 pct purity) aluminum and an Al-0.3wtpctSc alloy (either in the supersaturated solid solution or age-hardened conditions) were generated through accumulative roll bonding for up to 5 cycles. The transverse sections of the sheets were examined to investigate the microstructure and text...

Three-dimensional electron backscatter diffraction (3D EBSD) has emerged as a powerful technique for generating 3D crystallographic information in reasonably large volumes of a microstructure. The technique uses a focused ion beam (FIB) as a high precision serial sectioning device for generating consecutive ion milled surfaces of a material, with e...