Dr. ir. Erik S. Offerman

S.Erik Offerman (b.1974) received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. His main scientific expertise is on phase transformations in metallic materials, with specific experience on in-situ 3D microstructure observations by means of diffraction techniques with synchrotron radiation. He is the author of more than 60 scientific papers in international journals, and supervised several PhD- and MSc-graduates, acquiring extensive teaching experience. He was a laureate of personal VENI- and VIDI-grants (the Netherlands). He is currently Associate Professor in the field of Microstructure formation in metals at Delft University of Technology.

Presentation

Searching the extremes of steel applicability

Enormous progress has been made in the past decades in understanding the structure and behaviour of metals, and as a consequence important improvement of properties and performance has been accomplished. Nevertheless, further technological developments, for which the performance of metals in extreme conditions of temperature, corrosion, fatigue, radiation etc. is required, necessitate stretching the application of metals, and specifically steel as most the versatile metal, to the limits. Limited availability of certain elements requires an even more fundamental approach to this challenge.