Abhijeet Dhal

I am a materials scientist and mechanical engineer with six years if research experience, specializing in the micromechanics, processing and characterization of advanced structural materials. My research focuses on understanding how microstructure, interfaces and processing influence deformation and failure across multiple length scales, particularly under extreme conditions. I combine advanced micromechanical testing, electron microscopy, materials processing and computational approaches to develop materials with improved strength, durability and thermal stability.

I completed my Masters and PhD from IIT Madras in Chennai, India. In my free time, I love to be in nature, cooking and listening to music.

At Tampere University, I conduct research on the mechanical behaviour of advanced materials, with particular emphasis on high-strain rate and high-temperature behavior for material to be qualified for extreme applications. My responsibilities include experimental design, micro- and nanomechanical testing, microstructural characterization, scientific publishing, development of research proposals and collaboration with multidisciplinary research teams. I also contribute to mentoring students and developing new experimental approaches for studying materials at small length scales.

Experimental Skills:

·    Material processing: Additive manufacturing (L-DED, L-PBF, AFSD), Solid state processing (FSP/W, ARB, cryorolling, asymmetric rolling), heat treatment, powder metallurgy (SPS, sintering, ball milling).

·    Microstructure characterization: SEM, EBSD, EDS, XRD-GIXRD, DSC, TEM (BF, DF, STEM, HAADF-EDS, WBDF), ct-XRM, FIB (micro-pillar/cantilever milling, TEM lift-outs).

·    Nano/micro-mechanical testing: in-situ SEM and ex-situ nanomechanical testing, high resolution nanoindentation mapping, nanoindentation fatigue and DMA testing, strain rate jump tests, high temperature nanoindentation, liquid cell (H2) nanoindentation, cryogenic (LN2) nanoindentation.

·    Macro-mechanical testing: tensile, compressive, 3-point bending with digital image correlation, high-strain rate testing using Split-Hopkinson pressure bar compression.

Computational skills:

·       CALPHAD: ThermoCalc.

·       CAD modelling: Creo, Solidworks, AutoCAD

 ·      Finite Element Modelling: ABAQUS.

·       Numerical analysis and graphing: Python, Matlab, OriginPro.

·       Microstructure analysis: TSL-OIM, XPert HighScore Plus, Cryst

·         Best Poster Award, MCP Annual Meeting, Johns Hopkins University (2025).

·         Certificate of Appreciation in Peer Review, Journal of The Institution of Engineers: Series C (2024).

·         JOM Editor’s Choice & Top 5% Article, TMS (2023).

·         Support for Sustaining for Research grant, IIT Madras (2020).

·         Best poster presentation, ASM HT&SE (2019).

·         Institute Research Scholar Award, IIT Madras (2017).

·         Alumni Travel Grant, IIT Madras (2016).

Peer reviewer for international journals:

Materials Science & Engineering A, Material Characterization, JOM, Advanced Engineering Materials, International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Journal of The Institution of Engineers (India): Series C

Professional Society Membership:

Member - The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS)

Member - Shaping and Forming Committee, TMS Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division

My long-term research goal is to develop a mechanistic understanding of how microstructure, interfaces and defects control material behaviour under extreme conditions, and to translate this understanding into the design of more durable, lightweight and resource-efficient structural materials.

A particular objective is to bridge the gap between nanoscale deformation mechanisms and engineering-scale material performance by combining high-resolution experiments, advanced characterization, physics-based materials design and data-driven approaches. Ultimately, I aim to establish integrated processing-structure-property-performance relationships that enable the design of next-generation materials for demanding energy, transportation and high-temperature applications.

• Micro- and nanomechanics of advanced structural materials
• High-temperature and extreme-environment mechanical behaviour
• Nanostructured and interface-engineered alloys
• Thermally stable high-strength aluminium alloys
• High-entropy and compositionally complex alloys/ceramics
• Additively manufactured metallic materials
• Refractory and fusion-relevant materials
• Deformation-induced phase transformations
• Mechanical heterogeneity and local deformation mechanisms
• High-throughput mechanical characterization
• Machine-learning-assisted materials characterization
• Processing-microstructure-property relationships

Jun 2026 – present: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Material Science and Environmental Engineering, Tampere University, Finland

Nov 2024 – Feb 2026: Assistant Research Scientist, Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute (HEMI), Johns Hopkins University, USA

Feb 2021 – Nov 2024: Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of North Texas, Denton, USA

1.     A. Dhal, S. Mukherjee, R. Jain, R.S. Haridas, R.S. Mishra; Decoding deformation-induced phase transformation in a high entropy alloy via nanoindentation pop-in phenomenon, Materials Research Letters, 2025 (link).

2.     P. Awasthi, A. Dhal, M. Fredrick, R.S. Mishra; Near Crack Free Additive Manufacturing of a Novel W-Nb-C Alloy; Material Research Letters, 2024 (link).

3.     A. Roy, A. Dhal, C. Mock, B.A. McWilliams, K.C. Cho, R.S. Mishra; Deciphering mechanical heterogeneity of additively manufactured martensitic steel using high throughput nanoindentation combined with machine learning, Additive Manufacturing, 2024 (link).

4.     A. Dhal, S. Thapliyal, P. Agrawal, A. Sharma, A. Roy, R.S. Mishra, E. Faierson; Multimodal and multiscale strengthening mechanisms in Al-Ni-Zr-Ti-Mn alloy processed by laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing, Materials & Design, 237, 112602, 2024 (link).

5.     A. Roy, A Dhal, R. Jain, P. Agrawal, S. Mukherjee, B.A. McWilliams, C. Mock, K.C. Cho, R.S. Mishra; Heterogenous phase evolution and mechanical response in additively manufactured low alloy martensitic steel processed via laser-directed energy deposition, Materials & Design, 243, 2024 (link).

6.     P. Agrawal, A. Dhal, Z. Hu, M. Dubey, L. Shao, R. Prabhakaran, R.S. Mishra; Irradiation-induced shift in the thermodynamic stability of phases and the self-healing effect in transformative high entropy alloys, Journal of Nuclear Materials, 155093, 2024 (link).

7.     A. Gumaste, A. Dhal, P. Agrawal, R.S. Haridas, V.K. Vasudevan, D. Weiss, R.S. Mishra; A novel approach for enhanced mechanical properties in solid-state additive manufacturing by additive friction stir deposition using thermally stable Al-Ce-Mg alloy, JOM, 208, 1-14, 2023 (link).

8.     A. Dhal, S.K. Panigrahi, M.S. Shunmugam; A comprehensive study on size-effect, plastic anisotropy and microformability of aluminum with varied alloy chemistry, crystallographic texture, and microstructure, Material Science and Engineering A, 876, 2023 (link).

9.     A. Dhal, B. Prathysha, R Kumar, S.K Panigrahi; Twin evolution and work-hardening phenomenon of a bulk ultrafine grained copper with high thermal stability and strength-ductility synergy, Material Science and Engineering A, 802, 140622, 2021 (link).

10.     A. Dhal, S.K. Panigrahi, M.S. Shunmugam; Achieving excellent microformability by engineering a unique ultrafine-grained microstructure”, Scientific Reports, 9, 2019 (link).

11.     B. Srinivas, A. Dhal, S.K. Panigrahi; A mathematical prediction model to establish the role of stacking fault energy on the cryo-deformation behavior of FCC materials at different strain levels, International Journal of Plasticity, 97, 159-177, 2017 (link).

12.     A. Dhal, S.K. Panigrahi, M.S. Shunmugam; Insight into the microstructural evolution during cryo-severe plastic deformation and post-deformation annealing of aluminum and its alloys, Journal of Alloys Compounds, 726, 1205-1219, 2017 (link).

13.     A. Dhal, S.K. Panigrahi, M.S. Shunmugam; Influence of annealing on strain hardening behavior and fracture properties of a cryorolled Al 2014 alloy, Material Science and Engineering A, 645, 383–392, 2015 (link).

14.     A. Dhal, S.K. Panigrahi, M.S. Shunmugam; Precipitation phenomena, thermal stability and grain growth kinetics in an ultra-fine-grained Al 2014 alloy after annealing treatment, Journal of Alloys Compounds, 649, 229-238, 2015 (link).