Brian W. Sheldon
Professor:
Engineering
Phone: +1 401 863 2866
Brian_Sheldon@brown.edu
My research focuses on the formation and mechanical behavior of advanced ceramic materials, particularly thin films and coatings. We are primarily interested in understanding fundamental mechanisms, however these materials are used in an extremely wide range of applications. Examples that are directly related to our work include microelectronics, MEMS, protective coatings for high temperature applications, wear-resistant coatings, and electrochemical systems including sensors and fuel cells.
Biography
Professor Sheldon completed his Sc.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at M.I.T. in 1988. Before joining Brown, he held research staff positions at Amoco Oil and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He currently serves as Editor of the Journal of Materials Science. Other recent activities include chairing the Gordon Research Conference on High Temperature Materials (2006), and serving as Invited Visiting Professor at the Insitut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (Toulouse, France).
Interests
Professor Sheldon's current research is focused in two general areas. One is the control of residual stresses in thin films and coatings. The second major focus of Prof. Sheldon's research is ceramic composites reinforced with nanotubes and nanofibers. This is an interdisciplinary collaboration with Profs. Curtin and Hurt that also involves significant interactions with researchers at General Motors. In particular, recent research with Prof. Curtin provides the first direct evidence of toughening mechanisms in ceramic composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes.
Prof. Sheldon's group regularly collaborates with a number of other researchers. At Brown, these include Profs. Chason and Rankin in the Materials Group, Profs. Bower, Curtin, and Guduru in the Solid Mechanics Group, Profs. Beresford, Crawford, and Xu in the Electrical Sciences Group, Prof. Hurt in the FTCP Group, and Prof. Gottlieb in the Division of Applied Mathematics. We also collaborate with Prof. Barbara Walden at Trinity College, Dr. Sean Hearne at Sandia National Laboratory, Dr. Ted Besmann at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Dr. Y.T. Cheng at General Motors.
Degrees
S.B. (Chemical Engin), Sc.D. (Materials Science)
Teaching
Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering
Thermodynamics of Materials
Kinetic Processes in Materials Science
Ceramic Materials
