 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
PERSONALIA
- Name: Nele Moelans
- Nationality: Belgian
- Date of birth: July 12, 1977
- Place of Birth: Leuven
- Contact via email: http://nele.studentenweb.org/contact/
- Homesite: http://nele.studentenweb.org
JOB EXPERIENCE
- October 2006 - September 2009: Postdoctoral fellow of FWO-Vlaanderen
- September 2008 - August 2009: Visiting scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), California, USA
- Connected to the Department of metallurgy and materials engineering, K.U.Leuven, Belgium
- Main research interests: phase field modelling, phase diagrams, grain growth, lead-free soldering
- Teaching
- Chemical material science II: Course on Thermodynamic modeling and the calculation of phase diagrams in the Master in material science and engineering at K.U.Leuven
- Supervision of doctoral, master and bachelor thesises in Materials engineering and Computer Science
- October 2002 - September 2006: Research assistent, granted by IWT-Vlaanderen
- Department of metallurgy and materials engineering, K.U.Leuven
- Ph.D. topic: Phase-field simulations of grain growth in materials containing second-phase particles
- Teaching experience: Exercises in thermodynamics in the Bachelor in engineering at K.U.Leuven
- Summer 2001: Umicore, Olen
R&D
- Topic : Ex-situ pO2-measurements of non-ferrous slacs
- Summer 2000: IMEC, Leuven
R&D
- Topic : MOKE (Magneto Optical Kerr Effect) - measurements of soft magnetic materials
EDUCATION
- October 2002 - May 2006: Doctor in de ingenieurswetenschappen (Ph.D. in applied sciences)
- Department of metallurgy and materials engineering, K.U.Leuven
- Degree: Summa cum laude with congratulations of the Board of Examiners
- Ph.D. thesis: Phase-field simulations of grain growth in materials containing second-phase particles
Precipitates and inclusions have the capacity to pin grain boundaries. When a critical grain size is reached, they arrest grain growth. This pinning-effect is of great practical importance in alloy development, since the macroscopic properties of an alloy are related to its microstructure.
In this work, the pinning-effect of second-phase particles was studied by means of computer simulations based on the phase-field method. An existing model for normal grain growth in single-phase materials has been modified to account for the presence of second-phase particles. To reduce computer requirements, a spatially dependent parameter that is constant in time was used to describe the particle distribution, instead of a set of phase-field variables. This reduction in the number of phase-field variables allowed to perform, on a single computer, 2-D and 3-D simulations for thin films for a wide range of volume fractions f_V of the particles and for R_lim/r - ratios up to 20 (r is the mean particle radius and R_lim is the final mean grain radius). Such ratios are observed for Al-alloy films. The model requires no assumptions on the shape of the grain boundaries or on the number of particles that is in contact with a grain boundary. The typical dimple-shape of grain boundaries passing a particle is automatically reproduced in the simulations. Moreover, the simulations describe the complete evolution of the grain structure. Therefore, the model allowed studying the influence of the initial grain size on the parameters K and b in the Zener relation R_lim/r=K(1/f_V^b). Furthermore, the effect of film thickness and position of the particles were examined by means of 3D simulations.
- 1997-2002: Burgerlijk materiaalkundig ingenieur (Master of science in materials engineering)
- Department of metallurgy and materials engineering, K.U.Leuven
- Degree: Summa cum laude
- Master thesis: Calculation of phase diagrams for lead-free solder alloys based on Bi-In-Sn-Zn
A thermodynamic database for the calculation of phase diagrams in lead-free soldering alloy systems, based on the elements Bi, In, Sn and Zn has been developed using the CALPHAD method. The thermodynamic parameters used in the description of the different constituent phases have been optimized using experimental data from the literature. The resulting database enables the calculation of solidus and liquidus temperatures, phase compositions and fractions and thermodynamic properties for potential soldering alloys, containing Bi, In, Sn and Zn. Related information such as the surface tension and viscosity of the liquid phase may also be predicted. Thus, the database can be a powerful tool for the development of lead-free Bi-In-Sn-Zn soldering alloys.- 1996-1997: Voorbereidend Jaar Wiskunde, K.U.Leuven
- 1995-1996: Classical dance (first year), Hoger Instituut voor Dans en Danspedagogie, Lier
- 1989-1995: High School : Paridaens Instituut, Leuven
- Option : Greek-Latin
COMPUTER SKILLS
- Operating Systems: Windows, basic knowledge of Linux/Unix
- Scientific Software: Matlab, Maple, Ansys, Thermo-Calc & DICTRA
- Application Software: MS Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint, LaTeX, CorelDRAW
- Programming Languages: Matlab, Scheme, Labview, basic knowledge of Fortran and C/C++
LANGUAGES
- Dutch: mother tongue
- English: very good knowledge
- French: basic knowledge
OTHER DIPLOMAS, EDUCATION, INTERESTS
- Driving licence (the Belgian driving licence B)
- Diploma of higher degree in dance (part-time education)
- Diploma of higher degree in piano (part-time education)
