Dr Nils Warnken

Dipl. Ing. in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, RWTH-Aachen University, Germany, 2000

Dr. Ing. in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, RWTH-Aachen University, Germany, 2007

PGCert in Academic Practice, University of Birmingham, UK, 2015

Nils Warnken received his Dipl. Ing. (equivalent MEng) Metallurgy and Materials Engineering (Metallurgie und Werkstofftechnik) from RWTH-Aachen, University of Technology in 2000. During his degree he specialised in Casting Technology and developed an interest in microstructure formation, casting materials and modelling.

In 2000, after obtaining his degree, Nils joined the microstructure modelling group of ACCESS e.V., a privately owned research lab, formed as a spin-off from the foundry institute of the RWTH-Aachen. He was involved in the development of MICRESS, the first commercial implementation of the phase field method for the simulation of diffusion controlled microstructure formation in 2D and 3D. During this time Nils pioneered the modelling solidification and solution heat treatment of multicomponent alloys (eg. single crystal superalloys, Aluminium alloys). Besides his project work at ACCESS e.V., Nils worked towards his Dr.-Ing. (equivalent PhD), which was awarded in 2007 by RWTH-Aachen with summa cum laude (highest honours).

In 2007 Nils joined the PRISM2 centre at University of Birmingham as research fellow and technical manager. Here he continued his work on the phase field method, but also expanded into other areas such as computer based alloy development, thermodynamic modelling, oxidation of superalloys and process modelling of heat treatment. He was involved in supervision of PhD students and undergraduate projects and kept close ties with industrial partners.

In 2011 Nils was awarded a lectureship in materials modelling at the University of Birmingham. Here he continues to develop his microstructure modelling activities, using phase field, thermodynamic modelling and other techniques, but also works on modelling of mould filling and convection in castings, microstructure formation in solidification during additive manufacturing and conventional castings. Collaborations are maintained with the School of Chemistry and the School of Computer Science.

• UG year 1 - Fundamentals of Materials Science (LC-FMS)
• UG year 4 - Materials Modelling (LH-MM)
• PG - Introduction to Materials Modelling (IMM)

Android smart phone apps to support teaching (links to googleplay), developed in collaboration with Achim Jung from the School of Computer Science:

• Crystal Structure
• X-ray diffraction: Bragg's Law
• Material's Stress

If you are interested in starting a PhD, talk to me.

I supervise - presently and in the past - projects in the fields of:

• Phase field modelling of
  • solidification
  • oxidation
• Directional solidification of alloys
• Microstructure formation during solidification of superalloys
• Modelling of reactions between alloys and environment
• Thermodynamic modelling (CALPHAD)
• Effect of fluid flow on alloy solidification

If you are interested in starting a PhD in any of these areas, please get in touch using the contact details provided above.

Research themes:

• Phase-field modelling of microstructure evolution
• Diffusion in multi-component alloys
• Thermodynamics of metals and alloys
• High temperature materials
• Alloy development
• Solidification
• Phase separation in nano alloys

More details on Nils Warnken's research activities - past and present - can be found on the University of Birmingham research page.