Fernando L. Reyes Tirado

    Ph.D. Student

    Phone: 847.467.5416
    Email: f.reyes@u.northwestern.edu
    Address: 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208

I grew up in Puerto Rico and earned my bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez (UPRM). While at the UPRM, I worked with the synthesis and characterization of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with AlB2 particles. I also had the opportunity to work multiple terms as a Materials intern in the NASA Pathways Internship Program at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). I was involved in projects working with Shape Memory Alloys Self-Healing (SMASH), and materials/failure analysis among others. I enjoy kayaking, going to the beach and visiting new places.

For My PhD Research, I will be working with the development of W-free Cobalt-based superalloys. Nickel-based superalloys are commonly used in the hottest parts of jet engines given their strength at elevated temperature. Cobalt, has a higher melting point compared to that of nickel, therefore, the development of precipitated strengthened Co-based superalloys could potentially replace Ni-based superalloys in high temperature applications. The development of Co-based superalloys could potentially allow higher working temperatures and, consequently, higher efficiency.

Selected Honors

  1. NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2016)
  2. GEM Associate Fellow (2015)

Publications

  1. Tirado, F., L. R., Huang, J., & Dunand, D. C. (2017). Ice-templated silicon foams with aligned lamellar channels. MRS Communications, 7(4), 928-932.

  2. M. Corchado, F. Reyes, O. M. Suarez, “Effects of AlB2 Particles and Zinc on the Absorbed Impact Energy of Gravity Cast Aluminum Matrix Composites,” JOM, Vol. 66, Issue 6 (2014), pp. 926 – 934.