Chaitanya S. Deo

Assistant Professor

Office:	Neely Building, Room 104
Phone:	404.385.4928
Fax:	404.894.3733
E-mail:

Education

• Ph.D. University of Michigan, 2003
• M.S., University of Michigan, 2000
• B.E., University of Pune, India, 1997

Research Areas and Descriptors

• Nuclear and Radiological Engineering; Structure property relationships in nuclear materials: theory and simulations across electronic, atomic, mesoscopic and continuum scales
• Radiation effects in materials for nuclear energy including structural materials and nuclear fuels
• Identifying atomic mechanisms in defect mobility and interaction in crystalline solids and modeling the collective evolution of defects

Background

Dr. Deo came to Georgia Tech in August 2007 as an Assistant Professor of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering. Prior, he was a postdoctoral research associate in the Materials Science and Technology Division of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He studied radiation effects in structural materials (iron and ferritic steels) and nuclear fuels (uranium dioxide). He also obtained research experience at Princeton University (Mechanical Engineering), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories.

Research

Nuclear energy has a strong role to play in satisfying future energy security and environmental quality needs of the United States and the world. Materials issues are at the forefront. My research combines computational materials science with advanced analytical experimental techniques in a multiscale and multi-disciplinary approach to investigate materials performance in extreme environments.

The degradation of thermal conductivity in urania fuel rods results from the build up of fission products and voids. Metals and alloys used as targets and structures in fusion and accelerator driven reactors are expected to operate under extreme environments. Extrinsic defects such as fission products, transmutation gas interact with intrinsic defects (point, line and planar) to produce voids, bubbles in the microstructure to the detriment of operational properties.

Many material systems in nuclear engineering involve multiple length and time scales, ranging from the atomistic to the continuum, as well as multiple physics. There exists an elaborate hierarchy of models: macroscale continuum mechanics, mesoscale models of defect evolution, molecular scale models based on classical mechanics, and various techniques for representing quantum-mechanical effects.

Our approach in studying nuclear engineering materials will be to connect the atomic structure to macroscopic properties and the relevant environment/processing parameters (Temperature, pressure, radiation dose etc.). First principles calculations, in which properties are derived from quantum mechanics, will be utilized to obtain thermodynamic and kinetic information of materials behavior. The translation of this atomistic information to the study of non-equilibrium and phenomena involves models and methods that span several length and time scales. Computational techniques based on statistical mechanics and continuum mechanics will be utilized. Validation and verification of these approaches will be undertaken by conducting experimental studies of laboratory samples using techniques such as positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), thermal desorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The aim will be to develop models and tools based on the atomic structure that describe the properties of these materials in extreme environments.

Graduate students interested in nuclear engineering materials, mechanics of materials and computational materials science will find these projects of interest. A potential exists for collaboration with and summer internships at national laboratories such as Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore and Oak Ridge.

Distinctions

• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Summer School Fellowship, 2001
• University of Michigan College of Engineering Graduate Fellowship, 1997-1998
• University of Pune (India)
  • Second in Order of Merit (Metallurgical Engineering), 1996-1997
  • First in Order of Merit (Metallurgical Engineering), 1995-1996
• National Talent Search Award, NCERT, India, 1991-1997

Representative Publications

• M. Stan, et al. 2007. Models and Simulations of Nuclear Fuel Materials Properties. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. Available online 24 January 2007.
• C. S. Deo, et al. 2007. Bubble Nucleation in BCC Iron Studied by Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations. Journal of Nuclear Materials.
• C. S. Deo, D. J. Srolovitz, V. Bulatov, and W. Cai. 2005. Stochastic Simulations of Dislocation Mobility in Tantalum and Ta-based Alloys. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 53(6), 1223-1247.
• C. S. Deo, D. J. Srolovitz, V. Bulatov, and W. Cai. 2005. Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations of Dislocation Mobility in bcc Alloys. Physical Review B71, 014106.
• C. S. Deo, and D. J. Srolovitz. 2001. "Atomistic 3-D Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations of Organometallic Vapor Phase Epitaxy of Ordered Films. Physical Review B63, 165411-165422.