Project description
The science of stronger metals
From lighter aeroplanes to safer medical implants, metal alloys underpin much of modern life. However, we still do not fully understand the physics of how they bend and break at the microscopic level. Strength is determined by how tiny internal defects, called dislocations, move through the metal. When these defects get stuck or flow through the material’s internal boundaries, the metal either holds firm or fails. The ERC-funded AtomicPIE project aims to predict exactly how these microscopic defects will behave. Using computer simulations and machine learning, the project will map these movements. The findings will help engineers design next-generation aluminium and other alloys that are tougher, more efficient, and more reliable than anything we have today.
Objective
Inorganic materials are integral to numerous fields, including transportation, electronics, and medical applications. Understanding their mechanical properties, particularly permanent inelastic deformation, has been a central pursuit in material science. My project, AtomicPIE, focuses on uncovering the key mechanisms driving plasticity in metallic alloys, emphasizing dislocation-interface interactions. These interactions occur at grain boundaries and phase boundaries, which significantly influence material strength, reliability, and lightweight properties. Despite extensive studies, a comprehensive understanding of slip transfer—how dislocations propagate across interfaces—remains elusive. AtomicPIE integrates atomistic simulations, generative machine learning models, and enhanced discrete dislocation dynamics to address this gap. By simulating crystalline defects and their interactions, the project employs Nye dislocation densities to bridge atomic- to micro-scale modeling. A key innovation is the use of machine learning to predict complex Nye dislocation fields for mesoscale simulations. The framework developed within AtomicPIE will be validated through experiments and cross-scale molecular dynamics, focusing on ultra-fine-grain aluminum alloys. AtomicPIE aims to establish a physics-based understanding of slip transfer at interfaces, paving the way for advanced materials design and interface engineering.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75794 PARIS
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.