Sarah M. Cousineau

Dr. Xun-Li Wang

Lead Scientist, Materials Science and Engineering
Distinguished Research Staff
Fellow, American Physical Society

Dr. Xun-Li Wang is a Distinguished Research Staff at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).  As a senior scientist in the Neutron Science Directorate, he leads innovative research, using neutron scattering as a primary tool, to understand deformation and phase transformation behavior in complex materials.  He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.   

In 2005-2011, Dr. Wang served as Group Leader of the Powder Diffraction Group in the formerly Neutron Scattering Science Division, which was responsible for eight instruments at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR), two world-leading facilities in neutron science.  During his tenure, the group doubled in size, with about 20 permanent staff, postdocs, visiting scientists, and students. 

In 1999 - 2011, Dr. Wang served as lead instrument scientist and project manager for VULCAN, a dedicated engineering diffractometer at the SNS.  He led the design and construction efforts, and helped to raise a total of $16 Million USD from Canada Foundation for Innovation, US National Science Foundation, and US Department of Energy to support the construction. The instrument was commissioned in 2009 and named by users as a “Perfect Instrument.”

In materials research, Dr. Wang conducts original neutron and synchrotron experiments to elucidate physical mechanisms governing mechanical properties, phase transformation, and magnetism in advanced materials. He has over 150 publications and has published broadly in high-impact scientific journals including Science, Nature Materials, Advanced Materials, Physical Review Letters, and Progress in Materials Science.

Group Members

Q. Li, Visiting Professor, Shanghai University
A. Pramanick, Postdoc
G. M. Stoica, Postdoc
Z. W. Zhang, Visiting Research Assistant Professor, Auburn University

Education

Ph. D.  in Solid State Physics
August 1986 - May 1992, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

B. S.  in Physics
September 1981 - July 1985, Peking University, Beijing, China

Honors and Awards

  • Elected Fellow, American Physical Society (2010) “For sustained contribution in neutron diffraction studies of structure, phase transformations, and mechanical behavior in materials and engineering systems and leadership in the design and construction of a versatile engineering diffractometer at the Spallation Neutron Source.”
  • US NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program: Development of Electrostatic Levitation Facility for Neutron Scattering Studies of Liquids to be used in Fundamental Research and Education, 2010 – 2013, $1.65 Million USD

    Principal Investigators:
    Kenneth F. Kelton – Washington University
    Takeshi Egami – University of Tennessee
    Alan Goldman – Iowa State University
    Xun-Li Wang – Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Significant Event Award for approval of a US National Science Foundation International Materials Institute for Engineering Materials Research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2003)
  • A. F. Davis Silver Medal, American Welding Society (1999)
  • Significant Event Award for solving the cracking problems in kraft recovery boilers in the pulp and paper industry, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (1998)
  • Walter A. Mueller Memorial Award, for the best paper presented at the 9th International Symposium on Corrosion in the Pulp and Paper Industry, May 26-29, 1998, Ottawa, Canada
  • Best Paper Award, 1996 TAPPI Engineering Conference
  • CUSPEA scholar, State Commission of Education, People's Republic of China (1985)

Committees and Services

  • Member of Selection Committee for “Sustained Research and Science Prizes”, Neutron Scattering Society of America, 2012
  • Appointed to Review Committee, US Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences, Operational Review of the Advanced Photon Source, September 12-15, 2011, Argonne, USA
  • US Department of Energy CD-1 (Critical Decision 1) Review of Dynamic Compression Sector at Advanced Photon Source, December 19-20, 2011, Argonne National Laboratory.
  • Member, Review Committee of Los Alamos Lujan Neutron Science Center, US DOE, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, February 10-12, 2009, Los Alamos, USA
  • Member, Neutron Science Proposal Review Committee (NSPRC), Japan Proton Accelerator Complex, 2010 – 2013
  • Member, Proposal Review Committee Member for CROSS [Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society, Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology (MEXT)], 2011 – 2014
  • Chair, Chemistry and Physics of Materials Committee, TMS, 2011 – 2013
  • Member, Alvin M. Weinberg Fellowship Selection Committee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, since 2011
  • Member, Cliff G. Shull Fellowship Selection Committee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, since 2011

Research Focus and Key Publications

Bulk Metallic Glasses

  1. X.-L. Wang, J. Almer, Y. D. Wang, J. K. Zhao, C. T. Liu, A. D. Stoica, D R. Haeffner, and W. H. Wang, “In-situ Synchrotron Study of Phase Transformation Behaviors in Bulk Metallic Glass Using Simultaneous X-ray Diffraction and Small Angle Scattering,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 265501 (2003).
  2. L. Yang, M. K. Miller, X.-L. Wang, C. T. Liu, A. D. Stoica, D. Ma, J. Almer, and D. Shi, “Nano-scale solute partitioning in devitrified bulk metallic glass,” Advanced Materials, 21, 305-308 (2009)
    (featured on cover)
  3. D. Ma, A. D. Stoica, and X.-L. Wang, "Power-law scaling and fractal nature of the medium range order in metallic glasses," Nature Materials, 8, 30-34 (2009)
  4. D. Ma, A. D. Stoica, X.-L. Wang, Z. P. Lu, B. Clausen, D. W. Brown, “Moduli inheritance and the weakest link in metallic glasses,” Phys. Rev. Lett., 108, 085501 (2012)
    (covered by News and Views, Nature Materials, doi:10.1038/nmat3277)

Deformation Behaviors

  1. Y. D. Wang, H. Tian, A. D. Stoica, X.-L. Wang, P. K. Liaw, and J.W. Richardson, “Development of Large Grain-Orientation-Dependent Residual Stresses in a Cyclically-Deformed Alloy,” Nature Materials, 2, 103-106 (2003).(coverd by Materials Today, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369702103003109)
  2. S. Cheng, A. D. Stoica, X.-L. Wang, Y. Ren, J. Almer, J. A. Horton, C. T. Liu, B. Clausen, D. W. Brown, P. K. Liaw, and L. Zuo, “Deformation cross-over: from nano to meso scales,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 035502 (2009)
    (selected for inclusion in August 3 issue of Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology)
  3. S. Cheng, Y. Zhao, Q. Wei, X.-L. Wang, Y. Ren, P. K. Liaw, H. Choo, and E. J. Lavernia, “Substantial Deformation of Nanocrystalline NiFe Alloy under Dynamic Loading,” Advanced Materials 21, 5001–5004 (2009)
  4. S. Cheng, Y. Zhao, Y. Wang, Y. Li, X.-L. Wang, P. K. Liaw, and E. J. Lavernia, “Structure modulation in nanocrystalline NiFe driven by cyclic deformation,” Physical Review Letters, 104, 255501 (2010)
  1. I. Robertson, C. Schuh, J. Vetrono, N. Browning, D. Field, D. Juul-Jensen, M. Miller, I. Baker, D. Dunand, R. Dunin-Borkowski, B. Kabius, T. Kelly, S. Lorano-Perez, A. Misra, G. Rohrer, T. Rollett, M. Taheri, G. Thomson, M. Uchic, X.-L. Wang, G. Was, “Characterization of Materials Structure and Damage in Four Dimensions,” a viewpoint paper in J. Mat. Res., 26, 1341-1383 (2011)

Energy Materials

  1. Z. W. Zhang, C. T. Liu, X.-L. Wang, K. C. Littrell, M. K. Miller, K. An, and B. A. Chin, “From embryos to precipitates: a study of nucleation and growth in a multicomponent ferritic steel,” Phys. Rev. B, 84, 174114 (2011)
  2. X.-L. Wang, C. T. Liu, U. Keiderling, A. D. Stoica, L. Yang, M. K. Miller,  C. L. Fu, D. Ma, and K. An, “Unusual Thermal Stability of Nano-structured Ferritic Alloys,” J. Alloy. Comp. 592, 96-101 (2012)
  3. Z. W. Zhang, C. T. Liu, X-L. Wang, M. K. Miller, D. Ma, G. Chen, J. R. Williams, B. A. Chin, “Effects of proton irradiation on nanocluster precipitation in ferritic steel containing fcc alloying additions,” Acta Mat., 60 3034–3046 (2012)
  4. X.-L. Wang, K. An, L. Cai, Z. Feng, S. E. Nagler, C. Daniels, K. J. Rhodes, D. L. Wood, III., A. D. Stoica, H. D. Skorpenske, C. Liang, W. Zhang, Y. Kim, Y. Qi, and S. J. Harris, “Visualizing the chemistry and structure dynamics in Li-ion batteries by in-situ neutron diffraction,” submitted.

Residual Stress, Welding and Joining

  1. Z. Feng, X.-L. Wang, S. Spooner, G. M. Goodwin, P. J. Masiasz, C. R. Hubbard, and T. Zacharia, “A Finite Element Model for Residual Stress in Repair Welds,” Proceedings of 1996 ASME Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference, PVP-Vol 327, 119-126 (1996).
  2. X.-L. Wang, Z. Feng, S. A. David, S. Spooner, and C. R. Hubbard, “Neutron Diffraction Study of Residual Stresses in Friction Stir Welds,” pp. 1408-1414 in Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Residual Stress,” IOM Communications, London, United Kingdom (2000).
  3. W. Woo, Z. Feng, X-L. Wang, D. W. Brown, B. Calusen, K. An, H. Choo, C. Hubbard, and S. A. David, “In-situ neutron diffraction measurements of temperature and stresses during friction stir welding of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy,” Sci. Tech. Welding & Joining, 12, 298-303 (2007).
  4. Z. Feng, X.-L. Wang, S. A.. David, and P. S. Sklad, “Modeling of residual stresses and property distributions in friction stir welds of aluminum alloy 6061-T6,” Sci. Tech. Welding & Joining, 12, 348-356 (2007)
  5. X.-L. Wang, C. M. Hoffman, C. H. Heueh, G. Sarma, C. R. Hubbard, and J. R. Keiser, “Influence of Residual Stress on Thermal Expansion Behaviors,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 75, 3294-3296 (1999).

Magnetic Materials

  1. Z. Wang, X.-L. Wang, J. A. Fernandez-Baca, D. C. Johnston, and D. Vaknin, "Antiferromagnetic Ordering and Paramagnetic Behavior of Ferromagnetic Clusters in BaCuO2+x," Science, 264, 402-404 (1994)
  2. X. L. Wang, C. Stassis, D. C. Johnston, T. C. Leung, J. Ye, B. N. Harmon, G. H. Lander, A. J. Schultz, C.-K. Loong, and J. M. Honig, "Neutron Diffraction Study of the Antiferromagnetic Form Factor of La2NiO4," Phys. Rev. B 45, 5645 (1992).
  3. C. T. Liu, C. L. Fu, M. F. Chrisholm, and J. R. Thompson, Krcmar, and X.-L. Wang, “Magnetism and solid solution effects in NiAl (40%Al) alloys,” Prog. Mat. Sci. 52, 352-370, 2007.
  4. A. Pramanick, X. P. Wang, K. An, A. D. Stoica, J. Yi, Z. Gai, C. Hoffmann, and X.-L. Wang, “Structural modulations and magnetic properties of non-stoichiometric Ni2MnGa magnetic shape memory alloy,” Phys. Rev. B, 85, 144412 (2012)

Neutron Instrumentation

  1. X.-L. Wang, T. M. Holden, G. Q. Rennich, A. D. Stoica, P. K. Liaw, H. Choo, and C. R. Hubbard, “VULCAN – The Engineering Diffractometer at the SNS,” Physica B, 385-386, 673-675 (2006).
  2. X.-L. Wang and A. D. Stoica, "Focusing neutron guides for VULCAN – Design Aspects, Estimated Performance, and Detector Deployment," Nuc. Inst. Meth. A, 600, 309-312 (2009).
  3. S. Spooner and X.-L. Wang, “Diffraction Peak Displacement in Residual Stress Samples due to Partial Burial of the Sampling Volume,” J. Appl. Cryst., 30, 449-455 (1997).
  4. X.-L. Wang, Y. D. Wang, and J. W. Richardson, "Experimental Error due to Displacement of Sample in Time-of-flight Diffractometry," J. Appl. Cryst., 35, 533-537 (2002)
  5. W.-T. Lee and X.-L. Wang, "IDEAS, a General-purpose Computer Program for Simulation of Neutron Scattering Instruments," Neutron News, 13 (No. 4), 30-34 (2002).

Composite Materials

  1. X.-L. Wang, C. R. Hubbard, K. B. Alexander, P. F. Becher, J. A. Fernandez-Baca, and S. Spooner, "Neutron Diffraction Measurements of the Residual Stresses in Al2O3-ZrO2 Ceramic Composites," J. Amer. Ceram. Soc., 77, 1569-1575 (1994).
  2. V. Sergo, X.-L. Wang, D. R. Clarke, and P. F. Becher, “Residual Stresses in Alumina/Ceria-Stabilized Zirconia Composites,” J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 78, 2213-2214 (1995).
  3. X.-L. Wang, J. A. Fernandez-Baca, C. R. Hubbard, K. B. Alexander, and P. F. Becher, “Transformation Behavior in Al2O3-ZrO2 Ceramic Composites,” Physica B, 213-214, 824-826 (1995).
  4. K. B. Alexander, P. F. Becher, X.-L. Wang, and C. H. Hsueh, "Internal Stresses and the Martensitic Start Temperature in Alumina-Zirconia Composites: Effects of Composition and Microstructure," J. Amer. Ceram. Soc., 78, 291-296  (1995).

Review Articles

  1. X.-L. Wang, “Application of neutron diffraction to engineering problems,” JOM, March, 53-58 (2006).
  2. X.-L. Wang and J. L. Robertson, X-ray and Neutron Scattering, pp. 1-28 in Handbook of Nanophase and Nanostructured Materials, Vol. 2, Characterizations, Edited by Z. L. Wang, Kluwer/Plenum and Tsinghua University Press (2002)