Dr Stuart McDonald
Dr

Stuart McDonald

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 57132

Background

Dr McDonald is a graduate of The University of Queensland (UQ) having obtained a Bachelor of Engineering (Manufacturing and Materials) in 1997 and a PhD in Materials Engineering in 2002. He is a currently a Senior Research Fellow in the Nihon Superior Centre for the Manufacture of Electronic Materials (NSCMEM).

His research is in the field of microstructure control through solidification science and in particular on understanding the effect of trace element additions on nucleation and growth phenomena. He has numerous publications and expertise in the areas of:

1. Lead-free Solder Alloys

2. Grain refinement

3. Machining and heat treatment of titanium alloys

4. Mg-based Hydrogen Storage Alloys

5. Casting and Solidification of Al-Si Alloys

6. Eutectic solidification and modification

Availability

Dr Stuart McDonald is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Materials engineering

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Engineering, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Eutectic Modification

  • Lead-Free Soldering

  • Grain Refinement

  • Solidification/Casting

Research impacts

Dr McDonald has established the modifying elements, commonly used to alter the eutectic silicon morphology in Al-Si alloys dramatically alter the size and spatial distribution of individual eutectic colonies or ‘eutectic-grains’. It has since become accepted that research into modification mechanisms must consider the growth velocity of the etuectic interface as it relates to the size and number of eutectic grains.

He has been an advocate for the benefits of both eutectic and primary grain refinement, which can benefit many commercial foundry alloys and has contributed to the growing body of theoretical and computational modeling on eutectic and primary grain refinement. Commercially his research has been recognised with the following Patents.

Patents 1. T. Nishimura, K. Nogita, S. D. McDonald, J. Read, G. Zeng, “Low temperature brazing alloys”, Japanese Patent Application No.2013-183232, 04/09/3013.

2. T. Nishimura, K. Nogita, S. D. McDonald, J. Read, C. M. Gourlay, “Process for producing solder joint with improved reliability”, International Patent Application No: WO/2013/002112, 21/6/2012.

3. T. Nishimura, K. Nogita, S. D. McDonald, J. Read, T. Ventura, “Solder alloy”, International Patent Application No: WO 2012/137901-A1, 11/10/2012.

4. A.K. Dahle, L. Lu, K. Nogita and S.D. McDonald, “Aluminium Casting Alloy”, International Patent Application No: WO 2006/058388, 2/12/2005.

Search Professor Stuart McDonald’s works on UQ eSpace

223 works between 1999 and 2025
All (223) Journal Article (143) Conference Publication (78) Other Outputs (2)

221 - 223 of 223 works

2000

Conference Publication

Microstructural evolution of an Al-Si-Mg foundry alloy during solidification

McDonald, S. D., Dahle, A. K., Taylor, J. A., St John, D. H. and Zindel, J. W. (2000). Microstructural evolution of an Al-Si-Mg foundry alloy during solidification. Die Casting 2000, Melbourne, Australia, 3 - 6 September, 2000. Melbourne: Australian Die Casting Assocation (ADCA).

Microstructural evolution of an Al-Si-Mg foundry alloy during solidification

2000

Conference Publication

Eutectic solidification and porosity formation in Al-Si alloys: the role of strontium

McDonald, S., Nogita, K., Dahle, A. K., Taylor, J. A. and St John, D. H. (2000). Eutectic solidification and porosity formation in Al-Si alloys: the role of strontium. 104th AFS Casting Congress, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 8-11 April 2000. Des Plaines, Illinois, USA: American Foundrymen's Society.

Eutectic solidification and porosity formation in Al-Si alloys: the role of strontium

1999

Journal Article

Aluminium alloy castability

Taylor, J. A., Otte, M. O. and Mcdonald, S. D. (1999). Aluminium alloy castability. Materials Australia, 31 (5), 16-18.

Aluminium alloy castability

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Research support for Nihon Superior's commercial solder alloys
    Nihon Superior Co Ltd
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    Research support for TempSave low temperature solder alloys
    Nihon Superior Co Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2021
    Development of new lead-free commercial interconnect products
    Nihon Superior Co Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Transient liquid phase high temperature solders through ultrasonic SMAT coatings
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund - FirstLink
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2011
    Novel Processing of Aluminium-Silicon Alloys for High-Integrity Castings
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Stuart McDonald is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Dr Stuart McDonald's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au