Craig Ekstrum is an undergraduate in the Michigan Tech Department of Materials Science & Engineering
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Name Craig Ekstrum
Affiliations Michigan Technological University
Groups MOST users
Registered 2014
Impact 1,962
Contributions MBE protocol:MOST
Mini-metal 3d printer:MOST
InGaN growth buffer layer literature review

Craig is a fourth-year materials science and engineering student at Michigan Technological University with a background in R&D and product development in the polymer and semiconductor industries. He is currently engaged in research on Al additive manufacturing through the. Past work with MOST includes molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) of thin films for integrating III-V semiconductors on Si substrates, and characterization of zinc oxide nano-powders.

Research Interests[edit | edit source]

  • Additive Manufacturing
  • Photovoltaics
  • Nanotechnology

Engineering Experience[edit | edit source]

Powertrain Manufacturing Intern, Ford Motor Company (May 2019 – Aug 2019)[edit | edit source]

  • Lead process development for quenching of vacuum carburized internal ring gears
  • Supported re-launch of vacuum carburization furnace through metallurgical assessments trials
  • Failure analysis of powertrain components via metallurgical examination and SEM, interfacing with product development community

Metrology Intern, Hemlock Semiconductor (May 2018 – Aug 2018)[edit | edit source]

  • Optimization of single-crystal Si solidification to reduce dislocation densities
  • Failure analysis with optical and electron microscopy, XRD, and XRF
  • Initiated manufacturing engineer/operator discussion resulting in waste savings

Research and Development Co-op, Bemis Company (Jul 2016 – Dec 2016, May 2017 – Aug 2017)[edit | edit source]

  • Technology transfer of two technology platforms from research and pilot scales to manufacturing scale
  • Developed communication skills with manufacturing facility engineers and operators through commercial and pilot scale manufacturing trials
  • Experience in polymer compounding, blown film and cast extrusion, coating/printing

Product Development Co-op, Bemis Company (Jan 2016 – July 2016)[edit | edit source]

  1. Implemented design of experiments (DOE) methodology to support product development of flexible packaging with wider ultrasonic welding window
  2. Developed novel microscopy characterization method to understand failure mechanisms of films during ultrasonic welding process, leading to a technical solution

Research Experience[edit | edit source]

Atomic Layer Deposition on 3-D Printed Polymers (Sep 2017 - Present)[edit | edit source]

  • Characterization of conformity and penetration of AlOx ALD films on 3-D printed polymers

Arc welding additive manufacturing of Al-Sc alloys (Sep 2018 – Present)[edit | edit source]

  • Al-Sc alloy development for high-strength components made through wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM)
  • Manufacturing of alloy into wires (billet casting, Al extrusion, wire drawing, 3-D arc weld printing)

Integrating III-V Semiconductors on Si Substrates (Aug 2014 – Dec 2015)[edit | edit source]

  • Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of thin film semiconductors, metals, and oxides, with focus of integrating III-V thin films on silicon substrates for high-efficiency solar cells

Publications[edit | edit source]

Abinaya, C., et al. "Structural and optical characterization and efficacy of hydrothermal synthesized Cu and Ag doped zinc oxide nanoplate bactericides." Materials Chemistry and Physics 184 (2016): 172-182. [1]

Abinaya, C., et al. "Inhibition of growth of S. epidermidis by hydrothermally synthesized ZnO nanoplates." Materials Research Express 4.7 (2017): 075401. [2]

Abinaya, Chandrasekaran, et al. "Synthetic Method Dependent Physicochemical Properties and Electrochemical Performance of Ni‐Doped ZnO." ChemistrySelect 2.28 (2017): 9014-9023. [3]

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