Professor Yuri Estrin

Professor Yuri Estrin is attached to the Department of Materials Engineering at Monash University and is a Professor in Physical Metallurgy.

Currently, Professor Estrin is exploring the development of bulk nanomaterials which are used in structural applications, specifically in surgical implants and micro electromechanical systems (MEMS). Bulk metals are processed by using Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) methods to produce a material with the grain size in the 100 nanometre range. This results in superior mechanical properties of the product, hazard-free production as the loose nanoparticles are not handled, and a large through-put.

“This is a challenging new area in physical metallurgy, and the possibility to conduct modelling-driven research is of special interest to me. I have been developing models of the deformation processes leading to extreme grain refinement by SPD and these models provide a platform for process optimisation.”

This research coincides with similar studies both nationally and internationally, and is poised on the brink of a major breakthrough in the manufacturing industry.

Like his colleague Dr Lapovok, Professor Estrin is a member of the International NanoSPD group. At Monash, the NanoSPD group benefits from state of the art equipment to produce bulk nanomaterials. His collaboration with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals allows Professor Estrin to explore the development of new aluminium, magnesium and titanium based materials.

Professor Estrin’s wider interests take him into the field of computational modelling of metallic materials. Using geometry-inspired design principles he is developing new and hybrid elements which may be applied to architecture on the larger scale or as protective layers on the nanometre scale. He is also investigating the impact of nanostructuring on the interaction of metallic materials with living matter.

Selected Publications

Valiev R.Z., Estrin Y., Horita Z., et al. (2006)  Producing bulk ultrafine-grained materials by severe plastic deformation. Journal of Metals  58(4), 33-39.

This was one of only three papers in the materials field to appear on the “hot list” prepared by Essential Science Indicators of ISI Thompson for all of 2007.


Estrin Y., Kim H.S., Nabarro F.R.N. (2007)A Comment on the Role of Frank-Read Sources in Plasticity of Nanomaterials. Acta Materialia 55,6401-6407.

This paper is included as Professor Estrin is very proud of having worked together with the nestor of the theory of crystal lattice defects, the late Frank Nabarro.


Skripnyuk V., Buchman E., Rabkin E., Estrin Y., Popov M. & Jorgensen S. (2007)The effect of equal channel angular pressing on hydrogen storage properties of a eutectic Mg-Ni alloy Journal of Metals and Compounds 436, 99-106 (2007).

This is an example of how nanostructuring by severe plastic deformation influences properties other than the mechanical ones. Indeed, it was shown that the kinetics of hydrogen storage can be improved significantly by SPD processing.


Wang H., Estrin Y., Fu H., Song H. & Zuberova Z. (2007) The effect of pre-processing and grain structure on bio-corrosion of magnesium alloy AZ31.Advanced Engineering Materials 9,967-972.

This paper represents Professor Estrin's new interest in ultrafine grained materials for surgical implants.