“Multidisciplinary Approaches to Wear Analysis and Performance Enhancement of Engineering Materials”

This seminar brings together four complementary research perspectives that collectively address the challenges of understanding, predicting, and improving the performance of advanced engineering materials under wear and degradation conditions. The presentations integrate experimental tribology, surface engineering, microstructural analysis, and computational optimization into a unified, multidisciplinary framework.

The seminar emphasizes rigorous, quantitative approaches to wear characterization and performance enhancement through the integration of advanced experimental techniques and computational methods. Detailed tribological investigations, including ball-on-disk and reciprocating configurations, are combined with post-wear profilometric analyses to elucidate dominant degradation mechanisms in polymer matrix composites, particularly under the influence of thermal aging and varying loading conditions. These analyses are supported by high-resolution surface characterization, enabling the correlation of topographical descriptors with wear modes and material response. In parallel, surface engineering strategies based on thermo-reactive diffusion are examined for the development of aluminide and silicide coatings on nickel-based superalloys, demonstrating the critical role of process–structure–property relationships in achieving enhanced wear and oxidation resistance. Complementing the experimental and materials-focused studies, the application of metaheuristic optimization algorithms provides a robust framework for modeling complex, non-linear systems and identifying optimal parameters governing material performance. Collectively, these approaches underscore the importance of coupling empirical data with advanced analytical and computational tools to advance the design, characterization, and optimization of high-performance engineering materials.

Authors:

Prof. Dr. Sinan Fidan
Prof. Dr. Sinan Fidan is a Full Professor at Kocaeli University specializing in tribology, surface engineering, and composite materials. His research focuses on wear behavior and post-wear characterization using advanced profilometric techniques. He has published extensively in leading journals such as Tribology International and Materials & Design. He has led over 20 funded research projects and supervised numerous graduate theses. His work integrates surface analysis, laser processing, and material performance optimization across engineering applications.

Prof. Dr. Ş. Hakan Atapek
Prof. Dr. Ş. Hakan Atapek is a Full Professor and coordinator of High Temperature Materials and Thermal Analysis Laboratories at Kocaeli University. His research centers on physical metallurgy, heat treatment, and microstructural characterization of metallic materials. He has authored over 70 SCI-indexed publications and presented widely at international conferences. He actively collaborates with leading global institutions across Europe, Asia, and the United States. His work focuses on process–structure–property relationships and failure analysis in advanced materials.

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Özgür Bora
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Özgür Bora is a Full Professor at Kocaeli University specializing in advanced composite materials. His research addresses mechanical and thermal behavior, impact damage, and repair of composite structures. He is particularly recognized for studies on tribological performance of composites under hygrothermal aging. His work includes wear characterization using reciprocating and ball-on-disk testing methods. With over 2,600 citations, he is an internationally recognized expert in aerospace composite systems.

Prof. Dr. Satılmış Ürgün
Prof. Dr. Satılmış Ürgün is a faculty member at Kocaeli University focusing on aeronautical electrical and electronics engineering. His research includes metaheuristic optimization algorithms, laser surface treatment, and signal processing.
He applies computational methods such as GA, PSO, and ACO to engineering and materials systems. He has contributed to projects on advanced sensors and optimization of alloy properties. His work bridges avionics, materials engineering, and intelligent system design for aerospace applications.