Meet H2FUTURE doctoral researcher Mahsa Barati Mahyari:”One of my biggest ambitions is to help achieve a better, net-zero carbon future for the next generations”
Mahsa Barati Mahyari's academic journey began in Iran, where she graduated in Materials Science and Engineering from Shahid Beheshti University. She then ventured into the energy, oil, and gas sector in her home country. Recently, she joined the University of Oulu as a PhD researcher under the supervision of Dr. Vahid Javaheri. Reflecting on her transition, Barati Mahyari says:
"Working in an academic environment along with working on critical challenges issues has always been one of my biggest ambitions."
Barati Mahyari's enthusiasm for tackling hydrogen embrittlement led her to the H2FUTURE project at the University of Oulu.
"Hydrogen embrittlement is a nowadays challenge and as a researcher in the field of materials science, I was always excited to join in the Materials engineering research group of University of Oulu as a world-leading department in this field particularly with its focus on the H2FUTURE project", she explains.
As global energy systems shift toward net-zero carbon emissions, hydrogen is emerging as a clean energy vector with the potential to replace fossil fuels. Barati Mahyari's research focuses on sustainable steel development to address hydrogen embrittlement in metal infrastructure, particularly steels.
"Using hydrogen in energy applications presents a significant challenge due to hydrogen embrittlement in metal infrastructure, particularly steels. As a part of H2FUTURE project, our study focusses on the field of sustainable steel development and contribute to the safe, long-term use of hydrogen in energy systems", she elaborates.
Understanding the mechanisms leading to material fracture and creating a more sustainable world
Despite extensive research on hydrogen embrittlement, many gaps remain in understanding the mechanisms leading to material fracture and the parameters weakening materials in hydrogen environments. Barati Mahyari finds the development of new sustainable steel for hydrogen environments particularly exciting:
"The most exciting aspect of this study is developing new sustainable steel for using in hydrogen environment and introducing it to energy industries."
Barati Mahyari envisions her work contributing to a more sustainable future by developing steels resistant to hydrogen embrittlement. She sees that the project’s findings will provide new insights into hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms and the microstructural design of alloys for hydrogen resistance, providing a foundation for future research on sustainable materials.
In her new position, Barati Mahyari aims to demonstrate how materials science can help achieve a net-zero carbon future.
"One of my biggest ambitions in this project is to demonstrate how materials science can help the world for using hydrogen as a green source of energy and achieving net zero carbon future and also creating a better world for next generations."
Outside of her research, Barati Mahyari finds relaxation balancing active, interactive and passive pastimes to unwind.
"Spending time with my family and friends, walking, going to gym and playing with animals cheer me up. I also enjoy lying on the sofa, staring to the ceiling and thinking, it is one of my enjoyable hobbies."
Conducting research that can help avoiding catastrophic failures that threaten life and nature
Barati Mahyari's inspiration to pursue a PhD in this field stems from the increasing demand for hydrogen as a clean energy source and the need to investigate its effects on infrastructure.
"In my opinion this research will help avoiding catastrophic failures which can lead to threaten the human lives, animals, nature while also considering cost impacts."
Among the many research questions Barati Mahyari tackles, she is particularly focused on understanding which microstructural features are most effective in mitigating hydrogen embrittlement and how they can be optimized through alloy composition and processing.
"As a new doctoral researcher, I’m really excited about exploring novel topics and facing new challenges especially when innovation meets the road and breaks all of the old rules."