Dr. Sebastian Thomas’ research covers all aspects related to the materials durability. This includes work investigating the macro/micro-structural scale corrosion mechanisms prevalent in additively manufactured alloys, magnesium alloys, galvanised steels, stainless steels, aluminium alloys and also nickel alloys. It also includes work on the development of industry-scale corrosion sensing, monitoring and protection methods (such as cathodic protection and coatings). He also has specific expertise in fundamental electrochemistry and electroanalytical chemistry, which led him to develop several state-of-the-art techniques to unravel the structure-property relationships of materials in the context of corrosion.

He has closely worked with industrial partners such as Woodside, BlueScope Steel, Office of Naval Research (ONR), GE and PPG on different areas such as atmospheric corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement, stress corrosion cracking, corrosion under insulation and chromium-free coatings.

Sebastian’s current projects include investigations into the corrosion characteristics of additively manufactured stainless steels (with Woodside and ONR), sulphide stress cracking, hydrogen embrittlement, corrosion under insulation, stray current corrosion and on the development of next-generation chromium-free coatings for engineering alloys.