Dr Spencer Jeffs

Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering

s.p.jeffs@swansea.ac.uk

Administration Office - 017
Ground Floor
Institute of Structural Materials
Bay Campus

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2819-9651

Google Scholar

About

Dr Spencer Jeffs MEng (Hons) PhD CEng MIMMM PGCHE FHEA is a member of the aerospace department and is based in the Institute of Structural Materials as part of the Materials Research Centre.

Dr Jeffs' research interests align predominantly to the fundamental characterisation of materials for gas turbine applications, including titanium alloys, nickel base superalloys, advanced high strength steels and ceramic matrix composites material systems investigating relationships between processing, microstructure and properties. Research is conducted employing a range of advanced experimental, analysis and computational techniques including mechanical and miniaturised testing, electron microscopy and X-ray CT alongside close collaboration with industrial and academic partners.

Teaching and supervising across the foundation, aerospace, mechanical and materials engineering portfolios, as well as being the admission tutor for aerospace, Dr Jeffs is Chartered Engineer and recognised as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy along with a postgraduate certificate in teaching in higher education.

Areas Of Expertise

Ceramic Matrix Composites
Nickel Superalloys
Titanium Alloys
Additive Manufacturing
Solid State Welding Processes
Miniaturised Testing
Failure Analysis

Publications

Research Highlights

Lancaster, R., Davies, S., Jeffs, S., Lewis, D., & Coleman, M. (2021). The effects of thermal exposure on the high temperature behaviour of a Laser Powder Bed Fused nickel based superalloy C263. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 801, 140409
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2020.140409, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55449
Li, J., Jeffs, S., Whittaker, M., & Martin, N. (2020). Alloying effect on solidification behaviour and grain refinement in Ti45Al2Nb2Ta0.8B and Ti45Al2Nb2Hf0.8B. Intermetallics, 127, 106984
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intermet.2020.106984, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55375
Li, J., Jeffs, S., Whittaker, M., & Martin, N. (2020). Boride formation behaviour and their effect on tensile ductility in cast TiAl-based alloys. Materials & Design, 195, 109064
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2020.109064, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55034
Hilal, H., Lancaster, R., Jeffs, S., Boswell, J., Stapleton, D., & Baxter, G. (2019). The Influence of Process Parameters and Build Orientation on the Creep Behaviour of a Laser Powder Bed Fused Ni-based Superalloy for Aerospace Applications. Materials, 12(9), 1390
https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12091390, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa50161

All Research

Journal Articles

Lancaster, R., Barnard, N., Haigh, B., Sackett, E., May, P., Britton, D., & Jeffs, S. (2023). Evaluating the Efficacy of Alternative Small Scale Test Methodologies in Deriving the Mechanical Properties of Additive Manufactured Materials. Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 26, 9328-9345.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2023.09.224, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64595
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2023.09.224
Jeffs, S., Korkees, F., Rawson, M., & JARRETT, W. (2023). The Opportunities and Challenges of Hybrid Composite Driveshafts and their Couplings in the Aerospace Industry: A Review. Composite Structures, 320, 117203
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.117203, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa63564
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.117203
Newton, C., Jeffs, S., Gale, L., Pattison, S., & Bache, M. (2023). Determining the interlaminar tensile strength of a SiCf/SiC ceramic matrix composite through diametrical compression testing. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 43(7), 2951-2957.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2022.11.014, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa61822
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2022.11.014
Quiney, Z., Jeffs, S., Gale, L., Pattison, S., & Bache, M. (2022). Matrix cracking onset stress and strain as a function of temperature, and characterisation of damage modes in SiCf/SiC ceramic matrix composites via acoustic emission. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 43(7), 2958-2967.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2022.10.042, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa61637
Jeffs, S., Douglas, R., Beard, W., Coleman, M., Adams, J., Jones, T., Poole, D., & Lancaster, R. (2022). Characterising the high temperature tensile behaviour of laser powder bed fused duplex stainless steel 2205 using the small punch test. Materials Characterization, 189, 111953
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2022.111953, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa60040
Lancaster, R., Jeffs, S., Haigh, B., & Barnard, N. (2022). Derivation of material properties using small punch and shear punch test methods. Materials & Design, 215, 110473
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2022.110473, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59463
Jeffs, S., Lancaster, R., Davies, G., Hole, W., Roberts, B., Stapleton, D., Thomas, M., Todd, I., & Baxter, G. (2021). Effect of Process Parameters and Build Orientation on Microstructure and Impact Energy of Electron Beam Powder Bed Fused Ti-6Al-4V. Materials, 14(18), 5376
https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14185376, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57908
Lancaster, R., Davies, S., Jeffs, S., Lewis, D., & Coleman, M. (2021). The effects of thermal exposure on the high temperature behaviour of a Laser Powder Bed Fused nickel based superalloy C263. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 801, 140409
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2020.140409, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55449
Li, J., Jeffs, S., Whittaker, M., & Martin, N. (2020). Alloying effect on solidification behaviour and grain refinement in Ti45Al2Nb2Ta0.8B and Ti45Al2Nb2Hf0.8B. Intermetallics, 127, 106984
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intermet.2020.106984, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55375
Li, J., Jeffs, S., Whittaker, M., & Martin, N. (2020). Boride formation behaviour and their effect on tensile ductility in cast TiAl-based alloys. Materials & Design, 195, 109064
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2020.109064, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55034
Hilal, H., Lancaster, R., Jeffs, S., Boswell, J., Stapleton, D., & Baxter, G. (2019). The Influence of Process Parameters and Build Orientation on the Creep Behaviour of a Laser Powder Bed Fused Ni-based Superalloy for Aerospace Applications. Materials, 12(9), 1390
https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12091390, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa50161
Lewis, D., Lancaster, R., Jeffs, S., Illsley, H., Davies, S., & Baxter, G. (2019). Characterising the fatigue performance of additive materials using the small punch test. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 754, 719-727.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2019.03.115, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa49774
Lancaster, R., Jeffs, S., Illsley, H., Argyrakis, C., Hurst, R., Baxter, G., Lancaster, R., & Jeffs, S. (2019). Development of a Novel Methodology to Study Fatigue Properties using the Small Punch Test. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 748, 21-29.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2019.01.074, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa48614
Lancaster, R., Illsley, H., Jeffs, S., Hurst, R., & Baxter, G. (2018). Application of the small punch test to determine the fatigue properties of additive manufactured aerospace alloys. MATEC Web of Conferences, 165, 02003
https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201816502003, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa40700
Davies, S., Jeffs, S., Coleman, M., & Lancaster, R. (2018). Effects of heat treatment on microstructure and creep properties of a laser powder bed fused nickel superalloy. Materials & Design, 159, 39-46.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2018.08.039, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa43528
Holmström, S., Li, Y., Dymacek, P., Vacchieri, E., Jeffs, S., Lancaster, R., Omacht, D., Kubon, Z., Anelli, E., Rantala, J., Tonti, A., Komazaki, S., Naveena, ., Bruchhausen, M., Hurst, R., Hähner, P., Richardson, M., & Andres, D. (2018). Creep strength and minimum strain rate estimation from Small Punch Creep tests. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 731, 161-172.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2018.06.005, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa40645
Davies, S., Jeffs, S., Lancaster, R., & Baxter, G. (2017). High Temperature Deformation Mechanisms in a DLD Nickel Superalloy. Materials, 10(5), 457
https://doi.org/10.3390/ma10050457, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa33184
Lancaster, R., Illsley, H., Davies, G., Jeffs, S., Baxter, G., Lancaster, R., & Jeffs, S. (2016). Modelling the small punch tensile behaviour of an aerospace alloy. Materials Science and Technology, 1-9.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02670836.2016.1230168, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa29647
Hurst, R., Lancaster, R., Jeffs, S., & Bache, M. (2016). The contribution of small punch testing towards the development of materials for aero-engine applications. Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, 86, 69-77.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tafmec.2016.07.013, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa29302
Lancaster, R., Davies, G., Illsley, H., Jeffs, S., & Baxter, G. (2016). Structural Integrity of an Electron Beam Melted Titanium Alloy. Materials, 9(6)
https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9060470, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa28879
Lancaster, R. & Jeffs, S. (2015). Creep lifing methodologies applied to a single crystal superalloy by use of small scale test techniques. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 636, 529-535.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2015.03.119, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa20923
Lancaster, R. & Jeffs, S. (2015). Elevated Temperature Creep Deformation of a Single Crystal Superalloy through the Small Punch Creep Method. Materials Science & Engineering A, 626, 330-337.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2014.12.085, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa20139
Lancaster, R., Perkins, K., Whittaker, M., Lancaster, R., & Jeffs, S. (2014). Prediction of fatigue lives at stress raising features in a high strength steel. International Journal of Fatigue, 59, 301-308.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2013.08.003, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa14789

Authored Books

Lancaster, R., Illsley, H., Hurst, R., Jeffs, S., Baxter, G., & Jeffs, S. (2017). A Novel Approach to Small Punch Fatigue Testing
https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.734.61, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa35651
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85018968216&partnerID=MN8TOARS
Jeffs, S., Lancaster, R., Davies, S., & Jeffs, S. (2017). Effect of Build Orientation and Post Processing of a Direct Laser Deposited Nickel Superalloy as Determined by the Small Punch Creep Test
https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.734.128, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa35650
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85019011170&partnerID=MN8TOARS
Illsley, H., Lancaster, R., Hurst, R., Jeffs, S., Baxter, G., & Jeffs, S. (2017). Mechanical Property Characterisation of Electron Beam Melted (EBM) Ti-6Al-4V via Small Punch Tensile Testing
https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.734.51, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa35649
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85019008533&partnerID=MN8TOARS
Davies, S., Lancaster, R., Jeffs, S., Baxter, G., & Jeffs, S. (2017). Small Punch Testing of Powder Bed Direct Laser Deposits
https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.734.94, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa35647
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85018975773&partnerID=MN8TOARS

Book Chapters

Lancaster, R. & Jeffs, S. (2018). Small Punch Creep. Creep InTech Open Science
https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.70375, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa38117

Supervision

Investigation of Ceramic Matrix Composite and Metallic interactions and their influence on material integrity (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Dr Alexander Shaw
Aqueous Corrosion-Fatigue of Custom 450. (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Prof Robert Lancaster
Ceramic Matrix Composites Condition Assessment and Damage Monitoring (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Dr Zak Quiney
Long-Term Environmental Stability of Hybrid Organic Matrix Composite Driveshafts and their Non-Corrosion Resistant Steel Interfaces (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Prof Robert Lancaster
Environmental and Mechanical Damage Propagation and Stress Concentration of Silicon Carbide Ceramic Matrix Composites (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Prof Robert Lancaster
Corrosion-Fatigue Study of a Novel Maraging Steel : Atmospheric & Salt Fog Effects (awarded 2023)

EngD

Other supervisor: Prof Robert Lancaster
Pedagogies for Situational Awareness in Aerospace Engineering Research (current)

MPhil

Other supervisor: Dr Roderick Thomas

Taught Modules

EG-001 Foundation Mathematics for Engineers I

This module will introduce some of the key mathematical techniques used in engineering including algebra, functions, trigonometry and vectors
EG-065 Basic Engineering Analysis 1

To provide grounding in engineering analysis methods for students without the background of A-level mathematics. The module will provide foundation math and prepare students for EG-066. The module will introduce some of the key mathematical techniques used in engineering. These will be related to common engineering problems.
EGA119 Engineering Skills for Aerospace Engineers

The module will introduce students to a range of professional skills that are part of engineering practice such as group work, ethics, sustainability, virtual reality (VR), health & safety and employability. Technical communication and report writing will also be introduced in the module in the context of the Bloodhound LSR. To allow students to practice these skills a statistical based analysis exercise using Excel will be undertaken. Excel, uncertainty and statistical skills will also be taught as part of the module to support the analysis exercise.

Other Roles

Environmental Coordinator, Department of Engineering

2017 - Present
Admissions Tutor, Aerospace Engineering

2020 - Present
Honorary Editor, Engineering Integrity Society (EIS)

2020 - Present

Affiliated Positions

Chartered Engineer & Professional Member (CEng & MIMMM), Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining

2020 - Present

Dr Spencer Jeffs

Email address

LinkedIn Account

Research Links

About

Areas Of Expertise

Research Highlights

All Research

Investigation of Ceramic Matrix Composite and Metallic interactions and their influence on material integrity (current)

Aqueous Corrosion-Fatigue of Custom 450. (current)

Ceramic Matrix Composites Condition Assessment and Damage Monitoring (current)

Long-Term Environmental Stability of Hybrid Organic Matrix Composite Driveshafts and their Non-Corrosion Resistant Steel Interfaces (current)

Environmental and Mechanical Damage Propagation and Stress Concentration of Silicon Carbide Ceramic Matrix Composites (current)

Corrosion-Fatigue Study of a Novel Maraging Steel : Atmospheric & Salt Fog Effects (awarded 2023)

Pedagogies for Situational Awareness in Aerospace Engineering Research (current)

EG-001 Foundation Mathematics for Engineers I

EG-065 Basic Engineering Analysis 1

EGA119 Engineering Skills for Aerospace Engineers

Environmental Coordinator, Department of Engineering

Admissions Tutor, Aerospace Engineering

Honorary Editor, Engineering Integrity Society (EIS)

Chartered Engineer & Professional Member (CEng & MIMMM), Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining