PNNL

Scott Whalen joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2012. He is chief scientist in the Applied Materials and Manufacturing group, where he leads the Thermomechanical Processing team and develops solid-phase processing techniques for manufacturing novel materials. Within his research teams, they investigate alloys of aluminum, magnesium, copper, titanium, and bismuth-telluride primarily using Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE™). He is passionate about inventing new technologies that convert domestic scrap metals into high-performance products to secure the supply chain for critical materials and reduce our reliance on foreign sources.

Prior to PNNL, he was a staff scientist at Sandia National Laboratories, where he performed research and development on radioisotope thermoelectric generators. 

• ShAPE
• Friction Stir Welding
• Thermoelectric Materials
• Aluminum Alloys
• Aluminum Upcycling
• Titanium Upcycling
• Solid Phase Processing

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Washington State University
• MS in Safety Engineering, Biomechanics, Texas A&M University
• BS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Idaho

• Distinguished Inventor, Battelle, 2025
• Inventor of the Year, PNNL, 2023
• Lab Director’s Award for Exceptional Engineering Achievement, PNNL, 2022
• Project Team of the Year, Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office, 2023
• R&D 100 Award, PNNL, 2017 and 2020
• Defense Program Award of Excellence, National Nuclear Security Administration, 2009 and 2011

• C. Lavender, V. Joshi, G. Grant, S. Jana, S. Whalen, J. Darsell, “System and Process for Formation of Extrusion Products,” US 10,189,063 granted January 29, 2019.
• S. Whalen, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, K. Ross, A, Rohatgi, “Friction Stirring Interlocking of Dissimilar Materials,” US 10,369,748 granted August 6, 2019.
• S. Whalen, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, Scott Taysom, Curt Lavender “Devices and Methods for Performing Shear-Assisted Extrusion, Extrusion Feedstocks, Extrusion Processes, and Methods for Preparing Metal Sheets,” US 11,383,280 granted July 12, 2022.
• S. Whalen, T. Wang, P. Upadhyay, K. Kappagantula, “Assemblies, Riveted Assemblies, and Methods for Mixing Materials to Form a Metallurgical Bond,” US 11,549,532 granted January 10, 2023.
• S. Whalen, V. Joshi, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, J. Darsell, M. Komarasamy, C. Lavender, G. Grant, A. Rohatgi, W. Frazier “Devices and Methods for Performing Shear-Assisted Extrusion, Extrusion Feedstocks, Extrusion Processes, and Methods for Preparing Metal Sheets,” US 12,337,366 granted June 24, 2025.
• S. Whalen, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, S. Taysom, D. Herling, V. Joshi, R. Kalsar, T. Wang, “Devices and Methods for Performing Shear-Assisted Extrusion and Extrusion Processes,” US 12,365,027 granted July 22, 2025.
• S. Whalen, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, K. Ross, M. McDonnell, Y. Hovanski, “Methods and Devices for Connecting Two Dissimilar Materials,” US 12,459,052 granted November 4, 2025
• V. Joshi, G. Grant, C. Lavender, S. Whalen, S. Jana, D. Catalini, J. Darsell, “Functionally Graded Coatings and Claddings,” US 12,377,455 granted August 5, 2025.

Below are selected publications. For a complete list, view Whalen’s Google Scholar.

2025

• B.S. Taysom, B. Milligan, T. Roosendaal, B. Schuessler, M. Clark, T. Lemmon, S. Whalen, “Recycling of Aluminum Twitch Scrap via ShAPE,” Manufacturing Letters, vol. 45, 2025, pp. 75-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mfglet.2025.06.209
• D. Chouhan, M. Komarasamy, S. Taysom, N. Overman, N. Canfield, T. Roosendaal, A. Reynolds, S. Whalen, “Friction-Based Recycling: An Evaluation of Extruded Ti-6Al-4V Wire Fabricated from Machining Chip Feedstock,” The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, vol. 137, 2025, pp. 2519-2528. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-025-15147-0

2024

• B. Milligan, B.S. Taysom, B. Schuessler, T. Lemmon, S. Whalen, “Upcycling of Mixed Aluminum Alloy Shredder Scrap using Shear Processing,” ASM Advanced Materials and Processes, pp. 15-20, 2024.
• B. Milligan, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, B. Schuessler, T. Roosendaal, T. Lemmon, S. Whalen, “Microstructural Refinement of an Al-Ce-Mg Alloy via Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion,” Materials Science and Engineering A, vol. 916, 2024, 147328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2024.14732
• M. Komarasamy, L. Li, B.S. Taysom, A. Soulami, G. Grant, D. Herling, S. Whalen, “Co-Extrusion of Dissimilar Aluminum Alloys via Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion,” Coatings, vol. 14, 42, 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14010042
• S. Whalen, N. Overman, B.D. Taysom, B. Milligan, M. Tillman, D. Bishop, P. Renner, Y. Qiao, R. Montgomery, “Fabrication of Bismuth-Telluride Thermoelectric Wires by Friction Extrusion,” Materials & Design, vol. 224, 113527, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2024.113527

2023

• B. Milligan, L. Li, M. Komarasamy, T. Roosendaal, S. Whalen, “Cladding and Butt-Joining Dissimilar Aluminum Alloys Simultaneously via Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion,” JOM, vol. 75, pp. 3033-3040, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-023-05855-x
• B. Milligan, X. Ma, B.S. Taysom, S. Whalen, “Solutionization via Severe Plastic Deformation: Effect of Temperature and Quench Method in a ShAPE-Processed Al-Mg-Si Alloy,” Metallurgical and Materials Transactions,” vol. 54, pp. 2576-2584, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-023-07034-8
• S. Whalen, B.S. Taysom, N. Overman, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, Y. Qiao, T. Richter, T. Skszek, M. DiCiano, “Porthole Die Extrusion of Aluminum 6063 Industrial Scrap by Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion,“ Manufacturing Letters, vol. 36, pp. 52-56, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mfglet.2023.01.00
• S. Whalen, N. Overman, B.S. Taysom, M. Bowden, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, T. Skszek, M. DiCiano, “Effect of High Iron Content on Direct Recycling of Unhomogenized Aluminum 6063 by Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion,” Journal of Manufacturing Processes, vol. 97, pp. 115-124, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2023.04.067

2022

• Md. Reza-E-Rabby, T. Wang, N. Canfield, T. Roosendaal, B.S. Taysom, D. Graff, D. Herling, S. Whalen, “Effect of Post-Extrusion Heat Treatment on Performance of AA2024 Tubes Fabricated by Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion,” CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology, vol. 37, pp. 454-463, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirpj.2022.02.025
• T. Wang, J. Atehortua, M. Song, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, B.S. Taysom, J. Silverstein, T. Roosendaal, D. Herling, S. Whalen, “Extrusion of Unhomogenized Castings of 7075 Aluminum via ShAPE,” Materials and Design, vol. 213, 110374, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2021.110374
• X. Li, T. Wang, X. Ma, N. Overman, S. Whalen, D. Herling, K. Kappagantula, “Manufacture High-Temperature Aluminum Alloy Tube from Powder with a Single-Step Extrusion,” Journal of Manufacturing Processes, vol. 80, pp. 108-115, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2022.05.060
• X. Ma, E. Nickerson, T. Wang, D. Zhang, Tom Pelletiers, S. Whalen, X. Li, “Friction Extrusion of ODS Copper Rod made from Powder,” Journal of Manufacturing Processes, vol. 84, pp. 223-229, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2022.10.003

2021

• B.S. Taysom, N. Overman, M. Olszta. Md. Reza-E-Rabby, T. Skszek, M. DiCiano, S. Whalen, “Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion of Enhanced Strength Aluminum Alloy Tubing,” International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, vol. 169, 103798, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2021.103798
• M. Komarasamy, X. Li, S. Whalen, X. Ma, N. Canfield, M. Olszta, T. Varga, N. Overman, A. Yu, G. Grant, S. Mathaudhu, “Microstructural Evolution in Cu-Nb Processed via Friction Consolidation,” Journal of Materials Science, vol. 56, pp. 12864-12880, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-021-06093-9
• N. Overman, M. Olszta, M. Bowden, X. Li, A. Rohatgi, S. Mathaudhu, G. Grant, S. Whalen, “The Onset of Alloying in Cu-Ni Powders Under High-Shear Consolidation,” Materials and Design, vol. 211, 110151, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2021.110151
• S. Whalen, M. Olszta, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, T. Roosendaal, T. Wang, D. Herling, B. Taysom, S. Suffield, N. Overman, “High Speed Manufacturing of Aluminum Alloy 7075 Tubing by ShAPE,” Journal of Manufacturing Processes, vol. 71, pp. 699-710, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2021.10.003

2020

• J. Croteau, J. Jung, S. Whalen, J. Darsell, A. Mello, D. Holstine, K. Lay, M. Hansen, D. Dunand, N. Vo, “Ultra-Fine Grained Al-Zr Processed by Shear Assisted Extrusion with High Thermal Stability,” Scripta Materialia, vol. 186, pp. 326-330, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.05.051

2019

• S. Whalen, M. Olszta, C. Roach, J. Darsell, D. Graff, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, T. Roosendaal, W. Daye, T. Pelletiers, S. Mathaudhu, N. Overman, “High Ductility Aluminum Alloy made from Powder by Friction Extrusion,” Materialia, vol. 6, 100260, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtla.2019.100260