Interface Engineering of Multilayer Nanostructures. Nanostructured multilayers can outperform coatings of their constituent layers in both hardness and strength. It is believed that the nature of interfaces in these materials is critical since they mediate dislocation motion and crack propagation. This project will use advanced synthesis, microanalysis and theoretical methods to investigate multilayer coatings with sharp, diffuse and rough interfaces in order to reveal their failure mechanisms u ....Interface Engineering of Multilayer Nanostructures. Nanostructured multilayers can outperform coatings of their constituent layers in both hardness and strength. It is believed that the nature of interfaces in these materials is critical since they mediate dislocation motion and crack propagation. This project will use advanced synthesis, microanalysis and theoretical methods to investigate multilayer coatings with sharp, diffuse and rough interfaces in order to reveal their failure mechanisms under stress. This will enable us to understand the principles required to design the strongest structures and facilitate the selection of materials and deposition parameters in order to produce coatings optimised for a range of demanding applications.Read moreRead less
Thixotropic Structure Generation and Semisolid Casting of Aluminium and Magnesium Alloys. A range of aluminium and magnesium alloys will be prepared by controlled-pouring to produce structures suitable for semisolid forming. The conditions around grain nucleation and growth will be studied to ascertain the controlling factors in producing suitable microstructures. A computer model to simulate the thixotropic structure formation and define the processing parameters will be developed. Semisolid c ....Thixotropic Structure Generation and Semisolid Casting of Aluminium and Magnesium Alloys. A range of aluminium and magnesium alloys will be prepared by controlled-pouring to produce structures suitable for semisolid forming. The conditions around grain nucleation and growth will be studied to ascertain the controlling factors in producing suitable microstructures. A computer model to simulate the thixotropic structure formation and define the processing parameters will be developed. Semisolid casting using the produced feedstock will lead to extensive knowledge about the effect of different microstructures and alloys on semisolid castability. Outcomes from the project will significantly advance the scientific understanding of the thixotropic structure generation and accelerate the development of semisolid processing technology.Read moreRead less