Evolution of Contact Damage in Layer Structures. Brittle layer structures (eg brittle coating on ceramic substrate) can be much more damage tolerant than their constituent material components - cracks tend to remain contained within the coating. Very little is known about the factors that control this behaviour. This project will exploit unique local expertise in modelling damage evolution to fill a niche in a large study being carried out at the National Institute of Standards (NIST) in the U ....Evolution of Contact Damage in Layer Structures. Brittle layer structures (eg brittle coating on ceramic substrate) can be much more damage tolerant than their constituent material components - cracks tend to remain contained within the coating. Very little is known about the factors that control this behaviour. This project will exploit unique local expertise in modelling damage evolution to fill a niche in a large study being carried out at the National Institute of Standards (NIST) in the U.S.A. An understanding of the factors that maximise the containment of cracks is essential to the design and development of the next generation of advanced layer composites for many biomechanical and other engineering applications.Read moreRead less
Cellular control mechanisms of matrix mineralization in the teeth of marine molluscs. These studies are significant as a foundation for the country's current focus on advanced materials and nanotechnology. The production of new materials is critically dependant upon understanding the crystallochemical control organisms, such as chitons and limpets, have over the precipitation of simple compounds, such as the calcium and iron oxides, phosphates and silica, often formed as nanoscale deposits. This ....Cellular control mechanisms of matrix mineralization in the teeth of marine molluscs. These studies are significant as a foundation for the country's current focus on advanced materials and nanotechnology. The production of new materials is critically dependant upon understanding the crystallochemical control organisms, such as chitons and limpets, have over the precipitation of simple compounds, such as the calcium and iron oxides, phosphates and silica, often formed as nanoscale deposits. This study constitutes a systematic in situ exploration of the biomineralization processes that form these composite microstructures and as such will provide a new source of inspiration to the production of new biomaterials.Read moreRead less