A Predictive Theory of Kinetic Demixing in Engineering Ceramics. Technological advances bring demands for new engineering ceramics and the improvement of existing ones. The properties of engineering ceramics are critically dependent on the composition and distribution of atomic components. However, separation or demixing of the components occurs in-service at high temperatures as a result of stress, electric fields or oxygen gradients. Demixing causes a major loss of performance and longevity. T ....A Predictive Theory of Kinetic Demixing in Engineering Ceramics. Technological advances bring demands for new engineering ceramics and the improvement of existing ones. The properties of engineering ceramics are critically dependent on the composition and distribution of atomic components. However, separation or demixing of the components occurs in-service at high temperatures as a result of stress, electric fields or oxygen gradients. Demixing causes a major loss of performance and longevity. This Project will develop a robust and versatile theory of demixing to enhance longevities of engineering ceramics. It will also guide the deliberate manipulation of demixing to generate novel compositionally-graded engineering ceramics having new properties of technological interest.Read moreRead less
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
New nanolaminate ternary and quaternary alloy phases by thin film synthesis. The availability of suitable materials is a driver of new technologies. We will develop a new class of ternary and quaternary alloys with nanolaminate structures at the atomic scale using a combination of theoretical modeling, novel thin film synthesis and advanced characterization methods. The nanostructure of these materials is expected to promote a rare combination of metallic and ceramic like properties, such as low ....New nanolaminate ternary and quaternary alloy phases by thin film synthesis. The availability of suitable materials is a driver of new technologies. We will develop a new class of ternary and quaternary alloys with nanolaminate structures at the atomic scale using a combination of theoretical modeling, novel thin film synthesis and advanced characterization methods. The nanostructure of these materials is expected to promote a rare combination of metallic and ceramic like properties, such as low friction, high mechanical strength, resistance to heat shock, fracture, corrosion and oxidation, up to very high temperatures. Careful characterisation of the growth process and structure-property relationships will allow us to develop methods of tailoring the property mix for operation in harsh environments.Read moreRead less
Boundary Effects on Bridging-Stress/Crack-Opening Relationship and Specific Fracture Energy. This project is to investigate the boundary/interface influence on fracture/material properties of composites and thin layered structures along crack path to free boundary and bi-material interface. The local fracture energy dissipation along crack path is emphasised and used to study the boundary influence on the cohesive law - the relationship between crack bridging stress and crack opening displaceme ....Boundary Effects on Bridging-Stress/Crack-Opening Relationship and Specific Fracture Energy. This project is to investigate the boundary/interface influence on fracture/material properties of composites and thin layered structures along crack path to free boundary and bi-material interface. The local fracture energy dissipation along crack path is emphasised and used to study the boundary influence on the cohesive law - the relationship between crack bridging stress and crack opening displacement. New fracture mechanics model is proposed that incorporates the boundary/interface influence and the more popular size effect. The new boundary/interface effect model will be more relevant to modern materials applications related to layered ceramics, thin films, coatings in electronic and bio-medical applications.Read moreRead less