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Deposition of Hard Metallic Oxides at Low Temperatures

Obiettivo



Objectives and content

There is a clear industrial need for the development of hard, wear resistant coatings which are chemically inert and which can be deposited at low temperatures (< = 500°C) via an environmentally friendly process. All these criteria can be satisfied in principle, by the growth of alpha alumina (Al203) utilising plasma enhanced processes. However, this has not yet been achieved by any laboratory in the world. The aim of the present proposal is to identify the conditions under which the (hard) AI203 phase can be grown at low temperatures and hence to implement the growth of this phase using PVD techniques of the type that are available commercially. To this end, we shall utilise two different, but complementary, deposition growth techniques viz plasma enhanced deposition and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The former technique has been used by one of the partners (Linköping University), in the low temperature growth of high quality SiC. The MBE technique, with which another of the partners (the University of Hull) has extensive experience for the growth of compound semiconductors, provides a powerful investigative tool, for the study of basic growth processes. These investigations, carried out b.,v both groups, will proceed from 'ideal' substrates (e.g. sapphire) to the more complex ones of relevance to industry (e.g. alloy steels).
The growth investigations will be supplemented strongly by state-of-the-art characterisation techniques at the Universita degli Studi di Ancona and Linköping University (e.g. XRD, TEM) and by theoretical modelling at the University of Hull. These will help to identify the range of conditions for the realisation of growth of &-Al203 on a given substrate. For example modelling can help identify the range of compositions under which a given alloy is stable, or the temperature range for ideal growth to occur. Modelling can also investigate the influence of energetic surface species on the stability and growth of a given layer. Thus the characterisation and theoretical modelling groups will act not only as facilitators for knowledge transfer between the two growth programmes, but will also be actively participating in both areas of investigation. In this manner we aim to enable the technology transfer to be made by which &-AI203 can be grown by PVD at low temperatures. To this end the programme is supported by user companies, SECO and Tixon, and by an industrial research laboratory, Instituto Reserche Breda, who will carry out mechanical evaluations of the coatings.

Invito a presentare proposte

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Meccanismo di finanziamento

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinatore

University of Hull
Contributo UE
Nessun dato
Indirizzo
Cottingham Road
HU6 7RX Hull
Regno Unito

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Costo totale
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Partecipanti (5)