Project description
Turning tungsten into a tougher, stronger material
Tungsten is exceptionally tough: it has the highest melting point of any metal. This robust element can withstand extreme environments, making it indispensable in applications in energy, aerospace and defence. However, its brittleness limits its use. Funded by the European Research Council, the BulkNanoWe2 will build on advances from the TOUGHIT project, bringing nanostructured tungsten closer to industrial use. Using nanopowders and spark plasma sintering, the project will create strong, near-net-shaped bulk parts with finely tailored microstructures. This approach promises a material with more than double the toughness and over 100 % higher strength than conventional tungsten, paving the way for safer, more efficient and sustainable applications.
Objective
Tungsten possesses the highest melting point amongst metals and exhibits superior characteristics when sustaining extreme environments. Nevertheless, tungsten also has a severe limitation, it is intrinsically brittle and prone to cleavage failure. In our ERC Consolidator Grant TOUGHIT, we are developing strategies to overcome this brittleness while concurrently enhancing the material strength. This is accomplished by refining tungsten to a nanocrystalline state via extreme deformation and strengthening the weak interfaces through segregation-driven grain boundary engineering.
In the current Proof of Concept project BulkNanoWe2, we aim to transition this knowledge to industrial application. Our objective is to devise efficient manufacturing procedures to create near-net-shaped bulk parts. We employ spark plasma sintering, using electric heating and applied pressure, to facilitate swift sintering at lower temperatures. The pivotal role of a nanostructured material to ensure the desired properties is realized by commencing with nanopowders. These also aid synthesis by increasing sintering kinetics. Further, the nanopowders will undergo surface modification to retard grain growth and concurrently enhance mechanical properties.
Thereby, we chart a course toward creating near-net-shaped components featuring distinctly tailored nanoscale microstructure and modified interfaces. This innovative approach will provide a synergistic combination of desired attributes, including a remarkable strength surpassing conventional bulk tungsten by >100%. Simultaneously, the fracture toughness will at least double for a resource-efficient yet secure design paradigm. Attaining these highly desirable properties in an adapted industrial framework, we also contribute to tungsten sourcing challenges. Finally, we realize an environmentally conscientious and economically appealing exceptional material tailored to endure extreme environments.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-POC
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8700 Leoben
Austria
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