Project description
Versatile, durable and adaptable ceramics for high-performance applications
Ceramics are incredibly durable but are difficult to manufacture. They also tend to be brittle owing to their low fracture toughness and lack of plastic deformation mechanisms. During previous work, researchers had developed a breakthrough ceramic composite with remarkable properties. This material can deform by at least 14 % and is up to 100 times tougher than traditional ceramics at around 1 000 degrees Celsius. These advances enable new possibilities such as forging ceramics into complex shapes and creating strong components for burners or engines that can resist high temperatures. The ERC-funded StoneForge aims to further improve material performance, refine the forging process and test continuous processing of these composites. If successful, the project should help make ceramics a cheaper, faster and more adaptable alternative.
Objective
Despite their incredible durability, ceramics used are hampered by two limitations: they are difficult to manufacture compared with continuous manufacturing of metals and polymers, and they are brittle, even at relatively high temperature. Both these limitations are coming from their low fracture toughness and the absence of plastic deformation mechanisms. One the goal of my ERC SSTEEL was to find a way to toughen ceramic composites by introducing strain hardening mechanisms at the nanometric scale. We succeeded and produced a ceramic composite that show plastic deformation of at least 14% and toughness two orders of magnitude higher, in terms of energy release rate, than conventional structural ceramics at temperature around 1000°C. These temperatures are close to the ones used to hot forge steel and thus open two new applications avenues for these deformable ceramics. One is enabling ceramics forging, using preform to produce complex shapes in a quick and simple way. The other is using this high toughness to produce structural ceramics for high temperature applications, in burners or even engines. The goal of this Proof-of-Concept project is three-fold: 1. to work on the ceramic composition to lower the temperature needed for deformation or improve their high temperature mechanical resistance, 2. to develop the forging of ceramic beyond the initial results to showcase the capabilities to future clients, 3. to start testing the continuous processing of these composites. Succeeding in these goals holds promises for cheaper and faster manufacturing of complex-shaped ceramic parts, opening a wealth of potential applications previously limited to metals or polymers, as well as developing more ductile high temperature stru
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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.
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.
- engineering and technology materials engineering composites
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- engineering and technology materials engineering ceramics
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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)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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.
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
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.
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
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
SW7 2AZ London
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.