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Replenishing the limited Aluminium reservoir of MAX phase coatings in harsh environments

Project description

Improving Al-containing MAX phase stability in extreme environments

MAX phases are a class of materials that serve as a bridge between metals and ceramics, combining the best of both worlds. This family of layered ternary ceramics has attracted a great deal of attention mostly because they withstand high temperatures and demonstrate self-healing behaviour. These properties make them suitable for use in extreme environments. Aluminium-based MAX phases tend to decompose locally when aluminium comes in contact with oxygen and develops a thin oxide layer. The EU-funded REALMAX project plans to develop a new material solution to tackle MAX phase instabilities in extreme environments. The strategies that will be adopted include supplying MAX phase coatings with Al from MAX phase substrates and exploring the effect of alloying elements on the potential sluggish diffusion of Al species. The project's results will provide a better understanding of the oxidation behaviour of MAX phases, which represent an emerging effort in materials science and engineering.

Objective

Phase stability is likely to be the single most important specification which determines the lifetime of materials operating in extreme environments. Whether a phase will react with the environment or decompose at high temperature is an essential limitation for the use of the material for any given applications. MAX phases are a family of layered ternary ceramics currently being developed for extreme environment applications because of their tolerance to heat, their ceramic-metallic hybrid properties and more importantly because of their self-healing behaviour. However, similarly to other self-healing materials, aluminium-based MAX phases tend to decompose locally as soon as Al reacts to form the protective oxide scale. Upon decomposition, the unique set of properties deteriorates rapidly.
The REALMAX project will tackle the outward diffusion of Al from MAX phase coatings in oxidising environments, by providing solutions for supplying Al to the coating from a MAX phase substrate which will act as Al-reservoir. Furthermore, the REALMAX project will engage in ground-breaking research to develop multifunctional coatings and validate the concept of “high-entropy” MAX phases. In fact, these multielement MAX phases constitute a new and exciting research line which is in the early stages of being developed.
The REALMAX project will be carried out by the experienced researcher (ER) who has gained experience on MAX phase coatings during her current postdoctoral position. The ER has aligned a team of experts in MAX phases, coatings and material processing who will collaborate to offer innovative solutions to increase phase stability in MAX phase systems while mentoring her to achieve her career plans. In fact, she will be well positioned to pursue her academic career in Europe, while simultaneously adding genuinely novel expertise approaches to the research environment and the group she will be joining. Therefore, the mutual benefit and impact of this proposal is extensive.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019

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Coordinator

RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHEN
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 162 806,40
Address
TEMPLERGRABEN 55
52062 Aachen
Germany

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Region
Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Städteregion Aachen
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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.

€ 162 806,40
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