Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HIERARCHICAL FUNCOAT (Hierarchical Surface Protection, A New Paradigm Toward Functional Multi-Nano-Layered Coatings)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-09-01 do 2023-08-31
What is the issue being addressed?
The proposal introduces the concept of Hierarchical Surface Protection (HSP) to develop ultra-durable Functional Multilayer Coatings (FMCs) by combining the strengths of single-layer coatings without compromising weaknesses. It aims to pioneer design principles for hierarchical surface protection, addressing the lack of theoretical understanding and reliable deposition guidelines in the field.
Why is it important for society?
Engineering components are constantly exposed to complex environmental and service stresses, leading to material surface degradation such as wear, corrosion, and fatigue. Coating techniques have evolved over time to protect material surfaces, with advancements such as nanocomposite coatings and gradient coatings. Despite these developments, there remains a gap in design principles for developing multilayer coatings, hindering their optimization and widespread application.
What are the overall objectives?
The project's objectives include shedding light on material removal mechanisms in FMCs, establishing design principles for optimized coatings, and correlating research outcomes with industrial applications. These objectives collectively aim to advance the understanding of multi-layer coatings and facilitate their integration into industrial settings.
The proposal introduces the concept of Hierarchical Surface Protection (HSP) to develop ultra-durable Functional Multilayer Coatings (FMCs) by combining the strengths of single-layer coatings without compromising weaknesses. It aims to pioneer design principles for hierarchical surface protection, addressing the lack of theoretical understanding and reliable deposition guidelines in the field.
Why is it important for society?
Engineering components are constantly exposed to complex environmental and service stresses, leading to material surface degradation such as wear, corrosion, and fatigue. Coating techniques have evolved over time to protect material surfaces, with advancements such as nanocomposite coatings and gradient coatings. Despite these developments, there remains a gap in design principles for developing multilayer coatings, hindering their optimization and widespread application.
What are the overall objectives?
The project's objectives include shedding light on material removal mechanisms in FMCs, establishing design principles for optimized coatings, and correlating research outcomes with industrial applications. These objectives collectively aim to advance the understanding of multi-layer coatings and facilitate their integration into industrial settings.
Work Package 1: Modelling the materials removal mechanisms in bilayer coatings (WC/DLC-Cr/DLC and Cr/DLC/WC) under simple stress conditions, such as adhesive wear and unidirectional indentation at the nano-scale. This included tasks such as initiating collaborations, performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and exploring the effect of layer thickness on mechanical properties.
Work Package 2: Performing validating experiments and large-scale simulations of multilayers of Cr/DLC/WC FMC to extract mechanical properties. Tasks included optimizing layer geometry in MD models, designing the first multi-interface of the multilayer, and expanding the model for more interfaces.
Work Package 3: Performing mechanical tests, including nano-indentation and scratch tests, stress analysis, and indentation creep to validate numerical simulations. This involved deposition of concept-based functional multilayer coatings (FMCs) and performing quantitative analysis of their mechanical properties and wear response.
All the goals regarding MD simulation and experimental parts have been achieved, with deliverables such as open access publications and presentations in prominent conferences. Remaining results will be presented in April 2024. The fascinating results of the simulations and experiments have been published in high-ranking journals.
Conferences Attended:
21st International Conference and Exhibition on Materials Science and Engineering (2020): Presentation of optimal bilayer DLC/WC-Cr/DLC design and fabrication principles.
ECCOMAS Conference (2022): Presentation on simple static/dynamic loading modeling of multilayers of Ceramic/DLC-Metal/DLC coatings.
Wear and Friction Conference (2022, Switzerland): Presentation on multilayer coatings.
ITC 2023 (Fukuoka, Japan): Presentation of the first concept-based designed and deposited FMC, the biggest tribology conference globally.
ICMCTF (International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, 2024): Scheduled presentation in April 2024.
Published Papers:
Paper 1: "Interface Amorphization Controls Maximum Wear Resistance of Multinanolayer DLC/WC Coatings" Published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsami.3c18218(odnośnik otworzy się w nowym oknie)
Paper 2: "Negligible Wear in Hierarchical Multi-layer Coatings Governed by Optimized Design Principle." Submitted to Nature Materials (under review).
These conferences and publications showcase the significant advancements made in the project and contribute to the dissemination of findings within the scientific community.
Work Package 2: Performing validating experiments and large-scale simulations of multilayers of Cr/DLC/WC FMC to extract mechanical properties. Tasks included optimizing layer geometry in MD models, designing the first multi-interface of the multilayer, and expanding the model for more interfaces.
Work Package 3: Performing mechanical tests, including nano-indentation and scratch tests, stress analysis, and indentation creep to validate numerical simulations. This involved deposition of concept-based functional multilayer coatings (FMCs) and performing quantitative analysis of their mechanical properties and wear response.
All the goals regarding MD simulation and experimental parts have been achieved, with deliverables such as open access publications and presentations in prominent conferences. Remaining results will be presented in April 2024. The fascinating results of the simulations and experiments have been published in high-ranking journals.
Conferences Attended:
21st International Conference and Exhibition on Materials Science and Engineering (2020): Presentation of optimal bilayer DLC/WC-Cr/DLC design and fabrication principles.
ECCOMAS Conference (2022): Presentation on simple static/dynamic loading modeling of multilayers of Ceramic/DLC-Metal/DLC coatings.
Wear and Friction Conference (2022, Switzerland): Presentation on multilayer coatings.
ITC 2023 (Fukuoka, Japan): Presentation of the first concept-based designed and deposited FMC, the biggest tribology conference globally.
ICMCTF (International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, 2024): Scheduled presentation in April 2024.
Published Papers:
Paper 1: "Interface Amorphization Controls Maximum Wear Resistance of Multinanolayer DLC/WC Coatings" Published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsami.3c18218(odnośnik otworzy się w nowym oknie)
Paper 2: "Negligible Wear in Hierarchical Multi-layer Coatings Governed by Optimized Design Principle." Submitted to Nature Materials (under review).
These conferences and publications showcase the significant advancements made in the project and contribute to the dissemination of findings within the scientific community.
Our project, "Hierarchical Surface Protection: A New Paradigm Toward Functional Multi-Nano-Layered Coatings," revolutionized surface protection by developing functionally-gradient multi-layer coatings. Leveraging "Materials-by-Design," we addressed the limitations of single-layer coatings, achieving unprecedented wear resistance and self-healing capacities. Collaborating with Grundfos, a pump manufacturing giant, we began scaling up our successful coating design for shaft sealings, marking a significant advancement. Our integrated approach of computer simulations and experiments established a comprehensive understanding of material removal mechanisms, laying the groundwork for optimizing coatings for durability. By correlating our research with industrial applications, we bridged academia and industry, promising cost savings, energy efficiency, and reduced environmental impact. Our project's societal implications span automotive, aerospace, energy, and healthcare sectors, enhancing safety and sustainability worldwide. In summary, our transformative endeavor propelled surface protection technology forward, with ongoing scale-up efforts in collaboration with Grundfos indicating tangible real-world applications.