"WORK PACKAGES 1 & 2: Ethics requirement, Management and Coordination
In WPs 1 & 2, the project coordinator has dealt with the ethic requirements and has worked to ensure the proper management of day-to-day project activities as described in the Grant Agreement (GA).
WORK PACKAGE 3: Development of a new thermodynamic materials by design approach for designing new stable multicomponent nc metal alloy.
WP3 aims to create a predictive tool for exploring and designing new binary and multinary nc alloys with enhanced thermal, mechanical and irradiation damage self-healing properties. Starting from the analytical model proposed in 2009 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ICARUS developed a thermodynamic approach integrating classical and statistical thermodynamics to predict the relative stability of non-dilute metal alloys, relating grain boundary energy to the thermodynamic quantities governing mixing in solid solutions.
Enabling a comparative analysis of different binary alloys, ICARUS model provides improved guidelines for the design of nanocrystalline binary metal alloys. The model predicts the existence of thermodynamically stable nanocrystalline binary metal alloys for a relatively broad spectrum of elemental combinations. Specifically, it shows that specific binary alloys exhibit a minimum in the Gibbs free energy surface for grain size values in the nanometre range. It follows that new families of potentially stable binary alloys can be identified by the exploration of the parameter space. A typical result is given in Image 3 (""W-based nanostructured alloys), where the probability of observing stability in W-based alloys is shown as a function of alloy elements.
WORK PACKAGE 4: Fabrication and processing optimization of binary and multinary alloys as radically new materials solution for extreme-conditions aerospace applications
Though the activities in WP4 are planned to start in project month 12 (August 2017), some synthesis routes are already used in WP3 for the screening of the possible material phases. Trial tests have been made with some modelled systems, in particular synthesis trials of, W-Ti, Nb-Based, Ti-Based systems have been performed with High Energy Ball Milling (HEBM) in the hundreds of grams scale, while PVD has been used for synthesis trials with W-Ti systems.
WORK PACKAGE 5: Physicochemical, structural and mechanical characterization of the alloys. Specific performance test under extreme operating conditions
Though this WP has not yet officially started, a series of actions regarding spec possibilities has performed, with the aim of collaborating with the theoretical team in the very difficult work of material selection. Starting from the space industry requirements and learning the promises and limitations of planned nanocrystalline materials, preliminary feasibility studies on the predictable material properties were worked out.
WORK PACKAGE 6: Exploitation, dissemination, communication
The main activities related with exploitation achieved in the period covered are: development of the PEDR, development of the questionnaire and conducting first interviews with project partners, development of a matrix comprising relevant properties of materials used in space and aviation and participation in exploitation activities. Regarding the dissemination and communication, an effective and sustainable dissemination and communication strategy respecting the H2020 rules for open access publication and the IPR protection issues has been developed. Additionally, the “International Spring School on Forefront Alloys and Advanced Materials for Extreme Conditions“ (
http://icarus-alloys.eu/spring-school/icarus-supermat-spring-school(si apre in una nuova finestra)) took place during 15th-17th May 2017 in Chia (Sardinia, Italy).
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