Metal materials and functional surfaces
Research into the impacts of technological processes on the utility properties of the materials. The research will concentrate on materials designed for high-temperature application (power engineering, jet engines, food-processing industry), materials used in the automotive, railway and aviation industries and materials with functional surfaces (hot spraying of metal, ceramic and polymeric materials, plasma nitrogen hardening). The aim is to assess the structural changes and changes of mechanical properties affected by the applied technology, find and optimise processability by finding suitable process parameters or using special technologies.
Research activities
Materials for high-temperature application
- Development of new materials in the form of intermetallic compounds for applications with increased abrasion resistance in increased temperatures. Research focused on improving properties of Ni alloys and martensitic and bainitic Cr-Mo and Cr-Mo-V steels or other materials working in environments with temperatures exceeding 450 °C.
- Optimisation of welding and heat treatment processes. Research into susceptibility to tears under hot conditions and their prediction, research into thermal fatigue and applicability of special welding methods (diffusion welding). Connection with applicability assessment and potential of connecting additively prepared parts with parts produced by conventional technologies and with the use of functional surfaces on the mentioned materials.
Materials for automotive and transportation
- Research into the impacts of technological processing on utility properties of fine-grained steels, IF, TWIP and TRIP steels, Al, Ti and Mg alloys. Description of processes occurring in the materials and looking for procedures to maintain or improve properties that the material had before the technological processing.
- Assessment of impacts of various types of welding cycles on the change of material mechanical properties. Research into grain growth kinetics, assessment of the impacts of grain size on the value of the peak load and the value of transformation temperatures, research into tensothermic properties of the applied technology. Research into the fatigue life of welds from standard fine-grained and HSLA steels including Dang-Van criterion prediction.
- Research into the limit conditions of deformation in new types of materials in various states of tension characterising the given welding technology. Monitoring the kinetics of fracture emergence with emphasis on high-strength steels and Al alloys used for deep drawing processing. Research and definition of advanced MKP models considering anisotropic transformation of the material into the plastic condition and a model of kinematic solidification.
- The research will focus on metallurgy and crystallisation of selected technical alloys and then on thermal processing of hardenable Al alloys in order to specify its optimum technological parameters to obtain the required properties.
Materials with functional surfaces
- Assessment of various types of functional surfaces as regards adhesion, functionality (hardness, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, etc.) for the moulded, cast and additively made parts including their combination and assessment of the surface properties on the joint border. Research into adhesion enhancement of individual surface types and diffusive processes in materials with determination of the diffusion coefficient.
- Research into tribological processes and possibilities to affect stability in moulding processes with the use of new functional and protective metal sheet coating and research into the life improvement of the moulds using targeted creation of various coating types in locally exposed areas of the moulds.
- Development of new intermetallic surfaces using plasma powder welding or hot sprays.
Department of : Engineering Technology
Contact: doc. Ing. Pavel Solfronk, Ph.D.
