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SURFACE MODIFICATION OF MATERIALS covers a wide range of processes
directed towards the creation of tailor-made surfaces on materials. Basic
and applied research at SURF-MTM in the field of artificially structured
coatings has been growing and worldwide recognition has been attained for
its competence in this area. The on-going
main research effort is devoted on:
the electrolytic deposition of composite coatings (e.g. Ni-SiC, oil-containing nickel coatings, superalloyed coatings). The unravelling of the mechanism of the electrolytic codeposition of particles with metals has led to models possessing increasing predictive potentialities. the electrolytic compositionally modulated multilayers of interest for their magnetic properties (e.g. Co/Cu multilayers with giant magnetoresitive properties). The relationship between synthesis, structural characteristics and magnetic properties are investigated. the electrolytic anomalous alloys (e.g. Ni-Fe as foils, and Pt-based alloys as permanent magnets). The modeling of the electrodeposition process of alloys is of interest. the development of electrochemical colloidal sensors. Based on resistance variations, the detection of the trajectory of suspended particles in electrolytes is predicted and experimentally verified. the modeling of current fields at electrodes (e.g. current distribution at micronsized motives distributed across a mask on a silicium wafer). the environmental aspects of surface engineering. This implies new techniques (e.g. ion exchange membranes) based on electrochemistry for the treatment of wastes. the thermal spraying of hard coatings (e.g. NiCr + WC cermets). the plasma immersed ion implantation technique, introduced in 1999.
TRIBOLOGY is defined as the study of friction, wear and lubrication.
This is an interdisciplinary subject which draws on the expertise of physicists,
chemists, mechanical engineers as well as materials engineers. The SURF-MTM
group is mainly investigating the tribochemical behaviour of coated materials
in the context of tribology. The on-going main research effort is devoted
on:
the friction and wear behaviour of hard coatings. Different hard coatings like PVD TiN-based coatings and multilayers, CVD diamond and plasma sprayed Ni-Cr coatings are tested in close cooperation with research labs and companies developing new types of such coatings. the friction and wear behaviour of self-lubricating materials. The objective is to unravel the mechanism of self-lubrication or induced lubrication in coated materials. Types of coatings under investigation are diamond-like carbon coatings, oil-containing composite coatings and MoS2-based coatings. Laboratory tests (fretting, ball-on-disk, scratch test, pendulum) are performed under controlled relative humidity and temperature. As a support to these activities, specific characterisation techniques dedicated to the investigation of thin coatings like XPS, AES, Raman, LFM, AFM, and RBS are available. the corrosion-wear of coated materials. The objective is to investigate possible synergetic effects between corrosion and wear leading to a limitation of the material degradation in sliding contacts operated in water-based solutions.
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Copyright ©1999, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Information provider: K.U.Leuven, Department MTM Page maintenance: Dirk Drees Comments on the contents: Jean-Pierre Celis Last modified: July, the 16th, 1999 |