GRK 2561:  Materials Compounds from Composite Materials

• Subject Area: Materials Engineering ; Materials Science
• Term: since 2020
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 413956820

The main scope of the renewal proposal of the RTG 2561 relates to the development, characterization and modelling of novel, revolutionary multi-phase composite systems capable of withstanding temperatures substantially beyond 1300 °C and harsh environmental conditions (e.g., oxidative, corrosive, erosive atmospheres) as far as mechanical behaviour, environmental resistance and durability are concerned. This is achieved via a materials combination consisting of metallic/intermetallic alloys based on refractory metal silicide systems (e.g. Mo-Si-B-X, X = Nb, Fe, Ti, Hf…) as substrates and polymer-derived ceramic nanocomposites based on Si(M)CY (M = B, Zr, Hf and Y = O, N) as materials of choice for graded coatings. The metallic/intermetallic alloys will provide adequate deformability and toughness at ambient temperatures combined with excellent high-temperature microstructural stability and creep resistance, whereas the graded polymer derived ceramic nanocomposite coatings will also offer self-healing capability in addition to extremely low intrinsic thermal conductivities and excellent stability in aggressive operation conditions, respectively. Beside their unique property combinations, the two materials classes are highly attractive because of the possibility to adjust their coefficients of thermal expansion to perfectly match one another and consequently to keep thermomechanical stresses in the target multi-layered systems at a minimum. This gives rise to an extended lifetime of components in foreseen application. Within the frame of this RTG, PhD researchers will be trained in a coordinated and multidisciplinary manner to address the following fundamental aspects: (A) Synthesis of the composite materials in lab scale with tailor-made microstructures and properties (see C and D); (B) Analysing the feasibility of large-scale manufacturing processes for the materials compounds; (C) Understanding the fundamental relations between synthesis, microstructure and properties of novel complex composite materials to withstand continuous service temperatures in the range of 1300 to 1500 °C for substrate and coating, this includes the determination of properties with state-of-the-art methods and techniques; (D) Making reliable simulations and predictions based on the materials microstructures and properties for typical engineering applications. The above described approach will enable us to educate a new generation of PhD researchers who will have state-of-the-art expertise in knowledge-based design of completely metallic/intermetallic/ceramic based materials systems in ultrahigh temperature environments.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Karlsruher Institut für Technologie
• Co-Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Darmstadt
• Participating Institution: DECHEMA-Forschungsinstitut (DFI)
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr.-Ing. Martin Heilmaier
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Karsten Albe; Professorin Dr.-Ing. Yolita M. Eggeler; Privatdozent Dr.-Ing. Mathias Galetz; Professorin Dr.-Ing. Bronislava Gorr; Privatdozent Dr. Emanuel Ionescu; Professorin Dr. Britta Nestler; Professor Dr.-Ing. Matthias Oechsner; Professorin Dr. Astrid Pundt; Professor Ralf Riedel; Professorin Dr. Ruth Schwaiger; Professorin Dr.-Ing. Bai-Xiang Xu