Strength Enhancement of Aluminium Extrusion Alloys via Novel Thermal Processes and Alloy Composition Control. The aluminium industry in Australia produces ~4% of total goods and services exports nationally and over $2 billon per year in export earnings. The importance of developing energy-efficient processing and manufacturing technologies for aluminium and its alloys is reflected in the Federal Government's Light Metals Action Agenda. The proposed project has the potential to establish a platfo ....Strength Enhancement of Aluminium Extrusion Alloys via Novel Thermal Processes and Alloy Composition Control. The aluminium industry in Australia produces ~4% of total goods and services exports nationally and over $2 billon per year in export earnings. The importance of developing energy-efficient processing and manufacturing technologies for aluminium and its alloys is reflected in the Federal Government's Light Metals Action Agenda. The proposed project has the potential to establish a platform for intelligent design and development of thermal processing technologies for aluminium extrusion alloys with improved mechanical properties. Such technologies are expected to help the Australian aluminium industry to expand its international market share.Read moreRead less
Surface reaction kinetics of zinc gas relevant to the ZINCALUME coating process. The proposed project aims to develop a sound understanding of the mechanism and rate of condensation of zinc vapour on clean and partially oxidised steel strip surfaces. This Fundamental scientific knowledge is the key to furthering our understanding of the effect of process variables on the occurrence of pinholes and bare patches on ZINCALUME coated steel strip. Should the fundamental causes of defect formation be ....Surface reaction kinetics of zinc gas relevant to the ZINCALUME coating process. The proposed project aims to develop a sound understanding of the mechanism and rate of condensation of zinc vapour on clean and partially oxidised steel strip surfaces. This Fundamental scientific knowledge is the key to furthering our understanding of the effect of process variables on the occurrence of pinholes and bare patches on ZINCALUME coated steel strip. Should the fundamental causes of defect formation be established, product quality can be improved, process costs reduced and the Australian industry's competitive position in the market place retained. A new experimental approach will be taken; conductive to the training of the researchers involved in advanced research techniques.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence - Design in Light Metals. Under the national Light Metals Action Agenda, Australia recognizes a strategic interest in the production, processing and applications of the light metals, and a growth in global markets for light metals technology. Light metals research is a designated national priority, and this Centre will provide the national focus in strategic fundamental research, the critical level of investment and the level of innovation necessary to achieve competiti ....ARC Centre of Excellence - Design in Light Metals. Under the national Light Metals Action Agenda, Australia recognizes a strategic interest in the production, processing and applications of the light metals, and a growth in global markets for light metals technology. Light metals research is a designated national priority, and this Centre will provide the national focus in strategic fundamental research, the critical level of investment and the level of innovation necessary to achieve competitive advantage from an outstanding research base. As a major contributor to a strategic network of national research capabilities, it will underpin substantial developments in the light metals industry nationally and globally, and extend linkages with major research centres internationally.Read moreRead less
Intelligent Materials Processing: Microstructure And Texture Control In Bcc Metals. In Australia, steel companies are continuing to search for cost effective steel compositions and processing routes. Concurrently, applications for Ti alloys in chemical, medical and aerospace industries are continuing to widen. As an outcome of this project, the basis for the optimisation of processing routes in order to achieve enhanced product properties at lower cost will be established. In the course of this ....Intelligent Materials Processing: Microstructure And Texture Control In Bcc Metals. In Australia, steel companies are continuing to search for cost effective steel compositions and processing routes. Concurrently, applications for Ti alloys in chemical, medical and aerospace industries are continuing to widen. As an outcome of this project, the basis for the optimisation of processing routes in order to achieve enhanced product properties at lower cost will be established. In the course of this work, a new model for the prediction of microstructure and texture evolution during recrystallisation will be developed and new process routes will be designed. Read moreRead less
Development of SmCo-based High Temperature Permanent Magnets: Microstructure and Coercivity Mechanism. This project is to develop high performance permanent magnets for elevated temperature applications. Microstructure and magnetic properties will be examined using atom probe, TEM, XRD and magnetometry. The specific atom probe is the state-of-the-art technique for the characterization of nanostructure and falls in the designated National Research Priority 3, PG2 Frontier Technologies (nanotechno ....Development of SmCo-based High Temperature Permanent Magnets: Microstructure and Coercivity Mechanism. This project is to develop high performance permanent magnets for elevated temperature applications. Microstructure and magnetic properties will be examined using atom probe, TEM, XRD and magnetometry. The specific atom probe is the state-of-the-art technique for the characterization of nanostructure and falls in the designated National Research Priority 3, PG2 Frontier Technologies (nanotechnology). The magnet alloys concerned are an example of Advanced Materials (NRP3, PG3), possessing the best performance amongst such functional materials. The expertise gained in the use of the atom probe technique in this project will have broader applications in the study of nanostructured materials and other metal alloy problems within Australia.Read moreRead less
A Novel Approach to Grain Refinement of Cast Metals. This proposal combines fundamental scientific studies with applied engineering research. The outcomes will offer materials scientists and engineers with a totally new way to understand the grain refinement of cast metals. The new scientific knowledge generated will put Australia at the absolute forefront of the field and maintain our internationally leading position. The new grain refiners and the relevant master alloys to be developed will ....A Novel Approach to Grain Refinement of Cast Metals. This proposal combines fundamental scientific studies with applied engineering research. The outcomes will offer materials scientists and engineers with a totally new way to understand the grain refinement of cast metals. The new scientific knowledge generated will put Australia at the absolute forefront of the field and maintain our internationally leading position. The new grain refiners and the relevant master alloys to be developed will have strong potential to be commercialized to produce cast metals with much improved properties and performance. This will not only increase Australian competitive ability in the international market, but will also make considerable economic benefits.Read moreRead less
Metal injection moulding of aluminium. The aim of this project is to develop a metal injection moulding (MIM) system for aluminium by employing point defect engineering to enhance the solid state sintering of aluminium. This study will also incorporate an econometric analysis of the potential for specific aluminium MIM parts. Using this novel, multidisciplinary approach, the market definition and the technology development will occur concurrently. The outcome will be an aluminium MIM system and ....Metal injection moulding of aluminium. The aim of this project is to develop a metal injection moulding (MIM) system for aluminium by employing point defect engineering to enhance the solid state sintering of aluminium. This study will also incorporate an econometric analysis of the potential for specific aluminium MIM parts. Using this novel, multidisciplinary approach, the market definition and the technology development will occur concurrently. The outcome will be an aluminium MIM system and a new business opportunity for a Queensland manufacturing company in a market that is growing at 10-25% per year and is expected to exceed $US1 billion in 2003.Read moreRead less
Simulation and Modelling of Interactions between Dislocations and Precipitates in High Strength Light Alloys. Most light alloys are strengthened by highly dispersed nanoscale precipitates. The mechanical behaviour of these alloys is determined by the intimate coupling between precipitate microstructure (size, shape and spatial distribution) and dislocation activities (by-pass, shearing and adsorption at interfaces). By integrating state-of-the-art experimental characterization and computer simul ....Simulation and Modelling of Interactions between Dislocations and Precipitates in High Strength Light Alloys. Most light alloys are strengthened by highly dispersed nanoscale precipitates. The mechanical behaviour of these alloys is determined by the intimate coupling between precipitate microstructure (size, shape and spatial distribution) and dislocation activities (by-pass, shearing and adsorption at interfaces). By integrating state-of-the-art experimental characterization and computer simulation techniques, this project aims to reveal detailed and accurate deformation mechanisms in these alloys. The knowledge gained and models developed are expected to provide guidelines to the optimization of existing alloys and design of new alloys, which is expected to create substantial wealth for Australia.Read moreRead less
Directional atomic ordering in nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials: Development of ultra-efficient magnetic core materials. Soft magnetic materials are used as magnetic cores in electromagnetic devices such as transformers. The latest material development is the use of nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloys. Our theory and experiments have shown that the magnetic softness of nanocrystalline alloys is greatly influenced by directional atomic ordering, which increases magnetic anisotropy and con ....Directional atomic ordering in nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials: Development of ultra-efficient magnetic core materials. Soft magnetic materials are used as magnetic cores in electromagnetic devices such as transformers. The latest material development is the use of nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloys. Our theory and experiments have shown that the magnetic softness of nanocrystalline alloys is greatly influenced by directional atomic ordering, which increases magnetic anisotropy and consequently increases heat loss. We will employ a novel magnetic annealing technique to establish the relationship between this anisotropy and the soft magnetic properties of nanocrystalline alloys. Emphasis will be placed on eliminating the induced anisotropy in iron-cobalt based alloys and thereby produce ultra-efficient, magnetic core materials.Read moreRead less
Interactions between Lattice Defects and Nanoscale Solute Aggregates: Strengthening and Creep Mechanisms in Magnesium Alloys. Advances in manufacturing and processing technologies in recent years have brought renewed interests in magnesium alloys for applications at elevated temperatures (100-200°C). Improvement in strength and creep resistance of existing alloys and development of new alloys require better understanding of strengthening and creep mechanisms and their correlations with deformat ....Interactions between Lattice Defects and Nanoscale Solute Aggregates: Strengthening and Creep Mechanisms in Magnesium Alloys. Advances in manufacturing and processing technologies in recent years have brought renewed interests in magnesium alloys for applications at elevated temperatures (100-200°C). Improvement in strength and creep resistance of existing alloys and development of new alloys require better understanding of strengthening and creep mechanisms and their correlations with deformation behaviour of the alloys. In this project, advanced imaging techniques of transmission electron microscopy and three-dimensional atom probe field-ion microscopy, combined with tensile and creep tests, will be used to study interactions between lattice defects and nanoscale solute aggregates and their quantitative effects on deformation behaviour of magnesium alloys at elevated temperatures. The aim of this project is to develop a robust theory for the design of magnesium alloys with improved strength and creep resistance.Read moreRead less