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CNTs-modified polymer composites for tribological applications. The growth of the Australian economy relies on continuous improvements in all sectors of production, manufacturing, operation and management where tribology is playing a significant role. System failure relevant to wear and friction over years and its impact on the Australian economy have continued to be a challenge for the community in the new century. The project is at the forefront of materials research, and the outcomes will pro ....CNTs-modified polymer composites for tribological applications. The growth of the Australian economy relies on continuous improvements in all sectors of production, manufacturing, operation and management where tribology is playing a significant role. System failure relevant to wear and friction over years and its impact on the Australian economy have continued to be a challenge for the community in the new century. The project is at the forefront of materials research, and the outcomes will provide (1) novel technical ways to optimise tribological performance of industrial contacting components, and (2) development of new wear resistant materials. The project will give Australia a competitive edge in the advances of tribology and nanotechnologyRead moreRead less
Development of Deformation-Mechanism Based Parameters for Improved Design of Hard Coatings. The use of thin hard abrasion-resistant coatings is an important method for significantly improving the operational lifetime of components in a wide range of mechanical, biomedical and sensory applications. The optimal design of these coatings is however severely restricted by a lack of detailed knowledge of their material deformation mechanisms. The proposed project will use novel nano-indentation and el ....Development of Deformation-Mechanism Based Parameters for Improved Design of Hard Coatings. The use of thin hard abrasion-resistant coatings is an important method for significantly improving the operational lifetime of components in a wide range of mechanical, biomedical and sensory applications. The optimal design of these coatings is however severely restricted by a lack of detailed knowledge of their material deformation mechanisms. The proposed project will use novel nano-indentation and electron microscope techniques to create a basis for mechanism-based deformation models. These models will then be used to develop new coating architectures with improved operational lifetimes as well as predicting coating lifetimes and developing simple tools for coating assessment.Read moreRead less
Electrical arc machining of polycrystalline diamond with a wheel electrode. This project aims to discover new theories to overcome the core challenge in electrical discharge machining of polycrystalline diamond. Diamond materials provide the ultimate performance in cutting difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium alloys which are widely used in the aerospace and biomedical industries. However, the extremely slow erosion speed of electrical discharge machining severely impedes their applic ....Electrical arc machining of polycrystalline diamond with a wheel electrode. This project aims to discover new theories to overcome the core challenge in electrical discharge machining of polycrystalline diamond. Diamond materials provide the ultimate performance in cutting difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium alloys which are widely used in the aerospace and biomedical industries. However, the extremely slow erosion speed of electrical discharge machining severely impedes their applications. The project will use high energy electrical arcs for the fast machining of polycrystalline diamond. The expected outcome is a new approach and breakthroughs in fundamental knowledge that pave the way for developing new electrical machining methods and lead to significant reductions in manufacturing costs.Read moreRead less
Crack Propagation within Graded Interfaces. Functionally graded interfaces are a technologically new way of joining materials in a wide range of biomedical and industrial applications. The reduction in the interfacial stresses resulting from the graded interface increases the structural integrity of the component, however, existing models do not fully address issues of plasticity and cyclic fatigue to their fracture. The intention of this study is to investigate how modifications to the ductil ....Crack Propagation within Graded Interfaces. Functionally graded interfaces are a technologically new way of joining materials in a wide range of biomedical and industrial applications. The reduction in the interfacial stresses resulting from the graded interface increases the structural integrity of the component, however, existing models do not fully address issues of plasticity and cyclic fatigue to their fracture. The intention of this study is to investigate how modifications to the ductile reinforcement phase and how the cyclic loading influence crack extension within a graded interface. These results will assist in future design and prediction of the in-service lifetime of components containing gradient interfaces.Read moreRead less
A surface modification techniques for wafers of semiconductor materials. The research will develop an innovative technique for producing large wafers of semiconductor materials with a superfine surface finish. This technique will combine the advantages of ultra-precision grinding and polishing into a single operation. An effective superfinishing technique for the new generation of large-size wafers of semiconductor materials is essential because they are one of the most important materials for i ....A surface modification techniques for wafers of semiconductor materials. The research will develop an innovative technique for producing large wafers of semiconductor materials with a superfine surface finish. This technique will combine the advantages of ultra-precision grinding and polishing into a single operation. An effective superfinishing technique for the new generation of large-size wafers of semiconductor materials is essential because they are one of the most important materials for information technology, integrated circuit technology and fabrication of micro-machines.Read moreRead less
Fatigue in Lead-free Piezoceramics. This project aims are to achieve a fundamental understanding of the fatigue behaviour of lead-free piezoelectric ceramics which achieve high strain through phase transformations and then ascertain the effects of this behaviour on material degradation rates. The expected outcomes will facilitate replacement of toxic lead in commodity electronics. The focus will be on new lead-free bismuth-alkali-based piezoelectric ceramic systems which demonstrate exciting pot ....Fatigue in Lead-free Piezoceramics. This project aims are to achieve a fundamental understanding of the fatigue behaviour of lead-free piezoelectric ceramics which achieve high strain through phase transformations and then ascertain the effects of this behaviour on material degradation rates. The expected outcomes will facilitate replacement of toxic lead in commodity electronics. The focus will be on new lead-free bismuth-alkali-based piezoelectric ceramic systems which demonstrate exciting potential as alternate materials to lead zirconate titanate (PZT) materials. Successful optimisation of the materials' design and knowledge of their degradation rates are expected to facilitate their commercialisation through a profound reduction in the environmental challenges associated with manufacture and disposal of devices.Read moreRead less
Advanced hard metals: microstructure-property-processing relationships. Our aim is to understand the origins of the properties of tungsten-carbide cobalt based hard metals and how these may be tuned via alloying and processing. This is significant because hard metals are used in industrial-scale turning, milling and drilling processes to cut other materials into finished parts with precise tolerance and surface finish. The expected outcomes are increased competitiveness of Australia's aerospace, ....Advanced hard metals: microstructure-property-processing relationships. Our aim is to understand the origins of the properties of tungsten-carbide cobalt based hard metals and how these may be tuned via alloying and processing. This is significant because hard metals are used in industrial-scale turning, milling and drilling processes to cut other materials into finished parts with precise tolerance and surface finish. The expected outcomes are increased competitiveness of Australia's aerospace, agriculture, biomedical, construction, defence, mechatronics, mining, and oil and gas industries, which depend on this materials technology. The benefits will be the creation of leading expertise in advanced manufacturing, support of end-user industries and the establishment of a regional R&D focal point in hard metals.Read moreRead less
Interface Engineering of Multilayer Nanostructures. Nanostructured multilayers can outperform coatings of their constituent layers in both hardness and strength. It is believed that the nature of interfaces in these materials is critical since they mediate dislocation motion and crack propagation. This project will use advanced synthesis, microanalysis and theoretical methods to investigate multilayer coatings with sharp, diffuse and rough interfaces in order to reveal their failure mechanisms u ....Interface Engineering of Multilayer Nanostructures. Nanostructured multilayers can outperform coatings of their constituent layers in both hardness and strength. It is believed that the nature of interfaces in these materials is critical since they mediate dislocation motion and crack propagation. This project will use advanced synthesis, microanalysis and theoretical methods to investigate multilayer coatings with sharp, diffuse and rough interfaces in order to reveal their failure mechanisms under stress. This will enable us to understand the principles required to design the strongest structures and facilitate the selection of materials and deposition parameters in order to produce coatings optimised for a range of demanding applications.Read moreRead less
Improvement in Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance of Stainless Steels in Environments Conducive to Localized Pitting Damage. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) represents a serious threat to infrastructure exposed to chloride and caustic environments. The proposed project will characterize the chloride-SCC crack propagation parameters for a super duplex stainless steel, which is the material of construction for vessels for stripping vinyl chloride monomer in a PVC processing plant. Alarmingly hig ....Improvement in Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance of Stainless Steels in Environments Conducive to Localized Pitting Damage. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) represents a serious threat to infrastructure exposed to chloride and caustic environments. The proposed project will characterize the chloride-SCC crack propagation parameters for a super duplex stainless steel, which is the material of construction for vessels for stripping vinyl chloride monomer in a PVC processing plant. Alarmingly high numbers the welds (nearly 50%) in the vessel had suffered extensive pitting (which is a well-known SCC initiator) and SCC cracking. For the mitigation measures, the project will also investigate pitting and SCC susceptibility of weldments of alternative varieties of stainless steels, such as Zeron 100.Read moreRead less
Development of next generation smart sucker rod wear guides . In a natural gas wells, sucker rod guides protect the production tubing from wear by the rod string. Premature and erratic failures are costing the industry tens of millions every year. In collaboration with two local SMEs, this project aims to develop the next generation of smart and durable wear guides. The project seeks to understand the complex three body wear mechanisms that drive guide and tubing wear, then use this knowledge to ....Development of next generation smart sucker rod wear guides . In a natural gas wells, sucker rod guides protect the production tubing from wear by the rod string. Premature and erratic failures are costing the industry tens of millions every year. In collaboration with two local SMEs, this project aims to develop the next generation of smart and durable wear guides. The project seeks to understand the complex three body wear mechanisms that drive guide and tubing wear, then use this knowledge to develop new wear resistant compounds and develop a smart guide that provides feedback on its wear state. This will enable the industry partners to supply cutting edge technology to the global oil and gas industry that not only reduces well operation cost but also enhances well resilience.Read moreRead less