Project Title: MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF NANOMATERIALS
Investigators: T. J. Foecke, D. Josell, M. R. Stoudt
Technical Description:
Applications of nanoscale multilayers in the near term include use as protective coatings,
whether for thermal barriers, ultrahard coatings, or for wear resistance needs. Future uses
might include structural applications. Within the next decade, physical vapor deposition
(PVD) structures are expected to amount to as much as 2% of the estimated $25B high
performance coatings industry in the U.S., as the dependence on environmentally hazardous
electroplated hard chrome decreases. Nanolayered composites are being commercially applied
presently, and advances in fabrication technology will allow the exceptional physical
properties of this class of materials to be more extensively utilized in high performance and
high value-added applications. Potential users of this technology include users of critical,
high performance coatings: automotive engines, aircraft engines, cutting and machine tools,
and ceramic parts manufacturing.
Technical Objectives:
- Examine the fundamental mechanisms that operate within nanolayered materials that
result in such extraordinary properties as ultrahardness, wear resistance, and high
thermal conductivity.
- Evaluate how these properties can be controlled using the ability to prescribe the
makeup of the microstructure at nearly the atomic level.
- Develop a fundamental understanding of the relationships between materials, structure,
and properties.
Anticipated Outcome:
- A fundamental understanding of how layering, constituent materials, and interfacial
characteristics of a structure determines its properties and performance.
- Predictive tools that can be used to design materials for specific applications.
- Insights into basic mechanical properties of nanolayered materials can be applied to
reliability issues in the magnetic recording and microelectronics industry, to address
such problems as thermomechanical fatigue, adhesion, and abrasive wear resistance in
fine layered structures.
Accomplishments for FY95:
- Organized and hosted the third NIST Workshop on Nanomaterials which was attended
by 83 representatives from industry, universities, and government agencies.
- Four papers on this work were completed and submitted for publication.
- Two invited and one contributed presentation were made on this work.
Impacts and Technical Highlights:
- NIST, the National Science Foundation Institute for Mechanics and Materials, and
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory sponsored a workshop entitled "Nanoscale
Layered Materials for Protection Coating and Structural Applications" which was
attended by 83 representatives from industry, universities, and government agencies.
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Last modified: Mon Jan 06 09:46:15 1997
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