I/UCRC FRP: Advanced design and novel In-situ synthesis of self-cleaning and wear resistant metallic surfaces for water industry components

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This proposal seeks funding for the Center for Water Equipment and Policy (WEP) located at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (UWM). Funding Requests for Fundamental Research are authorized by an NSF approved solicitation, NSF 11-570. The solicitation invites I/UCRCs to submit proposals for support of industry-defined fundamental research. Limited information is available on the relationship between surface microstructure and wettability by water and oil. This research will develop relationships between micro/nanostructural features such as grain size, orientation, texture, phase composition and morphology, and the surface wettability in metallic materials, and prescribe optimum surface micro/nanostructure with highest contact angle, potentially reducing corrosion, fouling, and wear of components used in the water industry. The understanding of surface microstructure and wettability generated by this project using aluminum, brasses, cast iron and stainless steels will be applicable to other alloys, composites, polymers and ceramics. The proposed work could lead to lower cost alloys with only their surface modified during conventional processing instead of using bulk expensive alloys like stainless steels. This project will make recommendations to industry for optimum surface micro and nanostructure to minimize corrosion. The result of this research work will be disseminated to the manufacturers of water equipment and industries for them to synthesize these microstructures and use the surfaces of these components for water transport, storage and treatment during conventional manufacturing. The results of this research will be incorporated in basic materials science courses dealing with structure property relationships and advanced courses including corrosion, composites, metal casting, heat treatment and fluid flow. The proposed project work will also train graduate and undergraduate students for careers in the water industry, an increasingly important area of social concern.