"Nano-Reinforced Coatings with Improved Thermomechanical Properties-Steel Sector Application "

“当表面不能充分承受其所承受的外力或环境时，工程部件通常会失效。表面材料的选择，具有适当的热性能和足够的耐磨损，耐腐蚀和降解，是其功能的关键。改进现有产品的功能只是一个目标。二是借助纳米技术开发新型增强涂层材料。这种新的涂层系统和应用方法可以为新产品创造机会，否则就不会存在。该项目的主要目标市场是英国和国外的钢铁行业。每年生产和使用的钢铁超过16亿吨，创造了3000亿英镑的市场价值。该项目的目标是占全球市场25%的连铸产品。模具的主要功能是建立一个凝固的钢壳，在进入二次喷雾冷却区时，它的强度足以容纳液态金属芯。关键的挑战是如何提供一种涂层解决方案，能够在高铸造速度下（更高的生产率-动态供应模型）提供卓越的钢坯性能，在整个钢铁生产过程中使用更长的时间和一致的产品质量。这些模具的用户——钢铁生产商报告说，就生产率和成本而言，最大的问题是模具的高磨损率和高温氧化。作为一项使能技术，表面工程通过减少资本投资、提高盈利能力、设计变更、环境效益和技术创新，对经济和社会产生了影响。英国钢铁厂将受益于更低的钢铁制造成本和更高的钢铁质量。该项目将通过提高生产率对回收、能源和采矿等钢铁供应链产生积极影响，并将通过提高钢铁产品质量和降低成本，为建筑、机械设备、汽车、金属制品、造船和火车等下游行业增加价值。纳米技术的进步有望带来更广泛的行业效益，而这个项目，凭借其独特的行业主导的纳米技术应用观点，将为未来的英国政府战略做出重大贡献。该项目的第二个目标市场是用于恶劣环境的表面工程。英国涂料市场的价值约为213亿英镑，这些涂料对价值超过1430亿英镑的产品产生了重大影响。”

"Engineering components usually fail when the surface cannot adequately withstand the external forces or environment to which it is subjected. The choice of a surface material, with the appropriate thermal properties and sufficient resistance to wear, corrosion and degradation, is crucial to its functionality. Improving the functionality of an existing product is only one aim. The second is to develop a new class of reinforced coating materials with the aid of nanotechnology. This new coating system and application method can create opportunities for new products which could not otherwise exist.The primary target market of this project is the steel sector in the UK and abroad. More than 1.6 billion tonnes of steel are produced and used every year generating a market value of £300 billion. This project targets continuous casting products representing 25% of the global market. The main function of the mould is to establish a solidified steel shell that is sufficient in strength to contain the liquid metal core upon entry into the secondary spray cooling zone. The key challenge is how to provide a coating solution that can offer superior billet properties at high casting speeds (higher productivity-dynamic supply model), for a longer time and with consistent product quality throughout the steel production campaign. The steel producer, the user of these moulds, reports that the biggest issues, in terms of productivity and cost, are the high rate of wear and high temperature oxidation of the moulds.As an enabling technology, Surface Engineering has economic and societal impacts via reduction in capital investment, increased profitability, design changes, environmental benefits and technical innovation. The UK steel plants will benefit from the lower steel manufacturing costs and higher steel quality. The project will positively affect the steel supply chain such as recycling, energy and mining through increased productivity and will add value to downstream industries such as construction, mechanical equipment, automotive, metal products, shipbuilding and trains through steel product quality improvements and lower costs. Broader industry benefits are expected from the advancement of nanotechnology and this project, with its unique industry led views on nanotechnology use, will provide a significant contribution to a future UK Government Strategy.The secondary target market of this project is surface engineering for aggressive environments. The value of the UK coating market is approximately £21.3 billion, and those coatings critically affect products with a value greater than £143 billion."