Nanostructured Advanced Ceramics (NASTRAC)

我们的目标是通过保留纳米结构来制造具有显著增强性能的大块先进陶瓷部件。独特的是，这将使用大部分传统的加工路线来实现。先进的陶瓷元件，目前在全球价值170亿美元，在许多领域发挥着促进作用;该项目将侧重于2个案例研究（i）在电瓷，即起搏器（医疗），数字盒（电信）和印刷电路板（战斗机），和（ii）结构陶瓷领域，即钻井阀组件（发电站）和催化转化器（汽车），以及沿着供应链的输入。工作将涉及申请专利的新技术，以创造高固体含量的悬浮液。在常规成型之后，将使用新的烧制时间表，包括微波辅助烧制，以确保保留纳米结构。最终的组分将在实际的工业应用中进行评估。实现纳米陶瓷有两个好处，即能够使用更小的组分，同时保持相当的性能和/或实现上级最终性能。因此，最终的好处将是产品的轻量化/轻量化/多功能化，以及减少原材料消耗和回收，或者通过销售上级产品增加市场份额，这些产品也可能更耐用，从而有助于减少废物。该项目将持续3年，从一年的基础科学（BASS 2B）开始，而第2年和第3年将看到更多的应用研究（APPS 2B）。在第一年，为ZrO 2开发的浓缩纳米粉末悬浮液的专利技术将应用于BT，并针对两种陶瓷进行优化（WP 1）。目标将是固体含量=30体积%但粘度<0.2 Pa s的悬浮液。在第二年，两种粉末悬浮液的流变性将针对目前的丝网印刷工厂工艺路线进行优化，干燥步骤也将进行优化，并将喷雾冷冻干燥与模具和等静压相结合。纳米铈的烧结技术将包括微波混合烧制，并实现优化。生产的所有材料将在工艺的每个步骤（WP 2）进行充分表征。此外，两种陶瓷材料中的掺杂剂水平将得到优化，以实现最终烧结产品（WP 3）的最佳性能。将准备更大规模的丝网印刷油墨（BT）和用于压制的冷冻干燥纳米悬浮液（ZrO 2），以便分别在Syfer和Dynamic Ceramic（DC）进行工厂试点试验（WP 4）。第3年将开始，根据WP 4的反馈，对悬浮液和悬浮液（WP 5）的加工条件进行优化。此外，Syfer和DC（WP 6）的中试规模试验将提供可由Selex和Valve Solutions（VS）分别在最终产品中进行使用评估的组件，从而能够量化纳米结构陶瓷相对于现有陶瓷所实现的改进水平。传统材料。

The goal is to manufacture bulk advanced ceramic components with significantly enhanced properties delivered via retaining a nanostructure. Uniquely, this will be achieved using largely conventional processing routes. Advanced ceramic components, currently worth 17B worldwide, play an enabling role across many sectors; this project will focus on 2 case studies (i) in the electroceramics, viz. pacemakers (medical), digiboxes (telecommunications) & printed circuit boards (combat aircrafts), and (ii) structural ceramics fields, viz. drilling valve components (power stations) and catalytic convertors (automotive), with inputs along the supply chain. Work will involve applying patented novel technology to create high solids content suspensions. Following conventional shaping, novel firing schedules, including microwave-assisted firing, will be used to ensure the nanostructure is retained. The final components will be assessed in actual industrial applications.Two benefits are envisaged from realising a nanoceramic, viz. the ability to use smaller components whilst retaining comparable properties and/or the achievement of superior end properties. The end benefits will thus be light-weighting / miniaturisation / multi-functionalisation of products and a reduction in raw material consumption and recycling, or increased market share through sales of superior products that may well also be more durable, thus assisting in waste minimisation. The project will run for 3 years and commence with a year of basic science (BASS2B) whilst years 2 and 3 will see more applied studies (APPS2B). In year 1 patented technology for concentrating nanopowder suspensions developed for ZrO2 will be applied to BT and optimised for both ceramics (WP1). The goal will be suspensions with solids contents =30 vol% but viscosities of <0.2 Pa s. In year 2 the rheology of both powder suspensions will be optimised for the current factory process routes of screen printing, with the drying step also being optimised, and spray freeze drying of granulate combined with die and isostatic pressing. Sintering techniques for the nanoceramics will include microwave hybrid firing with optimisation being achieved. All of the materials produced will be fully characterised at every step of the process (WP2). In addition, the dopant levels in the two ceramic materials will be optimised to achieve the best properties in the final, sintered products (WP3). Larger-scale quantities of inks for screen printing (BT) and freeze dried nano-suspensions for pressing (ZrO2) will be prepared to allow factory pilot trials (WP4) to take place at Syfer and Dynamic Ceramic (DC) respectively. Year 3 will begin with any optimisation of the processing conditions for the suspensions and granulate (WP5) based on the feedback from WP4 .Further, pilot scale trials at Syfer and DC (WP6) will deliver components that can be evaluated in-service by Selex and Valve Solutions (VS) respectively in end-products, yielding the ability to quantify the level of improvement achieved by the nanostructured ceramics over existing, conventional materials.