Nanostructured Advanced Ceramics (NASTRAC)

其目标是通过保留纳米结构来制造具有显著增强性能的块状先进陶瓷元件。独一无二的是，这将主要使用传统的加工路线来实现。目前全球价值170亿美元的先进陶瓷元件，在许多行业发挥着促进作用；本项目将集中在两个案例研究(I)在电子陶瓷，即。起搏器(医疗)、数字盒(电信)和印刷电路板(战斗机)，以及(Ii)结构陶瓷领域，即。钻井阀组件(发电站)和催化转化器(汽车)，输入沿供应链。这项工作将涉及应用专利新技术来创造高固体含量的悬浮液。在常规成型之后，将使用包括微波辅助烧成在内的新的烧成时间表来确保纳米结构被保留。最终的组件将在实际的工业应用中进行评估。实现纳米陶瓷预计有两个好处，即。能够使用更小的组件，同时保持可比较的性能和/或实现更好的终端性能。因此，最终的好处将是产品的轻量化/微型化/多功能化，以及原材料消耗和回收的减少，或者通过销售可能更耐用的优质产品来增加市场份额，从而有助于将废物减少到最低限度。该项目将持续三年，从一年的基础科学(BASS2B)开始，而第二年和第三年将有更多的应用研究(APPS2B)。在第一年，为二氧化锆开发的浓缩纳米粉末悬浮液的专利技术将应用于BT，并针对这两种陶瓷进行优化(WP1)。目标是固体含量为30%但粘度为&lt；0.2pa S的悬浮液。在第二年，这两种粉末悬浮液的流变性将针对当前工厂丝网印刷的工艺路线进行优化，干燥步骤也将得到优化，造粒的喷雾冷冻干燥与模具和等静压相结合。纳米陶瓷的烧结技术将包括微波混合烧成，并实现优化。所有生产的材料都将在工艺的每一步(WP2)得到充分的表征。此外，这两种陶瓷材料中的掺杂水平将得到优化，以在最终的烧结产品(WP3)中获得最佳性能。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(ZrO2)，以便分别在Syfer和动态陶瓷(DC)进行工厂中试(WP4)。第三年将根据WP4的反馈对悬浮液和造粒(WP5)的加工条件进行任何优化。此外，Syfer和DC(WP6)的中试规模试验将提供可分别由SELEX和Valve Solutions(VS)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传统材料所实现的改进水平。

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.