NSF Europe: Synthesis and Characterization of Nanostructured Alloys with Enhanced Mechanical Properties

该NSF欧洲奖授予伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校，用于合成和表征锆，钛和铬的纳米结构二硼化物，用于低摩擦系数和低磨损率的超硬涂层。 这项与法国国家科学研究中心化学冶金研究中心的合作研究将在以下领域进行：（1）纳米过渡金属二硼化物的新合成技术，特别是通过混合相材料的化学气相沉积;（二）通过先进的起伏电子显微镜和几何相位图像TEM技术表征非晶和纳米晶薄膜的结构和缺陷方法;（3）作为理论框架的从动系统的摩擦磨损行为分析。通过本研究进行的合成和表征的biborides可能会产生一个更好的理解，如何与过渡金属的化学计量的biborides，CVD条件用于制备它们，和磨损参数，如滑动速度和接触load.Development的能源效率的工具和设备的耐磨性和低摩擦的硬涂层变化的微观结构将具有显着的技术和社会效益。与法国科学家的合作将利用两个团队之间的互补知识和经验。 研究生和本科生的培训和教学，以及推广计划，包括利用大学校园现有的计划招募妇女和代表性不足的群体，都是该奖项的一部分。

This NSF-Europe award to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is to carry out synthesis and characterization of nanostructured diborides of Zirconium, Titanium and Chromium for super-hard coatings with low friction coefficients and low wear rates. This collaborative research with Centre d'Etudes Chimie-Metallurgie, CNRS, Vitry Cedex, France will be in the following areas: (1) novel synthesis techniques for nanophase transition metal diboride, in particular by chemical vapor deposition of mixed phase materials; (2) characterization of structure and defects in amorphous and nanocrystalline films through the advanced TEM techniques of fluctuation electron microscopy and the geometric phase image method; and (3) analysis of the friction and wear behavior in terms of driven systems as a theoretical framework. Synthesis and characterization of biborides carried out by this study are likely to produce an improved understanding of how microstructure varies with stoichiometry of diborides with transition metals, CVD conditions used to prepare them, and wear parameters such as sliding speed and contact load.Development of energy efficient tools and devices with hard coatings for wear resistance and low friction will have significant technological and societal benefit. This collaboration with the French scientists will take advantage of the complementary knowledge and experience between the two teams. Training and teaching of graduate and undergraduate students, and outreach programs including recruitment of women and under-represented groups using existing programs at the University campus are parts of this award.