New nanolaminate ternary and quaternary alloy phases by thin film synthesis

合适材料的可用性是新技术的驱动力。我们将开发一类新的三元和四元合金与纳米层压结构在原子尺度上使用的理论建模，新颖的薄膜合成和先进的表征方法相结合。这些材料的纳米结构有望促进金属和陶瓷类性质的罕见组合，例如低摩擦、高机械强度、耐热冲击、断裂、腐蚀和氧化，直到非常高的温度。对生长过程和结构-性能关系的仔细表征将使我们能够开发出在恶劣环境下操作的性能组合的方法。

The availability of suitable materials is a driver of new technologies. We will develop a new class of ternary and quaternary alloys with nanolaminate structures at the atomic scale using a combination of theoretical modeling, novel thin film synthesis and advanced characterization methods. The nanostructure of these materials is expected to promote a rare combination of metallic and ceramic like properties, such as low friction, high mechanical strength, resistance to heat shock, fracture, corrosion and oxidation, up to very high temperatures. Careful characterisation of the growth process and structure-property relationships will allow us to develop methods of tailoring the property mix for operation in harsh environments.