Creation of a National Innovation Playground to Widen the Operational Envelope for Tribological PVD Coatings

一个具有独特和互补经验的团队已经形成，为摩擦学应用的PVD涂层的应用驱动的开创性研究创造了一个创新的游乐场。三个机构的四个主要中心将聚集在一起，发挥它们真正和重要的协同作用。这项提议是为了资本设备，加上我们广泛的现有设施，将巩固我们的雄心，并使英国能够与任何其他国际中心竞争。这项投资为该联盟提供了独特的能力，它将接触到其他学术团体和工业用户。拟议的研究基于三个核心主题领域；这是因为我们在这些方面的综合优势以及存在的摩擦学挑战。创新游乐场将为以下三个具有重要战略意义的高优先级应用领域提供具体的交付成果：人工关节置换-健康和福祉->延长寿命，改善流动性和独立生活，减少离子释放的年轻和更活跃的患者。减轻国民健康保险制度的负担。2. 汽车OEM发动机部件—用于降低能耗—当前的重点主要是燃油经济性和改善表面/润滑剂的相互作用，以实现更低的界面摩擦，从而最大限度地减少能量损失，从而提高性能并减少碳足迹。用于制造钛、碳纤维增强聚合物（CFRP）和金属基复合材料航空航天部件的新时代涂层刀具——通过降低制造过程中的能耗来节约材料和提高制造效率。主要重点将是提高刀具在非常高的工作温度（1000摄氏度）下的耐用性和可靠性。在干燥或最低润滑条件下（MLC加工）加工过程中，抑制不利的化学降解和减少对含cl流体的依赖。行业面临着提高工具/润滑油系统性能的压力，而先进的PVD涂层技术可以满足这一需求。

A team with unique and complementary experience has been formed to create an Innovation Playground for application-driven pioneering research in PVD coatings for tribological applications. Four leading centres in three institutions will come together to exploit their real and significant synergies. This proposal is for capital equipment which, together with our extensive existing facilities, will underpin our ambitions and will enable the UK to compete with any of the other international centres. The investment provides unique capability for this consortium which will reach out to other academic groups and industrial users. The proposed research is based around three core thematic areas; defined because of our combined strengths in these and also the tribological challenges that exist. The Innovation Playground will secure specific deliverables for these three strategically important high priority application sectors:1. Artificial Human Joint Replacements - for health & well being -> Lengthening life, improving mobility and independent living and reducing ion release for younger and more active patients. To reduce the burden on the NHS. 2. Automotive OEM Engine Parts - for reduced energy consumption - The immediate focus is primarily on fuel economy and improved surface/lubricant interactions to realize lower interfacial friction and so minimize energy losses, delivering performance improvements and a reduced carbon footprint.3. New age coated cutting tools for Manufacturing Ti, Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and metal-matrix composite aerospace components - for materials conservation and manufacturing efficiency gains by lowering energy consumption in manufacturing > The main emphasis will be increasing cutting tool durability and reliability under very high operating temperatures (>1000C), suppressing adverse chemical degradation and reducing dependence on Cl-containing fluids during machining operations under dry or minimum lubrication conditions (MLC machining). There is industry pressure to increase the performance of the tool/lubricant system and advanced PVD coating technology can address this need.