Thin film coatings for energy intensive applications

拟议的研究计划旨在开发薄膜形式的先进和新型无机材料（涂层）。研究的重点是碳化钛和氮化钛三元相。这些相属于一类相对较新的材料，由于其纳米层状结构而表现出独特的性能。这项研究包括材料的基础和应用两个方面。基础研究包括合理设计和选择、合成、加工、表征以及通过分析和计算手段对涂层进行测试。该研究有望通过解决加工、结构和性质之间的复杂关系，在获得对三元碳化物和氮化物的基本理解方面取得重要进展。

The proposed research program is directed towards the development of advanced and novel inorganic materials in thin film form (coatings). The focus of the research is on ternary titanium carbide and nitride phases. The phases belong to a relatively new class of materials and exhibit a unique set of properties due to their nano-layered structure. The research encompasses both fundamental and applied aspects of the materials. Fundamental investigations include rational design and selection, synthesis, processing, characterization, and testing of the coatings through analytical and computational means. The research is expected to result in important strides towards gaining a fundamental understanding of the ternary carbides and nitrides by addressing the intricate relationships between processing, structure, and properties.