Ceramics research group

Joop Vandeursen
Prof. Jef Vleugels Wout Veulemans
Olivier Van Roey
Mohammed Abid
Postdoctoral Researchers: Visiting scientists:
Dr. Bernd Baufeld
Dr. Shuigen Huang
Dr. Kim Vanmeensel
Dr. Songlin Ran
Dr. Bram Neirinck
PhD students: PhD students:
Tina Mattheys Annabel Braem
Swarnakar Akhilesh Kumar Olivier Malek
Li Zhang Ezhil Jothinathan
Khuram Shahzad

Ceramics research group

Dept. Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, K.U.Leuven

shaping
Colloïdal shaping by electrophoretic deposition (EPD)
Sintering (pressureless, hot pressing, microwave, SPS)

Processing of ceramics

Microstructural analysis and functional properties

Microstructural analysis (SEM, EPMA, XRD, TEM)
Mechanical properties (hardness, toughness, strength, etc.)
Elastic and damping properties at room and elevated temperature
Chemical compatibility

Modelling

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD)
Functionally graded materials (FGM)
Damping
Field assisted sintering technology (FAST, SPS, PECS)

Dept. Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, K.U.Leuven

B4C,etc

Composites

Ceramic matrix composites

Matrix: Si3N4, ZrO2, Al2O3, ZrB2, TiB2
Additive: Al2O3, TiB2, TiN, TiC, TiCN,
WC, NbC, ZrC, HfC, HfTiC, ZrN,
B4C, SiC, etc.

Glass-ceramics

Bariumaluminosilicate (BAS)
Magnesiumaluminosilicate (MAS)

Cermets

WC-Co, TiCN-based
NbC-based

Reinforced
ceramics

Fibre reinforced

Platelet reinforced

Borosilicate, MAS & BMAS
with SiC fibres

Sialon, Al2O3, mullite
with Al2O3 platelets

Graded
Materials

Functionally graded (FGM)

Laminates

Coatings

ZrO2/Al2O3 & ZrO2/WC
WC-Co/WC-Co
TiCN-based/WC-Co
Ce-TZP/Y-TZP

SiC / graphite & SiC / porous SiC

Metal / ZrO2
WC-Co / steel

Non-oxides

Mullite, Al2O3
Y-TZP & Ce-TZP
Mixed stabiliser ZrO2

graded materials (FGM)
Colloidal processing by means of electrophoretic deposition (DC & AC-EPD)
Development and characterisation of ceramic, CMC’s and cermets
Modelling and application of field assisted sintering (FAST, SPS, PECS)
Investigation of elastic and damping properties of materials
Cutting tool development and chemical compatibility assessment
Nanomaterials and nanocomposites (biomaterials, photovoltaics, batteries)
Processing of Porous materials (ceramics, glass & metals)
Mechanical alloying

MATERIALS, TOOLS, MACHINE CONCEPTS
AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR DRY HIGH SPEED CUTTING

Dept. Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, K.U.Leuven

New composites
Chemical wear assesment
Gradient materials

iron with siliconnitride tools

Dry drilling of cast iron at 450 m/min

Dry machining of cast iron with ceramic composite tools

load

solubility calculations

materials (FGM)

To combine irreconcilable properties in the same component
by engineering a gradient in composition and concomitant properties

an electric field

_

electrode

+

Particles are charged by interaction with the solvent and additives
Charged particles move under the influence of an applied electric field (electrophoresis)
Partices form a growing deposit on the deposition electrode (deposition)

Charged particles

Cations

Anions

(nm-mm)
Infiltration
Textured materials
Save processing of nanopowders

Graded Tribological Materials Formed by Electrophoresis

↑

Cutting tool inserts : WC-Co-Ti(C,N)/ WC-Co/ WC-Co-Ti(C,N)

with carbide
coating

HSS substrate

EPD-coated

Sintered

Final machined

Functionally Graded Material Innovation and Design

Dept. Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, K.U.Leuven

Gradient in properties
Residual thermal stresses
improved strength and wear resistance

Gradient in composition resulting in:

K.U.Leuven

and Materials Engineering, K.U.Leuven

Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, K.U.Leuven

electrophoretic deposition in asymmetric AC electric fields

Alumina powder deposit formed by unbalanced AC (a) and DC (b)
electric fields from a water-based suspension

How does this work ?

functionally graded materials and coatings

GOA-TBA 2005-2008 K.U.Leuven

Hydrodynamic layer

deposit

Adsorp-tion

Desorp-tion

Deposi-tion

Liquid flow lines

Felectroforetic

Region of surface forces

Suspension stability studies
Charging mechanisms and particle- additive interactions
Electrophoretic mobility and zeta potential measurements
Study of the deposition process
AFM of particle-electrode interaction
Electrochemical reactions
Fluid dynamic interactions during EPD
Modelling of the EPD kinetics

during EPD
are calculated from the equivalent electric circuit shown

To calculate the composition gradient in the FGM material from the starting composition of the suspensions, the EPD operating parameters and the powder-specific EPD characteristics.

!

?

Conventional composite

Colloidal processing of nanopowders

Shaping of Coatings
Composites
Gradient materials

Densification
with limited grain growth

Characterisation:
microstructural
physical
mechanical

Processing flowchart

Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites

GOA 2008-2011 K.U.Leuven

with biofilm inhibition and optimal implant fixation

Dept. Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, K.U.Leuven

to be coated

www.meddelcoat.eu

glass, ceramic and metal
structures and coatings

magnetic field

2007-2010

SBO

Project Coordinator
K.U.Leuven

PROMAG

Development of textured materials by EPD

Plane parallel and perpendicular to electrode

EBSD

colour coded map

Fuel Cells

Processing of
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Nanopowder synthesis
Colloidal processing of half cells
Sintering of half cells

of
nanostructured powders and fabrication of functionally graded materials

Dept. Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, K.U.Leuven

Technology development
Experimentation
Thermo-electrical modelling
Thermo-electrical-mechanical modelling
Superplastic deformation

ceramic-metal nanocomposites (cermets) fabricated from nanopowders

Nanostructured aluminium based alloys from rapid solidification or mechanical alloying

the temperature distribution during FAST

Temperature
distribution in
sample & die set-up

die

punch

sample

electric current: 0 – 8000 A
pulse/pause time combinations:
0 - 255 ms
force: max. 250 kN
heating rate: up to 1000°C/min
heating cycle duration: 10 -30 min
(incl. heating-cooling)
max temperature > 2200°C
min controllable temperature = 150°C

Materials : Al-alloys, intermetallics, steel, ZnSe, ITO, borides, carbides, nitrides,
Cu3Sn, oxides, electroceramics, BaTiO3, cermets, cemented carbides,
ceramic composites, tungsten, etc.

and Materials Engineering, K.U.Leuven

http://www.moncerat.org

http://www.mtm.kuleuven.be/Research/GBOU-IWT/spark/index.html

new composites

Gears

Attritor disc

Fine blanking tool

Extrusion die insert

Injection moulding tool

Lens mould insert

Engineering, K.U.Leuven

⇒ Measurement of E, G, ν, and Q-1 at RT

⇒ Measurement of E and Q-1 at elevated temp.

Applicable to monoliths, coatings and laminates

Measuring of resonance frequency and damping

of an IET-furnace

Si3N4 result : fr or E (T) and Q-1(T)

Test specimen

Ceramic ball

Ceramic tube

Pneumatic
tapping device

Furnace

Microphone

160

190

220

250

280

310

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Temperature (°C)

Young's modulus (GPa)

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

Internal friction (Q-1)

Test in N2 (1 atm)
heating at 2°C/min
fr (25°C) = 8.7 kHz

pressed SiC

Sintered 2Y-TZP

Sintering PM steel

Coatings”

Elastic and damping properties of materials

rapid manufacturing of metallic and ceramic parts

SBO project: DiRaMaP (2008-2012)

Project Coordinator:
PMA, K.U.Leuven

TCO

Powder-based opposed to vacuum sputtered photovoltaics
Selenisation studies of Cu(In,Ga)-Selenides
Assessment of fast selenisation processes
Rapid annealing processes of transparent conductive oxides (TCO)

Cross-section of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell

SIM project: SoPPoM (2010-2014)