Research Priorities at the Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences

ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES

New materials and technologies for lead-free soldering

• The advanced research on new lead-freesolder materials based on silver and tin.
• Development of new joining technology called diffusion soldering.

The research is integrated into the European programme COST 531-Lead-free solder materials, European Lead-Free Soldering Network(ELFNET) and international network Associated Committee of PhaseSystems and Thermodynamics APDTC.

Multicrystalline silicon solar cells

Research on new solar cells with modified structure enabling better exploitation of the solar energy spectrum. The manufactured so farsolar cells with gradient layer of porous silicon show conversion efficiency above 13 %. This enables a small laboratory scale productionline of multi- and monocrystalline silicon solar cells in Photovoltaic Laboratory in Kozy.

TiN and HAp based biocompatible layers for medical applications

The technology of artificial heart ventricle production is underdevelopment. Two different materials: metallic titanium and polyurethane with deposited layer of titanium nitride are examined with regard to their physical properties, element forming as well asdeposition of blood-contact coating. The research is carried out withinthe EUREKA „Eulasnet” project as and the solicited project of Ministry of Science, Research and Information Technology(MSR&IT) entitled „New materials and technologies for biomedical engineering”

KNOWLEDGE BASED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS

Multilayer materials obtained using different technologies

• Production and complex characterisation of new functional materials with modified surface layer, responsible for high temperature and tribological properties, obtained by laser melting and ablation.

• Deposition of thin layers using pulsed laser or plasma spraying.

• Surface modification by nitriding and zincification.

 New generation of high strength light alloys for superplastic deformation 

• The improvement of strength in alloys of 2000 and 6000 series through additions of Sc and Zr and modification of Cu, Mn and Mg rations.

• Energy saving technology of superplastic deformation based on gas pressure forming. 

Optimzation of properties and production of intermetallics

• The influence of alloying additions on structure and properties of TiAl and NiAl intermetallic compounds produced using powder metallurgy combined with ball milling in order to refine grain and improve plasticity in room temperature.

• "Ab initio"modelling of structure stability with respect to third additions. Part of work is incorporated into COST 535Action- Termodynamics of Alloyed Aluminides (THALU);

NANO-AND MICRO CRYSTALLINE MATERIALS

(i) Production technology of nanocrystalline and amorphous zirconium and nickel based materials. Project UE „Research Training Network-Mechanical Properties of Bulk Metallic Glasses”.

(ii) Mechanical alloying of powder materials based on Ti and Cu and Al alloys combined with hot pressing to supress porosity and increase strength.

(iii) The use of equal channel angular extrusion for manufacturing Al and Mg based alloys with ultrafine gtrain size.Characterization of the microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of final products obtained by further deformation processing.

Topics (ii) and (iii) are part of MSR&IT solicited project „Technologies of production of metal and alloy elements with nanometric structure”.

DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH TOOLS AND DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES

Orientations and misorientations in micro- and nanoscale

Analysis of orientation distribution and misorientation inpredicting and assessing mechanical properties of metallic, ceramic and composite materials using SEM and TEM systems for mono- and polycrystals.

Data processing from local measurements of crystallographic orientations

New effective computation methods for analysis and interpretation of large sets of measured local crystallographic orientations. Orientation distribution and orientation correlation functions for quantitative description of microstructure.

Detection of information contained inmaterials

Techniques of diagnosing microstructure changes. The assessment of material degradation during exploitation based on depth profile of crystallographic texture and internal stresses in near surface areas.

Part of the research is carried out with in the COST 525 Action „Advanced Electroceramics: Grain BoundaryEngineering”.