Beneficiary 1 – Universitaet des Saarlandes - Chair of Functional Materials (USAAR)

    General Description

    The group headed by Prof. Mücklich is composed by 4 Post Docs, 25 PhD students and several Master and Bachelor students. The group is leader in the development of methods for 3D imaging and quantitative analysis of microstructures, in particular FIB tomography and Atom Probe Tomography. It has vast experience in the structuring of metallic, polymer and ceramic materials with laser interference as well as in the study of materials for electrical applications, such as electrical contacts. A group dealing with the processing of CNTs and manufacturing of CNT based metallic composites was established 6 years ago, gathering experience in several fields such as CNT-reinforced composites, CNT chemical processing and functionalization and CNT synthesis.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    Processing/structuring: Laser Interference (nano-second), Laser Structuring (fs, ps), Laser Cladding, Electron Beam Deposition, Ion Beam Sputtering, cold pressing, access to hot uniaxial press.

    Characterization: FIB/FE-SEM-Dual Beam, Atom Probe Tomography, FIB-tomography, EBSD, EDX, X-ray diffraction, white light interferometry, laser scanning microscope, metallographic laboratory.

    Properties Characterization: Nanotribometry, Friction, Wear, Electroerosion, Electrical Properties, Wetability.

    Contact

    http://www.fuwe.uni-saarland.de; http://www.eusmat.net; http://www.uni-saarland.de

    Beneficiary 2 –Leibniz-Institut fuer neue Materialien gemeinnuetzige GmbH - Energy Materials Group (INM)

    General Description

    The Energy Materials Group headed by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Volker Presser is currently composed of 2 Research Associates, 3 Postdocs, 5 Master students, and 2 Bachelor students. The core area of expertise of Presser’s Energy Materials Group is the synthesis, characterization, and application of carbon and carbon-hybrid materials (both porous and non-porous). In particular, the group has specialized in electrochemical technologies, such as electrical double-layer capacitors, electrochemical capacitors, pseudocapacitors, capacitive deionization for water treatment, and capacitive energy extraction from chemical gradients. The Energy Materials Group was established at the INM – Leibniz Institute for New Materials in 2012 and capitalizes and extends the expertise of PI Presser during his time as Research Assistant Professor at Drexel University, Philadelphia (USA) from 2010 – 2012 working on energy storage materials and technologies.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    Electrochemical measurements: two and three electrode cells for aqueous and non-aqueous cells, potentiostat, galvanostat, impedance spectrometer

    in situ electrochemical measurements: Raman, Quartz-crystal-microbalance, Dilatometer; Nitrogen and argon glove box systems (total 10 m³ of glove box work space);

    Characterization: Raman, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, gas sorption analysis, conductivity measurements (ionic and electrical);

    Synthesis of carbon and hybrid nanomaterials: hydrothermal autoclaves, high temperature furnace in inert, reactive, oxidizing, or vacuum atmospheres, chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, physical vapor deposition

    Contact

    http://presser-group.com/; http://www.leibniz-inm.de/

    Beneficiary 3 – Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)

    General Description

    The researchers involved are of two research groups of the Department of Material Science and Metallurgy (CIEFMA and PROCOMANE) that are involved in research of composite inorganic materials. In total, both groups have about 40 members including Post Docs and PhD students. Both groups have large experience in the relationship between structure and mechanical properties of nanostructured materials, inorganic matrix composites, cemented carbides, and hard coatings. Several research projects are under way on metal and ceramic matrix carbon reinforced composites, hard coatings and on the study of contact mechanics, friction and wear of these materials.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    Two scanning electron microscopes, one Dual SEM/Focus Ion Beam with electron tomography, one transmission electron microscope, laser confocal microscopy, Nanoindentation techniques, Scratch and wear testing, 2 AFM VEECO, DRX instruments, XPS X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Infrared /UV Spectroscopy, UV-visible-NIR Spectrometer, optical interferometer, profilometer, micro and macro testing machines, fatigue machines, specimen preparation laboratory.

    Contact

    https://cmem.upc.edu/ca; http://www.upc.edu

    Beneficiary 4 – AB Sandvik Coromant (SC)

    General Description

    Sandvik Coromant is a high-technology engineering Swedish company with advanced products and world-leading positions in machining solution areas. Sandvik Coromant's business concept is based on a unique competence in materials technology. This has resulted in innovative products made of cemented-carbide, other hard materials and high-speed steel tools; but also the design of tooling systems for metalworking applications and blanks and components made of cemented carbide and other hard materials for automotive, aerospace and other industrial segments.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    Softwares for modelling (ab initio, thermodynamic and kinetic modelling). Powder metallurgy laboratory. Sintering furnaces. CVD and PVD coating furnaces. High resolution microscopy (incl. SEM, TEM and FIB). X-ray laboratory. Testing of mechanical properties (nano Hardness, tribology). Machines for testing of cutting performance in selected applications (turning, milling, drilling,…).

    Contact

    http://www.sandvik.coromant.com/

    Beneficiary 5 - Steinbeis Forschungs- und Innovationszentren GmbH (SFI-MECS)

    General Description

    The Steinbeis Forschungs-und Innovationszentren GmbH is a non-centralized organization aiming to provide research and development services to businesses. It fosters partnership and knowledge-sharing between academic institutes and business, by making knowledge and technology available at the source, adhering throughout to the rules of the markets and free enterprise. The SFI is composed of 918 enterprises of very different disciplines. The Material Engineering Center Saarland (SFI-MECS) is one of the enterprises belonging to the Steinbeis Network. SFI-MECS was founded in June 2009 to improve the scientific transfer between academia and private enterprises in the field of materials science and engineering. SFI-MECS provides founded expertise in applied research in the fields of micro/nano-characterisation of materials, materials for electrical applications, tribology and failure analysis.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    SFI-MECS is located on the Saarland University campus and in close proximity to the Fraunhofer Institute of Non-Destructive testing and the Institute for New Materials (INM). SFI-MECS has no independent research premises but has a contract with the Saarland University for having access to all equipments of the University.

    Contact

    http://www.mec-s.de/

    Beneficiary 6 - Nanoforce Technologies Limited (Nanoforce)

    General Description

    Nanoforce is a UK-based company established as part of the UK Micro and Nanotechno­logy Network to develop processing technologies for nanomaterials. Nanoforce provides solutions to clients’ needs in technologies related to the polymer processing, ceramics processing, coating, printing, electrospinning, encapsu­lation, computer modelling. Nanoforce is involved in a broad range of materials processing research, which includes composites, polymers, ceramics, films, fibres. The focus is on new advanced processing technologies, which includes spark plasma sintering, electrospinning and inkjet printing. The focus of the research is the development of commercialisable processing routes for nanomaterials.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    The company has complementary technology in the field of ceramic nanomaterials with specialist processing such as powder synthesis and processing, sintering, including spark plasma sintering (SPS).  Capability to work with air and moisture sensitive materials. Electrical characterisation including high temperature electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient and dielectric properties. Thermophysical properties, including TGA, DSC and thermal diffusivity. High resolution SEM and TEM.

    Contact

    http://www.nanoforce.co.uk/

    Partner 7 - Universidad Católica del Uruguay Dámaso Antonio Larrañaga – MicroElectronics & Materials Engineering (UCU)

    General Description

    Microelectronics Group is headed by Dr. Alfredo Arnaud, composed also by 2 PhD students and one Master Student. Their field of expertise covers innovative design and construction of integrated circuits focusing on low energy consumption and other measuring devices. The Materials Engineering Group, headed by Dr. Ing. Martín Duarte Guigou and composed by a Post Doc and a PhD student, focuses on ferrous matrix composite synthesis, and mechanical and tribological characterization of materials. They started recently to work on the characterization of high temperature corrosion phenomena characterization on ferrous based composites.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    Manufacturing: Ferrous based metal matrix composites, other MMC’s

    Materials Characterization: Optical Emission Spectroscope (OES) for chemical composition, metallographic laboratory, Frequency response and other electrical properties, High Temperature corrosion resistance and electrochemical properties.

    Mechanical Properties Characterization: Hardness, Tensile properties, Friction, wear and erosion resistance.

    Contact

    http://ucu.edu.uy/es; http://ucu.edu.uy/es/mart%C3%ADn-duarte

    Partner 8 – Universidad de Concepción - Department of Materials Engineering – DIMAT (UdeC)

    General Description

    DIMAT is composed by 10 Professors, 6 Post Docs, 12 PhD students and several Bachelor students. Materials Department covers metallic, polymer and ceramic materials, including recycling, nanotechnology, thermodynamic and kinetics modeling

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    Processing/structuring: Hot uniaxial press, cold pressing, electrochemistry lab (potensiostates, galvanostates, impedance); Characterization: SEM, TEM, WDS, EDS, X-ray diffraction, metallographic laboratory; Simulation: ThermoCalC, DICTRA and PRISMA software.

    Contact

    http://www.materiales.udec.cl/; http://udec.cl/pexterno/

    Partner 9 - Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (INTEMA)

    General Description

    The two participating groups are composed by 9 professors, 6 staff researchers, 8 post doc and 8 phD students. Research topics are ferrous metallurgy, tribology, metal corrosion and protection methods, materials for solar cells , bioelectrochemistry.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    Electrochemical measurements: potentiostats, galvanostats, impedance spectrometers; SPM  electrochemical cell.

    Characterization: Raman, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, SPM, EDX, X-ray diffraction,  Nanoindentation, Scratch and wear testing, UV-visible Spectrometer, micro and macro testing machines, specimen preparation and metallographic laboratories.

    Contact

    http://www.intema.gob.ar/

    Partner 10 - Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Materials Science and Manufacturing (CSIR)

    General Description

    The CSIR is the prime science council of South Africa. Materials Science and Manufacturing (MSM) is one of the 6 operating units of the CSIR. Prof K. Ozoemena’s research team comprises 7 Senior Researchers, 3 Junior Researcher, 2 Postdocs, 7 PhD and 2 Master students. The group’s research is highly interdisciplinary spanning several areas of Materials Science and Electrochemistry; from synthetic inorganic chemistry and electrochemical sensing to electrocatalysis and electrochemical energy systems In addition, CSIR is the host of the South Africa’s National Centre for Nanostructured Materials-NCNSM, which is headed by Prof Suprakas Sinha Ray and boasts of several state-of-the-art charaterisation facilities for nanomaterials.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    Electrochem. measurements:2 & 3-electrode cells for aqueous and non-aqueous cells, potentiostat, galvanostat, impedance spectrometer, Maccor tester

    Characterization: Raman, SEM, TEM, IR-spectroscopy, gas sorption analysis, X-ray diffraction;

    Synthesis of carbon and hybrid nanomaterials: hydrotherm. autoclaves, high temp. furnace in inert, reactive, oxidizing, or vacuum atmospheres, microwave system, electrochem. atomic layer deposition.

    Contact

    https://www.csir.co.za/csir-materials-science-and-manufacturing

    Partner 11 - Universidade de São Paulo (USP)

    General Description

    The group works on the modification and characterization of wear resistant surfaces produced by ion bombardment, plasma nitriding as well as coating deposition via PVD and CVD. The group is also specialized in advanced non-destructive characterization techniques for microstructure and internal stress assessment using diffraction methods with synchrotron X-ray and neutrons.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    Processing/structuring: PVD via magnetron sputtering, plasma nitrding

    Characterization: SEM, XRD, Synchrotron XRD, optical perfilometry, nanohardness, pin-on-disc and scratch tests, dilatometry, mechanical testing under static and dynamic loadings.

    Contact

    http://www.eesc.usp.br/smm

    Partner 12 - Georgia Institute of Technology (GaTech)

    General Description

    GaTech is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). The Tribology Research Group at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has vast research experience across all disciplines of tribology. Recent focus has been on dynamics of rotating machinery, viscoelastic seals and dampers, non-destructive testing, diagnosis and prognosis of transversely cracked shafts. Current research projects are: investigation of elasto-plastic contact of rough surfaces using FEM; analyses of the stability and the steady-state responses of gas lubricated read/write heads of magnetic storage; mechanical seals in jet turbo-engines; wear failure of thrust washers in planetary gearests; and investigation of electromagnetic forces and surface thermoelastic stresses in an electromagnetic launcher, including electrical contact and magnetism under extreme current conditions.

    Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment

    The School of MSE has SEM and TEM, to which the Tribology Group has access. Many other specialized rigs consist of mechanical seals testing, rotordynamics of cracked shaft, viscous pumps, trust washer tribological loading, analysis of hard disk coatings, and numerous rigs for the rheology of lubricants under high shear stresses and pressure.

    Contact

    http://itzhak.green.gatech.edu/; http://www.me.gatech.edu/

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    http://www.example.de; http://www.example.net

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