The design of new engineering materials resistant to both wear damage and corrosion degradation is in increasing demand for components in complex service conditions, such as biomedical implants, hydraulic systems, nuclear power plants, marine applications and offshore industries. Unfortunately, many engineering approaches to increasing strength in alloys can result in reduced corrosion performance. This award supports fundamental research to develop a comprehensive understanding of effective design principles that can mitigate wear and corrosion in metallic coatings. The research will focus on superlattice coatings, which are layered metallic systems with individual layer thickness below 10 nanometers, and offer great potential to provide both wear and corrosion resistance. The knowledge developed from this research will lead to design strategies for new metals and coatings with an optimal combination of high strength and excellent wear and corrosion resistance. The use of such materials may lead to significant economical savings in various industries. This program will additionally provide students with a unique educational and research experience. Outreach programs are included, which will help stimulate interests in STEM fields among young students and broaden participation of underrepresented groups in research activities.
Superlattice coatings offer great opportunity to improve wear and corrosion resistance simultaneously. Little is known, however, about how key materials properties such as modulation wavelength, interface structure, and residual stress affect deformation and degradation mechanisms. This research is centered on a comprehensive study that integrates materials processing, characterization, wear and corrosion testing, and computer simulations. A finite element electrochemical model will be combined with experiments to design the optimum superlattice architecture. Advanced materials characterization will be coupled with atomistic and finite element modeling to understand the roles of key microstructural parameters on wear and corrosion resistance. With greater understanding of the deformation and degradation mechanisms, this bottom-up design approach may pave the way for creating wear and corrosion resistant structural materials needed in complex service conditions.
