Strongest materials on earth to be developed at new centre for structural ceramics (1/3/2008)

Some of the strongest, most durable and heat resistant materials on earth are to be developed in the UK, thanks to a new £6 million centre for structural ceramics announced today.

The Imperial College Structural Ceramic Centre (ICSCC), funded over a 5-year period by an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Science and Innovation Award, is a joint project between Imperial College London's Departments of Materials and Mechanical Engineering.

The new centre aims to dramatically improve the strength and durability of structural ceramics, made of inorganic materials like oxides, carbides and nitrides, to meet industrial demand for materials that can withstand extreme environments.

Projects will include collaborations with aerospace organisations such as NASA to develop the next generation of reusable spacecraft, which require new materials for tiles that can withstand both the freezing conditions of space and the scorching heat of take-off and re-entry.

Another focus of the ICSCC will be on improving composite layers of ceramics for body and vehicle armour for troops and security personnel that can absorb and deflect explosive high impact shells.

Cleaner and greener energy alternatives will also be explored, with potential applications in power generation including pebble bed nuclear reactors. This new form of technology encases uranium dioxide in ceramic pebbles, which heat water to create steam and generate electricity. More durable pebbles will be needed to withstand the extreme temperatures of future reactor designs.

Welcoming the EPSRC award, Professor Bill Lee, Head of the Department of Materials and new Director of the Centre, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity not just for Imperial College but for the UK's structural ceramics community to make a big international impact. These materials underpin many key areas of the UK economy, from energy generation to healthcare, and I look forward to working with industry and academia on leading edge projects which will establish this facility as a world class leader."

The new funding will support the construction of state-of-the-art laboratory facilities at Imperial's South Kensington Campus. Part of the development process will include the design and construction of new instruments capable of measuring properties in ceramics, like strength and toughness. In particular, the ICSCC will be working with industrial manufacturers on new equipment able to withstand scorching temperatures without melting during experiments.

New academic positions will also be created jointly between Imperial's Departments of Materials and Mechanical Engineering. Academics will be appointed in ceramic property measurement in extreme conditions, high temperature ceramic processing and multiscale modelling of ceramic behaviour.

Each academic position will be supported by a research team made up of a postdoctoral researcher and two PhD students. The Centre will also employ a technical manager and full time technician plus three PhD students at other UK universities.

This is the fourth year that Science and Innovation Awards have been distributed by the EPSRC, in association with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW).

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Imperial College London

Post Comments: