We are thrilled to announce that Professor Roger Tipton’s Performance Materials Lab has secured a grant to conduct research on durable high temp ceramic thin films and their applications in harsh environments. The grant, titled “Durable High Temp Ceramic Thin Films: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications”, will support the lab’s efforts to develop new methods and materials for creating and manipulating ceramic thin films on various substrates under extreme conditions.
What are durable high temp ceramic thin films and why are they important?
Durable high temp ceramic thin films are layers of ceramic materials that are only a few nanometers to micrometers thick and can withstand high temperatures, pressures, and corrosive atmospheres. Ceramic materials are a distinct class of materials that have properties ranging from extreme hardness to unique electrical behavior. Durable high temp ceramic thin films can combine the advantages of ceramics, such as high temperature stability, chemical resistance, and optical transparency, with the benefits of thin films, such as flexibility, conformability, and tunability.
Durable high temp ceramic thin films have many potential applications in various fields, such as:
- Aerospace: Durable high temp ceramic thin films can be used to create sensors and coatings for aerospace components, such as engines, turbines, and rockets, that can operate in high temperature and high pressure environments. Durable high temp ceramic thin films can also be used to create thermal protection systems and optical windows for spacecraft and reentry vehicles that can survive the extreme heat and friction of atmospheric entry.
- Energy: Durable high temp ceramic thin films can be used to create electrodes and membranes for fuel cells and batteries that can convert chemical energy into electrical energy efficiently and reliably. Durable high temp ceramic thin films can also be used to create catalysts and reactors for solar fuels and hydrogen production that can harness solar energy and water splitting.
- Electronics: Durable high temp ceramic thin films can be used to create electronic devices and circuits, such as capacitors, resistors, transistors, and diodes, that can store, process, and transmit electrical signals at high temperatures and frequencies. Durable high temp ceramic thin films can also be used to create functional coatings that can improve the functionality and reliability of electronic components, such as chips, boards, and devices.
What are the goals and objectives of the project?
The main goal of the project is to advance the fundamental understanding and technological development of durable high temp ceramic thin films and their applications. The project has three specific objectives:
- To synthesize and characterize new durable high temp ceramic thin film materials, that have novel mechanical properties and can be integrated on various substrates.
- To develop and optimize new fabrication methods, such as additive and subtractive manufacturing, that can create complex durable high temp ceramic thin film patterns and structures on various substrates with high precision and resolution.
- To design and demonstrate new durable high temp ceramic thin film devices and systems, such as sensors, coatings, electrodes, membranes, catalysts, and reactors, that leverage the unique properties and functionalities of the durable high temp ceramic thin film materials and fabrication methods.
What are the expected outcomes and impacts of the project?
The expected outcomes of the project are:
- New knowledge and understanding of the synthesis, characterization, and fabrication of durable high temp ceramic thin film materials and devices for harsh environments.
- New methods and materials for creating and manipulating durable high temp ceramic thin films on various substrates under extreme conditions.
- New devices and systems that utilize durable high temp ceramic thin films for aerospace, energy, and electronics applications.
The expected impacts of the project are:
- New components and systems that can operate in high temperature environments.
