Ceramic Coatings
Members of Staff
Our major research theme is fabrication, characterisation and performance of ceramic coatings:
- (i) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) that are used in aero-engines and power generation engines to provide thermal and erosion protections
- (ii) silicon carbide and pyro-carbon coatings on nuclear fuel particles to prevent leakage of fusion products during fusion reactions.
- (iii) Silicon carbide coatings on metal substrates as wear and erosion resistant coatings.
The research aim is to develop these ceramic coatings with enhanced performance at high temperature. The thermal barrier coating research concentrates on novel fabrication of TBCs, non-destructive evaluation of TBCs, and a degradation study of TBCs after thermal treatments. The research on fuel particles involves chemical vapour deposition of PyC and SiC layers on fuel particles, and characterisation of coated particles using various modern advanced techniques. The SiC coating research is to study strengthening mechanisms of the SiC with the addition of carbon or diamond.
PhD Students
- Hui Xu, Fabrication of Ceramic Coatings using Electrophoretic Deposition
- Akio Shinmi, Non-destructive Evaluation of Ceramics and Ceramic Coatings
- Fan Yang, Impedance Spectroscopy of Ceramics and Ceramic Interfaces
- Fangwei Guo, Colloidal Processing of Ceramic Coatings
- Huixing Zhang, Mechanical and Microstructure Characterisation of SiC Produced by Chemical Vapour Deposition
- Yang Zhao, Mechanical Study of Ceramic Coatings
- Yanfei Wang, Development of High Temperature Thermal Barrier Coatings.
Postdoctoral Research Associates
- Ian Shaprio – Processing and Characterisation of Ceramic Coatings
- Xiaofeng Zhao, A Study of Degradation of Thermal Barrier Coatings
- Eddie Lopez Honorato, Basic Research on Nuclear Fuel Development for the Next Generation of Reactors
Visiting PhD students
- Zhu Chao, A Study of the High Temperature Oxidation of Superalloys
- Zhang Yong, Coatings for Application in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
- Long Ying, SiC and TaC Coatings for Protection of C/C Composites
- Gao Zhengyuan, Protective Thin Films on Mg Alloys.