NIRT: Manufacturing/Synthesis and Nanostructure of Superhard Thin Films/Materials

University Of Cincinnati Main Campus, Cincinnati OH

Investigators

Abstract

0210351 Singh The primary objectives of the proposed NIRT (Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team) research addressing the theme on manufacturing processes at the nanoscale are to: (1) develop processing methods to manufacture novel superhard thin films of controlled nano-structures and properties in the ternary (C-B-N) system, (2) develop advanced techniques to characterize the nano-structures of selected new superhard materials, and (3) relate the scale of the nano-structure (1-50 nm) to their unusual properties such as hardness. With this vision in mind, the premise of the proposed NIRT is that the functionality/property of nano-structured materials in the form of thin films and coatings can be designed by employing a suitable nanoscale architecture and distribution of the basic structural building blocks to control the properties at a scale of 1-50 nm. In this proposal we seek to address the design of superhard and nano-structured thin films not by just refining the polycrystalline microstructural scale, but rather by exploring the novel routes for processing/manufacturing, characterizing, and controlling the nano-structure of new materials in order to achieve unusual mechanical, physical, thermal, and possibly other properties. Thus, materials will be first designed and processed/manufactured to have only short-range order and then nano-structured thin films will be created by clever modifications of the non-equilibrium processing methods, and/or kinetic/thermal manipulation of the networks/nanostructues to create nano-crystalline thin films. The eventual aim of these activities will be to develop predictive tools for designing and synthesizing materials with unusual properties/hardness so that a knowledge base for "creating materials by design" will be obtained. To accomplish these goals of the NIRT, a truly interdisciplinary and complementary research team has been assembled. On a broader scale, a successful completion of this research will lead to a knowledge base for designing and manufacturing nano-structured superhard materials in the ternary C-B-N system with unusual mechanical and physical properties for applications in machining, electronic devices, MEMS, and functional/protective coatings. Graduate and undergraduate students and research associate/post doc will be trained through participation on this research project and their MS and Ph.D. theses. In addition, minority/women high school and undergraduate students will also be mentored and exposed to this research.