We are pleased to share an update on ERA Talent Amir Pakseresht, who is currently undertaking a 3-month secondment at Treibacher's company in Austria. During his time there, Amir has honed his presentation skills through pitching presentations. He had the valuable opportunity to showcase the expertise of the Funglass and Coating Department to managers from various divisions within Treibacher Company.

The primary objective of this activity was to enhance Amir's ability to deliver presentations that are engaging and appealing to the audience, with the aim of showcasing the research work conducted at the FunGlass Centre and highlighting Amir's contributions within the industrial sector.

Looking ahead to potential future collaborations, the management team at Treibacher has expressed interest not only in areas such as powder preparation, TBCs, and coatings but also in exploring opportunities in H2 production, ceramics with eutectic structures, and the mechanical properties of ceramics at high temperatures.

We are excited about the possibilities that this collaboration may bring and look forward to further developments in this partnership.

Attending training at Treibacher Industrie AG is crucial due to their renowned expertise in eco-friendly synthesis techniques which aligns with the project's objective of designing and synthesizing novel ceramic powders. Access to their specialized knowledge and facilities ensures a thorough understanding of cutting-edge, environmentally friendly synthesis approaches, enhancing the project's success. Treibacher Industrie AG's state-of-the-art thermal spray facilities, including Atmospheric plasma (100HE, Axial III, Sinplex Pro Oerlikon Metco, F4-MB) and suspension plasma, offer a unique opportunity for hands-on experience. The training will allow ERA Talents to operate these systems, receive expert guidance, and gain insights into the feasibility of depositing ceramic coatings using different thermal spray methods. This exposure is invaluable for developing practical skills and understanding the intricacies of advanced thermal spray technologies. In addition, Training at Treibacher Industrie AG provides access to facilities equipped for isothermal oxidation, furnace cycling, hot corrosion tests, measurement of particle velocity, thermal conductivity and hardness of the coatings. The company's expertise in analyzing degradation mechanisms during high-temperature exposure and developing post-processing treatments is essential. Learning from their advanced analytical tools and methodologies will significantly contribute to the project's success, allowing ERA Talents to optimize and enhance the properties of next-generation materials for Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs). Investigating the effect of the plasma spray process on the final properties of coatings is pivotal for optimizing their performance and durability. The plasma spray process, with its intricacies in parameters such as temperature, velocity, and powder characteristics, significantly influences coating microstructure, porosity, and adhesion. Understanding these effects is crucial for tailoring coatings with desired structures based on application requirements. Treibacher Industrie AG's expertise and cutting-edge facilities provide an ideal environment for ERA Talents to delve into the complexities of plasma spray parameters. Through systematic analysis, statistical modeling, and digital twinning systems, they can gain insights into the correlation between process variables and coating properties, facilitating the development of advanced Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) with enhanced structural integrity and superior performance. This investigation not only contributes to the project's success but also advances the broader understanding of plasma spray processes in the field of materials science. Effective project management is paramount for the successful execution of the outlined objectives. The multifaceted nature of the project necessitates a strategic and well-coordinated approach. ERA Talents will benefit from Treibacher Industrie AG's industry-leading project management practices, ensuring a structured workflow, clear timelines, and efficient resource allocation. The company's established protocols for collaborative research, coupled with ERA Talents' interdisciplinary training, will facilitate seamless coordination between different project components. Regular monitoring, feedback loops, and flexibility in adapting to unforeseen challenges are integral aspects that will be emphasized during the training, fostering a dynamic and adaptive project management strategy. This collaborative project management approach ensures that each phase of the research aligns with the overall project goals, enhancing the likelihood of achieving impactful outcomes in the development of next-generation Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs).

Amir, accompanied by his mentors from Treibacher company, participated in the International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition held in Milan, Italy from April 29 to May 1, 2024. The primary objectives of their attendance at this conference included introducing Amir and FunGlass as reliable partners to Treibacher's contacts, staying informed about the latest developments and outcomes in the field of Thermal Spray, and enhancing presentation skills in a manner that resonates with the industrial sector. The participation at the conference is a part of Amir’s secondment training program.

Amir provided a presentation on a topic:

Hot corrosion behaviour of yttria stabilized zirconia and La2Ce2O7 based dual coatings

Amirhossein Pakseresht, Ariharan Suyambulingam, Anusha Sekar, Milan Parchovianský,

FunGlass, A. Dubček University of Trenčín, Študentská 2, 911 50 Trenčín, Slovakia

Abstract:

One of the promising thermal barrier coatings (TBC) options for use above 1250 °C has been La2Ce2O7 (LC). This work explored the role of dual layered ceramic coatings in the top layer of the TBC system that has been prepared using atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). Above the NiCrAlY bond coat, 8 mol.% yttria stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) coating has been deposited with optimized APS parameters. Over the top layer (8YSZ), another layer that comprises composite with LC and 8 wt.% of 8YSZ (spray dried) has been deposited. Investigations into the hot-corrosion behavior of 8YSZ-LC based TBC subjected to Na2SO4+V2O5 salt at 950 °C for 4 hours. A porous layer made mostly of LaVO4, CeO2, CeO1.66 and YVO4 was developed on the LC+8wt.%

YSZ layer after being subjected to a hot corrosion test in Na2SO4+V2O5 salt. Dissociation of LC and 8YSZ leads to the formation of new phases, such as CeO1.66, CeO2, LaVO4 and YVO4 as the corrosion by products in the extreme environment. The findings indicated that delamination has occurred due to the phase transformation, cavities and cracks in the 8YSZ-LC based TBCs. The molten salt’s hot corrosion mechanisms of the 8YSZ-LC based TBC are discussed in detail. Fur-ther, the potential use of 8YSZ-LC based dual coatings and scope for the future work have been derived from the current study.

Treibacher Industrie AG located in the city Althofen in Austria was established by the world-renowned inventor, discoverer of the rare earths (praseodymium, neodymium, ytterbium and lutetium) and entrepreneur Dr. Carl Auer von Welsbach in 1898. The company today has a leading position at the highly competitive global market due to the broad product portfolio that includes high-performance materials impacting critical daily life applications in pharmaceutical, biomedicine, aerospace, automotive, steel and carbide, electronics, water treatment and environmental catalysts industries.

Attending training at Treibacher's Thermal Spray Centre equipped with state-of-the-art atmospheric plasma spray technology (100HE, Axial III, Sinplex Pro, 3MB, 9MB, F4-MBXL and SG100 plasma torches, spray diagnostics and ABB industrial robot) and a wide range of powders and coatings testing technologies offers ERA Talent a unique opportunity to gain new knowledge in the areas of powders and coatings manufacturing as well as testing from the industrial point of view.

Learning from their cutting-edge advanced manufacturing and analytical tools and methodologies will significantly contribute to the project's success, allowing ERA Talent to optimize and enhance the properties of next-generation materials for Plasma sprayed functional graded ceramic/metallic coating systems, such as for example Thermal Barrier Coatings, Areal Heater Systems, Advanced Electronic Components (Resistors and Capacitors), etc., where a controlled way of its production by plasma spray technologies are pivotal for optimizing their performance and durability. Except the planned experimental work, learning industrial good practices via the scheduled workshops and meetings in Health and Safety, Projects Management, Intellectual Property Rights and Technology Transfer enable foster academic approaches to its required transition via understanding product-based development into closer EU academia-industry cooperation.

I am glad to share my first great impression on Treibacher Industrie AG and its Thermal Spray Centre and introduce my colleagues Dr. Richard Trache (Head of RnD Thermal Spray, Treibacher), Christian Hebenstreit and Karl Körner (Thermal Spray Specialists, Treibacher) and ERA Talent Assoc. prof. Amirhossein Pakeresht (Head of the Department of Coatings, FunGlass). Thank You for warm welcome in Treibacher and looking forward to the ERA Talent training and beginning of exciting journey in our collaboration.

Let me share with You an insight on ERA Talent - Ladislav Čelko, who is currently undertaking a three-month secondment at the company Treibacher Industrie AG in Austria. Ladislav had the valuable opportunity and was trained to improve his presentation skills through presentation of South Moravian Region, Brno as a second largest city in the Czech Republic, CEITEC – Central European Institute of Technology and Research Group of High-Performance Materials and Coatings for Industry in front of the highly repute Treibachers' managers and research and development division leaders.

ERA Talent - Ladislav Čelko - presentation of City of Brno (left) and CEITEC BUT HPMC₄I Research Group in Treibacher Industrie AG

The main objective was to train and enhance Ladislav's ability to deliver presentations that are engaging and attractive to the representatives from industry, aiming on the present research work conducted at CEITEC-BUT and highlight Ladislav and his team contributions to both, fundamental as well as applied science. After the fruitful discussion on a number of research topics, we are excited and looking forward for future possibilities in collaboration that may bring further products development in this partnership.

ERA Talent Edgar Montufar has gained proficiency in lithography-based ceramic manufacturing through training provided by the expert team at Lithoz, a leading CLiCAM industrial partner specializing in ceramic materials and 3D printers for high-performance ceramics additive manufacturing.

During the intersectoral secondment, Edgar developed valuable skills in designing and processing complex composite lattice structures with multiple materials. He will integrate this expertise into current and future research activities, potentially driving innovations that enhance the competitiveness of both Lithoz and CEITEC-BUT.

Stay tuned for more updates!

#Innovation #AdditiveManufacturing #LCM #Ceramics #Lithoz #CEITEC #3DPrinting

• From left to right: Mehdi Mohammadi (Materials Engineer), Edgar B. Montufar (ERA Talent), and Martin Schwentenwein (Supervisor) during Edgar's secondment at Lithoz
• Examples of multi-material composite structures processed with the CeraFab 2M30 printer

This year’s first Company Day organized by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, which took place on January 16, 2024, focused on the topic of the glass industry in Slovakia. The video conference was attended by economic diplomats and diplomats entrusted with the economic agenda from 51 countries of the world and four promising Slovak companies that are applying for penetration or expansion of operations in foreign markets.
The presentations were started by the company RONA from Lednické Rovní, whose glass factory is one of the world’s leading producers of lead-free glass known as kristallin. Among the commercial companies, KLARET GLASS from Bratislava, known for its hand-blown, crystal, lead-free, functional design wine glasses on the stem, also presented themselves. The third company was WINDOW GLASS from Dunajská Streda, a specialist in construction and interior glass.

The scientific and research aspect was represented by the FunGlass center. Peter Hošták, the head of the CAU department, delivered a presentation outlining the establishment of FunGlass under the Horizon 2020 project. He underscored collaborative efforts with partner institutions and their leading experts in glass science and technology across Europe.

He presented information about the exceptional personnel and technical resources of FunGlass, providing insights into the various applications of their research . He also mentioned success in obtaining three additional projects – GlaCerHub, EverGLASS and CLiCAM, in the Horizon Europe program, which ensure the continued functioning of the FG center.
The goal of the monthly Company Days is to help Slovak companies establish themselves and support their export and investment activities in foreign markets.

As part of her internship, Dr. Michaela Remešová visited the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, with which 3D Center has long cooperated, especially with Dr. Ing. Pawel Sokolowski. She visited the metallography laboratory, electron microscopy laboratory, metrology laboratory and especially the thermal spray laboratory. Dr. Pawel Sokolowski and his colleague Ing. Tomasz Kielczawa demonstrated the thermal spray technology in operation mode, including samples preparation and basic characterization.

During this visit, the possibilities of cooperation in the field of surface treatment of 3D printed metal components were discussed, which could be applied to 3D Center products in the future to improve their surface properties. As the 3D Center has a wide range of customers from different industries, the discussion was very diverse - from chemical and electrochemical surface treatments to epoxy sealants and plasma spraying coatings. Dr. Remešová, thank you again to Pawel and Tomasz for their time.

We are pleased to provide an update on ERA Talents Pavel Gejdoš and Omid Sharifahmadian and their 3-month internship at Zoz GmbH in Wenden, Germany.

Pavel and Omid experimented with a new setup of high-kinetic ball milling devices that produce highly reactive metal powders in inert atmosphere, by the usage of argon. This processing method is necessary to prevent oxidation, especially in case of metal powders designated for their final application.

During the second month of their stay in Zoz, they  also had an invaluable opportunity to work on high-kinetic ball milling processes aimed at production of alloys, which are based on the principles of mechanical alloying.

During her internship at the 3D Center company in Wroclaw, Poland, Dr. Michaela Remešová was trained on the SIMSCAN 3D handheld laser scanner (Scantech), including the data processing software. 3D printing and 3D scanning are closely related technologies that together can create physical objects from digital models. 3D scanning has found wide application in various industries for dimensional and quality control as well as for reverse engineering. The primary purpose of 3D scanning is to create accurate digital models of physical objects, which can be modified/processed in CAD/CAM software.