E Lightweight Materials
Description / Outline
Lighter, stronger, and safer materials
Advanced materials (ceramics, metals, polymers) with a combination
of low density and high strength thanks to their novel cellular or
layered microstructure
Research Area E Engineering of Lightweight Materials focuses on
improving the properties of load-bearing materials by introduction of
two types of new microstructures. The properties in question are e.g.
weight, tensile strength, creep strength, toughness.
- Cellular
Structures: Such microstructures have been used in metals, ceramics,
and polymers for several years in order to reduce weight, to increase
strength and stiffness, or to enhance energy absorption and damping
capability. Traditionally, cell sizes are fairly large and the cell size
distribution is rather heterogeneous. New technologies are being
developed in Research Area E that are able to reduce the cell size
significantly. Apart from finer cell sizes completely new cell
architectures are investigated as in auxetic foams (cell geometries that
lead to negative Poisson’s ratio) and hierarchical foams (cellular
primary skeleton filled with secondary microcellular foam).
- Layered
Materials: In this novel approach, bulk material is being fabricated
from very thin layers. Typical layer thickness is 10 µm or less.
Depending on the fabrication process, the grain sizes in such materials
can be extremely small with ensuing positive effects on strength and
ductility. The approach can also be used to fabricate composites with
superior strength and stiffness. At the moment the focus lies on
accumulated roll bonding as a way to fabricate layered materials.
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