Material Systems for Demanding Environments

Structural materials are increasingly exposed to high temperatures, stresses and chemically aggressive environments requiring new material system solutions and greater certainties in component life predictions. Progress in this area will enable new power generation concepts, dramatic improvements in efficiencies and reduction in waste leading to an overall reduction in emissions.

Material Systems for Demanding Environments focuses on developing novel coating solutions for a range of different sectors including coated light  materials solutions for electrification, coating against hydrogen pick-up, and coating for extending temperature capabilities. This development is underpinned by developing new understanding of material ageing through environmentally relevant testing and characterisation and the integration of mechanistic modelling contributing to Materials 4.0.

To facilitate and support the accelerated development of bespoke structural material systems solutions for resource-efficient, zero-carbon, digitalised and agile UK manufacturing, through:

• Materials 4.0 (e.g. digital twin) for rapid material system development and intelligent processing.
• Reducing design conservatism leading to waste and operative inefficiencies through more accurate life predictions.
• Developing new structural material systems for a hydrogen economy and electrification.
• Delivering material systems for operating temperatures beyond 1000ºC.

Our capability on coating in conjunction with state-of-the-art testing and characterisation provides a path for innovation of new structural material systems (TRLs 1-4), priming for translation through to the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network and other organisations. Strong links with industry will form cross-sector activities on material ageing providing input to industry for developing physically informed lifting models.