Projects / Programmes
Engineering and bio-ceramics
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2014
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.04.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Materials science and technology |
|
| 1.04.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Chemistry |
|
| 3.02.00 |
Medical sciences |
Stomatology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.05 |
Engineering and Technology |
Materials engineering |
engineering ceramics, bio-ceramic materials, composites, ceramic technologies, synthesis and microstructure, nanostructured materials, mechanical properties
Researchers (18)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
The research program involves basic and applied research to support the development of high-performance engineering ceramic materials and the technologies for their production. The materials included in the research are from both oxide and non-oxide classes. Alumina-, mulitte-, zirconia-, Si3N4-, SiC- and AlN-based ceramics are all well-known materials; however, their potential has not been fully exploited. Also included are new, multifunctional ceramic composites, which will arise from new innovative production technologies and for which the properties and potentials are not yet known. The study of the relations between composition, structure and microstructure of these materials, on the one hand, and their intrinsic properties on the other, still remain the centre of our basic research. The applied research is aimed at physical phenomena and chemical reactions that are important for the development of new technologies used to produce ceramic parts with the desired combination of mechanical, chemical and thermal properties and at the mechanisms that lead to material degradation during operation. The development part of the programme is oriented towards possible new applications of engineering ceramics, especially in medicine, in the development of new and/or cheaper materials with the desired properties and in the development of alternative, economic and environmentally friendly ceramic technologies. The research programme contains three major parts, which interlace with, and complement each other, but the common goal is the development of reliable, high-performance engineering ceramic materials and products for a variety of structural, functional and bio-medical applications.
Significance for science
In the frame of the research program basic and applicative knowledge from the field of material science that is one of the preferential areas in every industrially developed country, were developed and expanded. The research topics are uptodate and are included into the tendencies of the development of uptodate engineering and bioceramics all over the world. The results contribute to better understanding of the properties of these materials and their degradation. The study of the relations between composition, structure and microstructure of such ceramic materials and their intrinsical properties created new knowledge needed for the design of new materials with improved efficiency and reliability. The research in the support of ceramic technologies contributed to better understanding and mastering of the critical phases of the production processes. The results, however, are not useful only for the engineering ceramics but have wider area of application. The principles established during the study of the dispersing of the ceramic particles in liquids are general and can be applied to all ceramic suspensions including the suspensions of nanoparticles. The characteristic dominant populations of defects that originate from the processing of ceramics determine not only mechanical but also other functional properties (electrical, magnetic, optical etc.) The results were published in scientific journals with high impact factor, besides they were presented at numerous international and national scientific conferences and foreign universities.
Significance for the country
The applicative and development part of the program was aimed at searching for new possible applications of the engineering ceramics, especially in medicine, into development of new and/or cheaper materials with desired properties and into development of alternative, economical and environmentally friendly ceramic technologies. Part of this program was prepared in cooperation with the experts from the industry that also actively participated in its execution, and part of the created knowledge was succesfully transferred into practice and patented. The program group also contributed to the technological development of Slovenia with the dissemination of knowledge in the form of counseling, literature surveys of potentially interesting areas, help in the solving technological problems in the production, cooperation in smaller or larger development projects and help with introduction of new products and technologies, specialization of the researchers from the industry and lectures for technical staff, pedagogical activity in undergraduate and graduate studies and mentoring diplomas and doctoral thesis. With all this it contributed to better education of students of natural and technical sciences. With the expansion of the research to the field of bioceramics new uptodate topic was introduced in Slovenian research area. Closer cooperation of experts from the field of material science with the experts from the field of medicine on bioceramics enriched the educational programs and courses on technics as well as medicine. Active cooperation of industrial partners and endusers in the research of the materials for hightech and biomedicine applications contributed to the rise of technical level and awareness of public on the importance of the research for the environment and the society we live in. Nevertheless, the recognizability of the research group and its industrial partners contributed to consolidation of national identity.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
