Projects and grants

Comprehensive evaluation of the influence of production and processing technologies and degradation mechanisms on the properties of structural materials

SP2026/053

The project will address the following research topics: 1. Study of the relationship between production and processing processes and technological properties of structural materials, including the possibilities of their recycling; 2. Microstructural changes in structural materials and their influence on the resulting properties; 3. Reduction of the service life of materials due to degradation mechanisms. Research activities will be carried out at the workplaces of the Department of Materials Engineering and Recycling. The composition of the research teams and the involvement of individual members are specified in detail in the project appendix. The common denominator of all research areas is the study of the relationship between the microstructure and the useful properties of materials, depending on the applied production and processing processes and the conditions of their subsequent operational load. Optical and electron microscopy methods will be used to characterize the microstructure, while the obtained microstructural parameters will be correlated mainly with mechanical, corrosion and technological properties. Individual researchers from the ranks of academic staff and doctoral students will participate in several research activities and are currently already working closely together. An integral part of the successful implementation of the project is also the active involvement of students of the follow-up master's degree program, who will thus gain valuable and practically oriented experience with scientific research activities. In order to increase the safety, operational reliability and service life of energy equipment, it is necessary to study in detail the influence of technological parameters of welding, especially preheating temperature, on the microstructural development of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of heterogeneous welded joints. Inappropriately selected preheating conditions can lead to the formation of undesirable microstructures, which will be manifested by significant changes in hardness and local mechanical properties, and thus an increased risk of defects during operation at elevated temperatures. Systematic monitoring of the relationship between preheating temperature, microstructure and HAZ hardness will enable the prediction of the behavior of welded joints in critical operating conditions and will contribute to the optimization of welding procedures. Due to the wide application of welding in the energy sector and other industrial sectors, this issue is also given increased attention in student theses, both from the point of view of the technological implementation of welding and from the point of view of the material behavior of heterogeneous joints. With regard to the ever-expanding industrial use of additive manufacturing of metal components using the selective laser melting (SLM) method, it is necessary to evaluate in detail the influence of subsequent heat treatment on the properties of the materials prepared in this way. Materials produced using the SLM method are characterized by a specific, often metastable microstructure, which is sensitive not only to the choice of heat treatment mode, but also to the action of degradation mechanisms, including hydrogen embrittlement. Therefore, the project will also include detailed analyses of the relationships between heat treatment conditions, microstructure and the resulting mechanical properties of the alloy of materials prepared in this way, and at the same time assess their sensitivity to their degradation. The knowledge gained will allow a better understanding of the behavior of 3D printed materials in environments with different aggressive environments and will contribute to the optimization of post-processing of additively manufactured parts for their safe and reliable use in demanding operating conditions. In connection with current research directions in the field of advanced metallic materials, attention will be focused on the interaction of hydrogen with titanium alloys and the possibilities of controlled influence of their properties through surface and structural engineering. Special emphasis will be placed on electrochemical surface treatment of Ti6Al4V alloy, which can significantly affect the surface condition, microstructure of subsurface layers and the resulting mechanical and corrosion properties of the material, including its behavior in an environment with the presence of hydrogen. At the same time, the influence of hydrogen as a stabilizer of the β phase on the formability of titanium alloys will be studied, while microstructural changes and their impact on the deformation behavior of the material will be evaluated. The aim is to comprehensively assess the relationship between electrochemical processing, interaction with hydrogen, microstructure and the resulting utility properties of titanium alloys with potential application in energy and technologically demanding applications. In accordance with the project's goal of linking modern manufacturing technologies with the resulting material and technological properties, the research activity will focus on the use of additive manufacturing in the processing of selected waste materials. Attention will be paid to the possibilities of their preparation and modification for 3D printing of components intended for high-temperature applications, including the assessment of processability, microstructural development and stability of materials at elevated temperatures. The solution will also include an analysis of the influence of the production parameters of the additive process on the resulting mechanical and thermo-physical properties of the printed parts with the aim of assessing their potential for technical yuse and contribute to the development of sustainable production approaches. In line with the principles of the circular economy, which are an integral part of strategic documents in the field of science and research, the project will also focus on the issue of secondary waste utilization based on stable and non-toxic insulating materials. This part of the research will focus primarily on methods for separating mineral insulating fibers from other waste components and on their further processing as valuable secondary raw materials. In line with the requirements for stable and reliable functional properties of ceramic posistors, attention will be focused on optimizing the sintering process with the aim of controlling their microstructure and electrical characteristics. The influence of the sintering curve, in particular the heating rate, the maximum temperature holding time and the cooling method, on the development of grain size, porosity and homogeneity of the structure will be studied. The aim will be to analyze the relationship between sintering parameters, microstructure and the resulting functional properties of posistors, in particular the stability of the resistance characteristic and long-term operational reliability. Given the high demands on safety, reliability and long-term service life of components of the primary circuit of nuclear power plants, it is necessary to evaluate their local mechanical properties in detail. Attention will be focused on the use of instrumented indentation as a method enabling the determination of strength characteristics with high spatial resolution, even in areas with limited sample availability. The aim of the work is to analyse the relationship between the measured indentation parameters, the microstructure of the material and its strength properties, and to assess the influence of operating loads and degradation processes on the behaviour of critical components of the primary circuit. Given the high requirements for mechanical properties and operational reliability of rail steels, attention will be focused on studying the influence of the cooling intensity during heat treatment on the microstructural development and the resulting hardness of the material. Special emphasis will be placed on the relationship between the interlamellar distance of pearlite and the achieved mechanical properties, since this microstructural characteristic fundamentally affects the resistance of rails to wear and fatigue. The aim of the work is to analyse the dependence between cooling conditions, the formation of the pearlitic structure and the resulting hardness of rails in order to contribute to the optimisation of technological processes for the production and heat treatment of rail materials. Due to the wide use of boron steels of the 23MnB3 type in structural and safety applications, attention will be focused on studying the influence of the initial austenitic grain size and the degree of cold deformation on the microstructural development during the hardening process. These parameters fundamentally affect the course of phase transformations, especially the formation of the martensitic structure, and thus the resulting mechanical properties of the material. The aim of the work is to analyze the relationship between the previous forming treatment, austenitization conditions, microstructure after hardening and the achieved strength characteristics, with the aim of contributing to the optimization of technological processes for processing this steel. All topics addressed, as well as the topics of diploma theses that are closely related to the solution of the project, are in accordance with the Strategic Plan of the FMT VŠB-TUO for the period 2021-2027. Some of the above-mentioned topics are also addressed with partners from practice, such as Třinecké železárny a.s., ČEZ a.s., Medin a.s., VÚHŽ Dobrá, etc. The project is designed to systematically involve students of the following master's and doctoral studies, especially in the framework of experimental activities directly related to the processing of their diploma and dissertation theses. Their participation will include comprehensive preparation of material samples, implementation of measurements and evaluation of experimental data, including interpretation of the obtained results in a broader materials engineering context. For the experimental part of the project, the technical and instrumental background of the Department of Materials Engineering and Recycling will be fully utilized, especially in the areas of metallographic preparation, light microscopy and advanced digital image analysis. Detailed characterization of the microstructure will be carried out in electron microscopy laboratories using scanning and transmission electron microscopes, supplemented by analytical and diffraction methods, such as energy dispersive ren x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), including specialized equipment designed for the preparation of thin and purposefully oriented preparations. The evaluation of the corrosion behavior of modern technical materials, including their sensitivity to hydrogen damage, will be carried out within the specialized laboratory facilities for corrosion tests. Corrosion resistance will be assessed using electrochemical methods in environments simulating localized forms of corrosion, while attention will also be paid to determining the degree of structural sensitization in heat-affected areas of weld joints using the EPR-DL method. The susceptibility of materials to hydrogen embrittlement will be evaluated using low-strain-rate stress tests (SSRT), while hydrogen transport properties will be analyzed using permeation techniques. The implementation of the project will lead to a systematic improvement in the quality of teaching and at the same time support the development of professional competencies of both students and academic staff in the field of characterization of the structure and properties of modern material systems. Significant attention will be paid to the critical evaluation and interpretation of experimental results, which will be presented in the form of professional publications in internationally recognized impact journals and in the proceedings of prestigious scientific conferences. The direct involvement of students of the follow-up master's degree in the project will be reflected in the increase in the professional level of their qualification theses and will also contribute to strengthening the professional reputation of the faculty. At the same time, it is assumed that the experience gained in the SGS project will be a motivational impulse for students to continue their studies in doctoral study programs. The concept of the proposed project is partly based on proven methodological approaches and results achieved in previous SGS projects, which it builds on in a further developing manner.

2026

2026

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports

SGS

Specifický výzkum VŠB-TUO

Hlinka Josef Ing., PhD.