Advanced Coatings Platform to Drive New High Value Engineering Processes and Products
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Mechanical Engineering
Abstract
The UK engineering coatings industry is worth over £11bn and affects products worth £140bn. The vision of this project is to create internationally unique multi-purpose PVD/PECVD coatings system which will enable innovation in advanced science of future hybrid coatings. This new facility would be built on the existing Leeds coating platform capability and would create system with no similar functionality available internationally.
Using existing Leeds coating platform we can already deposit carbides, nitrides and diamond-like carbide (DLC) coatings, and we are exploiting this mainly for tribological applications with automotive, energy and lubricant companies. With this investment, we will be able to additionally process novel nanocomposite coatings, next generation of DLC coatings (with incorporated nanoparticles), advanced optical coatings and sensor coatings, carry out functionalisation of powders, barrier layers, coatings on polymers and coatings on complex shapes.
This proposal aligns with a major new initiative at the University of Leeds to create an integrated gateway to Physical Sciences and Engineering by investing in the collaborative Bragg Centre that will house new state-of-the-art research facilities for the integrated development, characterisation and exploitation of novel advanced functional materials. This proposal also coincides with Leeds University investment in the Nexus Centre - a hub for the local innovation community as well as national and international organisations looking to innovate and engage in world-leading research. The upgraded coating platform would play a strategic role in the UK Surface Engineering landscape and complement existing national facilities. It would form a part of the new Sir Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials, of which Leeds is a partner. The configuration of the new instrument is designed to be versatile and serve a wide range of internal and external users with widely different classes of advanced materials.
A number of specific activities have been planned to ensure that potential beneficiaries have the opportunity to engage with new coating facility. The economic competitiveness of the UK's manufacturing industry will benefit from new, commercially exploitable IP in novel cutting-edge Surface Engineering technology. Members of an academic community and industry will be able to benefit directly from the proposed research and generated new knowledge. They will gain new skills and know-how related to the latest advancements of PVD technologies. Improved adoption of Surface Engineering will result in wider UK PLC economic and societal impacts associated with development of functional surfaces for automotive, aerospace, biomedical, healthcare, defence, agriculture, oil & gas and packaging industries.
Using existing Leeds coating platform we can already deposit carbides, nitrides and diamond-like carbide (DLC) coatings, and we are exploiting this mainly for tribological applications with automotive, energy and lubricant companies. With this investment, we will be able to additionally process novel nanocomposite coatings, next generation of DLC coatings (with incorporated nanoparticles), advanced optical coatings and sensor coatings, carry out functionalisation of powders, barrier layers, coatings on polymers and coatings on complex shapes.
This proposal aligns with a major new initiative at the University of Leeds to create an integrated gateway to Physical Sciences and Engineering by investing in the collaborative Bragg Centre that will house new state-of-the-art research facilities for the integrated development, characterisation and exploitation of novel advanced functional materials. This proposal also coincides with Leeds University investment in the Nexus Centre - a hub for the local innovation community as well as national and international organisations looking to innovate and engage in world-leading research. The upgraded coating platform would play a strategic role in the UK Surface Engineering landscape and complement existing national facilities. It would form a part of the new Sir Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials, of which Leeds is a partner. The configuration of the new instrument is designed to be versatile and serve a wide range of internal and external users with widely different classes of advanced materials.
A number of specific activities have been planned to ensure that potential beneficiaries have the opportunity to engage with new coating facility. The economic competitiveness of the UK's manufacturing industry will benefit from new, commercially exploitable IP in novel cutting-edge Surface Engineering technology. Members of an academic community and industry will be able to benefit directly from the proposed research and generated new knowledge. They will gain new skills and know-how related to the latest advancements of PVD technologies. Improved adoption of Surface Engineering will result in wider UK PLC economic and societal impacts associated with development of functional surfaces for automotive, aerospace, biomedical, healthcare, defence, agriculture, oil & gas and packaging industries.
Planned Impact
Apart from the academic community, the UK industry would be able to benefit directly from the proposed research and generated new knowledge. They would gain new skills and know-how related to the latest advancements of PVD technologies. Our annual technical workshops will provide a unique opportunity for advanced training covering both, fundamental Surface Engineering and Tribology, and practical skills related to the latest PVD technology. Cross-sectoral mobility would be increased by development of transferable expertise.
Inclusivity of the UK industry is equally important to us as engaging academic users, hence at least 25% of the coating platform operational time (including the Experimental Officer's time) would be allocated to the industrial users using discounted rate access. The access priority would be given to maximise the quality of equipment usage, rather than trying to share it as widely as possible
Improved adoption of Surface Engineering will result in wider UK PLC economic and societal impacts associated with development of functional surfaces for automotive, aerospace, biomedical, healthcare, defence, agriculture, oil & gas and packaging industries. The UK industry needs innovative coatings and functional surfaces to enhance products performance, exploit efficient materials utilisation and adapt to changes in the business environment.
Societal benefits include improved reliability of engineering components found in many walks of life; and as a result improvements in the quality of life for recipients of surgical implants, reduced environmental pollutants in the manufacturing processes, increased fuel efficiency with lower emissions in multi-modal surface transport, and improvements in functional efficiency and inherent safety of products.
The economic competitiveness of the UK's manufacturing industry will benefit from new, commercially exploitable IP in novel cutting-edge Surface Engineering technology. Functional surfaces know-how and capability rooted in the UK will provide a wealth-generating effect, drawing new business collaborations, creating more multi-sectoral, commercial research collaborations with industry from the UK and internationally.
Inclusivity of the UK industry is equally important to us as engaging academic users, hence at least 25% of the coating platform operational time (including the Experimental Officer's time) would be allocated to the industrial users using discounted rate access. The access priority would be given to maximise the quality of equipment usage, rather than trying to share it as widely as possible
Improved adoption of Surface Engineering will result in wider UK PLC economic and societal impacts associated with development of functional surfaces for automotive, aerospace, biomedical, healthcare, defence, agriculture, oil & gas and packaging industries. The UK industry needs innovative coatings and functional surfaces to enhance products performance, exploit efficient materials utilisation and adapt to changes in the business environment.
Societal benefits include improved reliability of engineering components found in many walks of life; and as a result improvements in the quality of life for recipients of surgical implants, reduced environmental pollutants in the manufacturing processes, increased fuel efficiency with lower emissions in multi-modal surface transport, and improvements in functional efficiency and inherent safety of products.
The economic competitiveness of the UK's manufacturing industry will benefit from new, commercially exploitable IP in novel cutting-edge Surface Engineering technology. Functional surfaces know-how and capability rooted in the UK will provide a wealth-generating effect, drawing new business collaborations, creating more multi-sectoral, commercial research collaborations with industry from the UK and internationally.
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Lead Research Organisation)
- Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC (Collaboration)
- SKF (Sweden) (Collaboration)
- Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography (Collaboration)
- Cummins (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Croda (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Henry Royce Institute (Project Partner)
Publications
Xu S
(2019)
Constructing Mono-/Di-/Tri-Types of Active Sites in MoS 2 Film toward Understanding Their Electrocatalytic Activity for the Hydrogen Evolution
in ACS Applied Energy Materials
Xu N
(2022)
Probing the Tribochemical Impact on Wear Rate Dynamics of Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon via Raman-Based Profilometry.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Soltanahmadi S
(2019)
Surface Fatigue Behavior of a WC/aC:H Thin-Film and the Tribochemical Impact of Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphate.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Kang J
(2023)
Microstructure, mechanical properties, electrical resistivity, and corrosion behavior of (AlCr)x(HfMoNbZr)1-x films
in Applied Surface Science
Brittain R
(2023)
Diamond-like carbon graphene nanoplatelet nanocomposites for lubricated environments
in Carbon
Elam F
(2021)
The influence of corrosion on diamond-like carbon topography and friction at the nanoscale
in Carbon
Dangnan F
(2020)
Friction and wear of additive manufactured polymers in dry contact
in Journal of Manufacturing Processes
Xu S
(2020)
Boosting hydrogen evolution performance by using a plasma-sputtered porous monolithic W 2 C@WC 1-x /Mo film electrocatalyst
in Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Xu N
(2022)
Nano-scale coating wear measurement by introducing Raman-sensing underlayer
in Journal of Materials Science & Technology
Sharifi N
(2024)
Diamond-Like Carbon: A Surface for Extreme, High-Wear Environments.
in Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
Khan T
(2019)
Tribological response of MoS 2 coated and oxy-nitrided samples with alternative extreme pressure and anti-wear additives
in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part J: Journal of Engineering Tribology
Tobola D
(2021)
Effect of mechanical and thermochemical tool steel substrate pre-treatment on diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating durability
in Surface and Coatings Technology
Haneef M
(2024)
New nanoscale multilayer magnetron sputtered Ti-DLC/DLC coatings with improved mechanical properties
in Surface and Coatings Technology
McMaster S
(2020)
Probing fatigue resistance in multi-layer DLC coatings by micro- and nano-impact: Correlation to erosion tests
in Surface and Coatings Technology
Esfahani E
(2022)
Surface engineering of wrought and additive layer manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloy for enhanced load bearing and bio-tribocorrosion applications
in Surface and Coatings Technology
Wu G
(2022)
Understanding of fracture conditions and material response in a model TiN film/stainless steel substrate system - A cross-sectional scratch test study
in Surface and Coatings Technology
Dreva K
(2022)
The effect of temperature on water desorption and oxide formation in MoS2 coatings and its impact on tribological properties
in Surface and Coatings Technology
Brittain K
(2022)
Impact of thermal cycles on tribological properties and oxidation of MoS2 coatings
in Tribologie und Schmierungstechnik
Li X
(2023)
Carbon defect induced evolution of structural and mechanical properties in substoichiometric (HfMoNbZr)Cx films
in Tribology International
Xu N
(2024)
Coating sensing strategy for understanding the governing factors of tribofilm growth on diamond-like carbon
in Tribology International
Xu N
(2024)
Constructing wear-sensing coating system with in-service monitoring potential
in Tribology International
Description | The grant is strategic equipment upgrade to enable a national platform of next generation thin film coating technologies. In this regard the findings have been mainly to do with the enhanced capability that we can give this piece of equipment and how we can describe this as unique. It is clear now that we are able to integrate a nanoparticle source to a traditional coating deposition chamber so we are able to produce nanocomposite coatings that is not currently available elsewhere. |
Exploitation Route | We have a dissemination and commercialisation pathway through our industrial collaborators. We have global industries contributing to access the equipment through ROYCE at Leeds and other avenues. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Electronics Energy Environment Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology Transport Other |
URL | https://engineering.leeds.ac.uk/info/201538/institute_of_functional_surfaces |
Description | We have been able to provide coatings for several companies thus far and the new equipment will be exploited to increase this impact., This includes companies from the Uk and overseas. We are working hard to produce high quality papers and also to work with industries across the globe. Some examples are - CUMMINS; new low friction technologies for high temperature turbocharger applications. - FUJI; coatings for printed circuit board drills - SKF; coatings for bearings for wind turbines - Shaoye; coating for oil distribution plate in the world leading company for hydraulic systems. - A new methodology to do in-situ nanoscale wear sensing has been developed. - A UK priority filing of a composite coating arose from the grant and attracted leading bearing manufacturer's attention for new projects and commercialisation. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Electronics,Energy,Healthcare,Transport |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Description | (GreenTRIBOS) - GreenTRIBOS |
Amount | € 3,188,498 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 860246 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 12/2023 |
Description | (NU-SPINE) - Training innovative future leaders in research and development of materials and implants for the spine |
Amount | € 4,272,380 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 812765 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2019 |
End | 12/2022 |
Description | Deposition and characterisation of high corrosion resistance and high electrical insolating thin film coatings |
Amount | £97,500 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 2596034 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2021 |
End | 04/2025 |
Description | EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account Phase 3 |
Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/R511717/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2021 |
End | 03/2022 |
Description | Hierarchically metallized electrospun membrane for tendon-bone regeneration in integrated manner |
Amount | £12,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | IEC\NSFC\211182 |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2022 |
End | 03/2024 |
Description | Royce Phase 2 |
Amount | £95,000,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/X527257/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2022 |
End | 03/2027 |
Description | UKRI Impact Acceleration Account ( IAA) |
Amount | £60,265 (GBP) |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2022 |
End | 02/2023 |
Description | UKRI Impact Acceleration Account 2022-2025 |
Amount | £703,599 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2024 |
End | 05/2024 |
Description | Collaborative research with ARCNL in the Netherlands |
Organisation | Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | It is the first time we move on to the field of Nanolithography research about our materials produced by the facility this grant supports. The machine time of the facility as well as the funded Experimental Officer ensured the high quality deposition to support the concept study. |
Collaborator Contribution | At ARCNL, the starte of the art facility for corrosion at the nanoscale by the partner has been comprehensively studied for the materials we produced. |
Impact | A collaborative research paper was published in Carbon. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Research and commercialisation with SKF of composite coatings for bearing applicaitons |
Organisation | SKF |
Department | S.K.F. Engineering & Research Services B.V |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | A UK prioritity filing attracted the commericial interest of the leading bearing manufacturer for research and commercial collaborations. |
Collaborator Contribution | SKF provides its own industrial testing facility access and hosts visits. |
Impact | Patent application number 2110001.1 |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | The Advanced Propulsion Centre funding - APC24: Industrialising net-zero automotive technology |
Organisation | Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC |
Department | Jaguar Land Rover |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are part of the the UKRI/Innovate UK grant support via APC funding led by JLR. We are contributing to the work package and provide advanced coating solutions for research collaboration on the next generation EDU 'toolkit'; a modular family of electric machines, inverters and transmissions for future vehicle platforms. |
Collaborator Contribution | We are part of the the UKRI/Innovate UK grant support via APC funding led by JLR who is leading the development of the next generation of EDU 'toolkit'; a modular family of electric machines, inverters and transmissions for future vehicle platforms. There are 7 UK based business and higher education members in this consortium for this £19.8m funded project. |
Impact | early stage new research and development grant. |
Start Year | 2024 |
Title | TRIBOLOGICAL COMPOSITES |
Description | The invention relates to tribological composites comprising diamond-like carbon and carbonaceous multi-layered nanoparticulate, e.g. graphene nanoplatelets, and methods for their preparation. |
IP Reference | WO2023285799 |
Protection | Patent / Patent application |
Year Protection Granted | 2023 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | Engaged with the world largest leading bearing manufacturer towards TRL5. The patent application has now been nationalised since Jan 2024. |
Description | Royce Winter School |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | 30 UK based PhD students attended the Royce Institute at Leeds Winter School event. The PI hosted a talk on the facility related to this grant and it was well received. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Surface Engineering for Sustainable Tribological Systems |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Over 30 delegates attended the online webinar the PI organised on behalf of the IMechE Tribology Group. Feedback suggest the event was well received. https://www.imeche.org/news/news-article/surface-engineering-for-sustainable-tribological-systems-60-seconds-with-richard-palmer-swansea-university-and-shusheng-xu-chinese-academy-of-sciences |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://events.imeche.org/ViewEvent?code=SEM7234 |