Forensic analysis of weathered organic coatings to understand mechanisms of degradation

Tata Steel Europe (TSE) is the second largest producer of pre-painted steel in Europe. To maintain this position, the organisation is constantly trying to improve the current product range, either through the development of best in class coatings for the construction industry, improved offerings in service or through added functionality. As Tata's premium coated products can offer maintenance free warranties of up to 40 years it is essential that the performance under different climatic conditions are fully understood to support product guarantees, being new colour ranges to new markets and new climates and new product development for the next generation of painted steel coatings. To achieve this, the modes of degradation and failure must be well understood within these different environments. Once these have been identified, techniques for assessing the coatings' performance in a non-destructive manner will be developed, enabling new products to be established.

The Research Engineer will:

- Support product development with data and advice as to coatings performance, colour performance and associated product guarantee durations.

- Investigate materials that have been degraded through external or accelerated testing. Many of these samples have been exposed for a minimum of 5 years.

- Working collaboratively with TATA Steel Colors' key paint systems, and using techniques such as Ultra-Violet, attenuated Total Reflection, Fourier Transform Infra-Red and Raman spectroscopy, determine the mechanism and rates of organic coating degradation and erosion.

- Gain an understanding of how different climatic conditions and different colours affect the coating characteristics using through-depth profile and surface analysis.

- Develop non-destructive techniques to assess performance of weathered samples, such as colour, gloss, blister formation and creep measurements.

- Provide data and recommendations to TATA Steel Colors, on use of product ranges and colour ranges in different climates and markets. For newly developed products, provide supporting data and recommendations of predicted performance.

The CDT will produce 50 graduates with doctoral level knowledge and research skills focussed on the development and manufacture of functional industrial coatings. Key impact areas are:

Knowledge
- The development of new products and processes to address real scientific challenges existing in industry and to transfer this knowledge into partnering companies. The CDT will enable rapid knowledge transfer between academia and industry due to the co-created projects and co-supervision.
- The creation of knowledge sharing network for partner companies created by the environment of the CDT.
- On average 2-3 publications per RE. Publications in high impact factor journals. The scientific scope of the CDT comprises a mixture of interdisciplinary areas and as such a breadth of knowledge can be generated through the CDT. Examples would include Photovoltaic coatings - Journal of Materials Chemistry A (IF 8.867) and Anti-corrosion Coatings - Corrosion Science (IF 5.245), Progress in Organic Coatings (IF 2.903)
- REs will disseminate knowledge at leading conferences e.g. Materials Research Society (MRS), Meetings of the Electrochemical Society, and through trade associations and Institutes representing the coatings sector.
- A bespoke training package on the formulation, function, use, degradation and end of life that will embed the latest research and will be available to industry partners for employees to attend as CPD and for other PGRs demonstrating added value from the CDT environment.

Wealth Creation
- Value added products and processes created through the CDT will generate benefits for Industrial partners and supply chains helping to build a productive nation.
- Employment of graduates into industry will transfer their knowledge and skills into businesses enabling innovation within these companies.
- Swansea University will support potential spin out companies where appropriate through its dedicated EU funded commercialisation project, Agor IP.

Environment and society
- Functionalised surfaces can potentially improve human health through anti-microbial surfaces for health care infrastructure and treatment of water using photocatalytic coatings.
- Functionalised energy generation coatings will contribute towards national strategies regarding clean and secure energy.
- Responsible research and innovation is an overarching theme of the CDT with materials sustainability, ethics, energy and end of life considered throughout the development of new coatings and processes. Thus, REs will be trained to approach all future problems with this mind set.
- Outreach is a critical element of the training programme (for example, a module delivered by the Ri on public engagement) and our REs will have skills that enable the dissemination of their knowledge to wide audiences thus generating interest in science and engineering and the benefits that investments can bring.

People
- Highly employable doctoral gradates with a holistic knowledge of functional coatings manufacture who can make an immediate impact in industry or academia.
- The REs will have transferable skills that are pertinent across multiple sectors.
- The CDT will develop ethically aware engineers with sustainability embed throughout their training
- The promotion of equality, diversity and inclusivity within our cohorts through CDT and University wide initiatives.
- The development of alumni networks to grow new opportunities for our CDT and provide REs with mentors.