Activities
SERVICE ACTIVITIES OF LAMAR LABORATORY
As a part of the Central Scientific Research Laboratory (CSRL - UCTM - Sofia), the Laboratory is specialized in the execution of various types of analysis, including the determination of the surface properties and performance, like: hydrophobicity, color parameters, resistance in model corrosive media, etc. The last characteristics can be defined by various electrochemical methods. This approach enables determination of the barrier ability of various protective layers by short term comparative measurements, or as durability by systematical measurements during long term exposure to the model corrosive medium.
More detailed information can be found in the rest headings of the present web-site.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ACTIVITIES OF LAMAR LABORATORY:
The main targets of the Laboratory for Advanced Materials Research (LAMAR) is to develop and participate in national and international research projects related to the development of advanced materials, able to possess specific combinations of properties.The main fields of the research activities are related to: (i) reliable corrosion protection coatings for structural materials and in particular- aviation alloys, (ii) sensors for environmental monitoring, as well as (iii) ceramic materials for alternative energy sources. These priority areas are imposed by current trends in the global scientific and industrial communities.
Namely, because the efficient and environmentally friendly industrial production of advanced materials is the main task that unites the scientific and industrial engineers’ communities with representatives of the industrial sector, the aim of the Laboratory is precisely the development of alternative, reliable and efficient methods and their subsequent optimization for the development of industrial products with improved qualities.
In this aspect, the main priority is the optimization of processes constituting industrial production through (i) a literature analysis of the state-of-arts related to the development of new materials, (ii) their characterization through a systematic analysis of their characteristics, and (iii) actively seeking approaches for optimization of their production through different methods and the respective production regimes.
All these activities correlate with the current trends related to the sustainable development of a society based on the so-called "circle economy", based on industry related to waste-utilization technology, recycling of materials and reduction of pollutant emissions, associated with production processes and the use of energy sources for their realization.
The organization of the research activities related to the realization of the main mission of the Laboratory is based on the analysis of the interrelations between the and the synthesis and processing methods and regimes and the resulting characteristics of the respective products, their composition, structures, forms and properties, which predetermine their behavior in real exploitation conditions.
Especially, in the field of the corrosion protection, the Laboratory has participated in the successful development of multi-layer protective coating systems, capable of passive (forming dense layers with good adhesion to the protected metal) and active (protecting the metal, even after any integrity disruption) corrosion protection.
As a result of the collaborative activities with the Leibniz Institute for New Materials, (Germany), hybrid, Nano-composite coatings filled with cerium corrosion inhibitors have been successfully developed. Further, the research activities were pointed to elaboration of Cerium Conversion Coatings (CeCC) and Anodized Aluminum Oxide (AAO) primer layers for protection of AA2024 aviation alloy and AA1050 low doped aluminum.
The anodization of aluminum and other metals for obtaining of high ordered Anodized Alumina Oxide (AAO) layers is one of the main fields of research for the laboratory. The main objectives of the research activities, related to the preliminary surface treatments is the correlation between the applied process conditions and the resulting AAO pores morphology and ordering (e.g. pores depth and diameter, average distance between neighboring pores, etc.). Further, successful incorporations of other metals, like: Ag, Ni, Bi, Co, Fe, Pt, Pd, Sn, Zn, and even metallic mixtures were already performed in LAMAR. Considering the self-assembling capabilities of AAOs during their formation.
Another main focus of the Laboratory is related to the elaboration of functional layers for sensor elements using the sol-gel technology. In view of the specific use of these elements, the main object of evaluation were the characteristics of the electrical response of the samples obtained in cooperation with the Technical University of Gabrovo.
As a result, various silicate and titanate formulations modified with cerium and bismuth have been developed and tested which possess extended the sensitivity of the sensing elements obtained.
Special attention is also devoted to the development of materials for solid-oxide cells, in cooperation with ECN - the Netherlands, and to their durability under real operating conditions, up to 3000 hours in temperature regime between 700 and 900 ° C and hydrogen supply with a certain moisture content.
As main result, ceramic cathodic materials based on La2–xSrxCuO4-δ and Nd2–xSrxNiO4-δ as well as anode materials based on La1 – xSrxTiO3 were proposed and developed.
The laboratory has experience in optimizing production in ceramic technology, including the development of ceramic materials based on recycling and the development of exterior solar-element tiles capable of generating electricity at the expense of sunlight. Joint papers have been published with work-teams from “Jaume the First” University, Castellon - Spain.