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Metal-Polymer Hybrids and Coatings
Hybrid interfaces between metallic and organic or inorganic materials is finding increased focus, both from a fundamental and industrial point of view. Metal-polymer hybrid materials find increasing use in many industrial applications, where metallic parts are coated with different layers of polymer compounds, which then protect them against corrosion and at the same time give an aesthetically pleasant finished look. Furthermore, sandwiched metal-polymer structures are increasingly replacing conventional materials, since they provide far lower thermal conductivity and allow for significant weight reduction for the same mechanical properties, both aspects being of interest from an environmental point of view.
Schematic drawing of a metal-polymer interface. Metal atoms (red) and the neighbouring amorphous polymer layer (lack) are described with atomistic molecular dynamics methods. More distant polymer layers (green) are simulated in a continuum model (A. Hartmaier, D. K. Mahajan, ICAMS 2010). |
Inorganic materials can be both directly deposited on the surfaces of metals or form by oxidation of the chemical components of complex steels. Examples of the former can be anti-corrosive layers, super hard materials or materials reducing friction and wear. Examples of the latter can be the formation of a passivation layer of chromium oxides at the surface of stainless steel.
Owing to its great importance for applications, the coating process is undergoing continuous technological development with ever finer and more complex procedures. This fast progress on the application side necessitates an improvement of our basic understanding regarding underlying mechanisms of the coating processes. The need for fundamental studies of this issue also reflects itself in the strong support which the industrial partners of ICAMS have shown in recent years for a related project within ICAMS. Owing to its complex and inherent multi-scale nature, the study of polymer coatings of metallic substrates also provides the possibility to highlight the interdisciplinary character and multi-scale spirit of ICAMS.
