Multidisciplinary Center for Development of Ceramic Materials

Abstract

The Multidisciplinary Center for Development of Ceramic Materials (MCDCM) is being constructed by researchers of five different institutions: Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFSCar), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP/Araraquara), Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP/Sao Carlos), Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas (CBPF/CNPq) and Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN/Sao Paulo). The first three are public universities (UFSCar. UNESP and USP) while the other two are R&D bodies of the federal government (IPEN and CBPF). A strong and fruitful collaboration among these groups is being developed along the years. a long term process leading to this project of multidisciplinary characteristics. In fact the groups participating of this project have been formally assigned, in 1997 a Group of Excellence Grant by the Ministry of Science and Technology under the PRONEX/FINEP program. This Group of Excellence with headquarters at the Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Electrochemistry and Ceramics (LIEC/UFSCar) integrating researchers of complementary background and acting in multiple areas on a cooperative basis. is now proposing the nucleation of MCDCM, to be considered for funding by FAPESP. The LIEC group is studying processes for the synthesis of new materials in a multidisciplinary way. Tackling this subject under different approaches such as correlation between syntheses morphology and properties; microstructure control and the corresponding control of properties of materials exhibiting complex structures; development of preparation methodology to achieve new properties in ceramic materials; preparation and optimization of the relevant properties of materials presenting electric, ferroelectric, refractory, electrocatalytical and superconducting properties. The LIEC team is composed by chemists, physicists and materials scientists working in a network of laboratories, mainly in Sao Carlos and Araraquara. These laboratories are operated and maintained by the Electrochemistry Group and the Ceramics Group (Chemistry Department. UFSCar) the Superconductivity and Magnetism Group (Physics Department UFSCar) the Crystal Growth Group (Physics Institute USP) and the Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Ceramics (Chemistry Institute UNESP). The installed facilities include around US$ 5.000.000 in laboratory equipment for synthesis, processing, characterization and experimental studies including: Quantum Design SQUID Magnetometer, several Experimental Stations for magnetometry and transport measurements at low temperatures and high magnetic fields, 200 kV Analytical Transmission Microscope, 3 Scanning Electron Microscopes with analytical capabilities. X-ray diffractometer, X-ray fluorescence, Thermal Analysis Systems including Dilatometry, TG and DTA. Automatic Crystal Growth System, Laser Heater Pedestal Growth System, Czochralski and Bridgman Equipment, Cutting and Precision Polishing Machine, Hot Press and several High Temperature Furnaces. The integrated areas of these laboratories perform about 2.500 m2 including 2 class 100 clean rooms. Through the development of several projects the LIEC group has accumulated knowledge to master many fundamental aspects that are vital for construction of devices using ceramic materials. As a result from those projects it was possible to develop devices using semiconducting electrochromic optical and electrooptical properties many of which have caused a significant impact. Interaction with industries along these years has led to the manufacture of commercial products of highly aggregated value, that are being commercialized. From the academic point of view new materials with controlled properties were developed.and it was possible to understand some of the distinct aspects that have led to such properties. The scientists participating in this project have published more than 500 scientific papers. Another remarkable characteristic of the group is the ability to form and advise new professionals mainly PhDs and MScs who are presently working in several activities in and outside university. Integrated number shows that we have supervised 14 post-docs, 42 PhD and 64 MSc students, plus 148 undergraduate student projects. There are now 6 post-docs, 32 PhD•s, 21 MSc's and 54 undergraduate students currently working under supervision of the LIEC team Research results were transferred to companies leading to patents and commercial products which represent one way of interaction between LIEC and the community. Since 1983 LIEC has being developing R&D works with the steel companies of the country and industries in the ceramic sector (USIMINAS, CSN, Ceramica SAFFRAN and IBAR). In this period five MSc's and one PhD thesis were produced. LIEC is presently developing research in steel facilities with CSN and IBAR. It is also working in glass furnaces operating at 100% oxygen with White Martins. This last process diminishes environmental pollution by elimination of particulates and emission of toxic gases such as NOx and as SOx besides increasing productivity of glass manufacturing with the same energy consumption. It is thus a new technology for the strengthening of the glass industry in the country having as consequences an improvement of the final product and a decrease on environmental pollution. A series of recycling projects were jointly developed with CSN allowing the usage of internally recycled materials in the plant such as foundry sands slags from Blast Furnace and Steel Plant precipitated graphite from torpedo car pouring as well as the usage of alumina ash reject of the aluminum production process in CSN's dessulfurizing station. The industrial side of the projects will be performed jointly by the Center and the engineers of White Martins SA. IBAR and CSN in industrial units that produce glasses lining ceramics and steel LIEC has also participated on initiatives concerning the improvement of high-school teaching level promoting lectures and courses in Sao Carlos and other cities of Brazil training in refractory materials for industry technicians and participating of the creation of an Educational Cooperative - a school with activity in science in all levels. The above mentioned activities and the experience gained acting as a collaborative team have thus encouraged the LIEC group to propose the creation of a Multidisciplinary Center for Development of Ceramic Materials, an institution to formally aggregate all topics recommended by FAPESP for a prospective Center: to host and irradiate fundamental research, to provide an adequate environment to stimulate partnerships for innovative solutions and to disseminate scientific knowledge beyond university frontiers. A feature of the Center. perhaps as important as the issues it will be focusing on is the fact that this proposal is a natural sequence of what has been carried out on a regular basis, by the LIEC group. In this way the basic proposal of this study is to develop advanced ceramic materials, thin films, refractory and ceramic tiles. The basic needs of the electronic and optical-electronic industries are related to the processing of special materials compacts and with larger capability to storage and transport information for practical applications, including portable computers and sophisticated mobile telecommunications. In the same way, miniaturization of electronic circuits has been always considered for integration of ceramic devices to the electronics. One important goal in the glass and steel making industries is to use refractory inert to the corrosive environment in which these materials are produced. The research will be focused on synthesis of new ceramic phases, on processing of new ceramic and thin film materials, on control of the microstructure of these materials aiming to obtain controlled and reproducible properties. Theoretical modeling will be considered aiming the optimization of the specific properties. (AU)