Research Programmes
Do you know…
- … the scientists in CEITEC will be researching what happens in the brain when a human has realized that they have made a mistake?
- … there will be nearly 800 scientists in CEITEC?
- … in CEITEC we will be researching how the brain works and why some people are motivated and others are not?
- … thanks to CEITEC most of the diagnostic methods will be cheaper, faster and more comfortable for the patients?
- … 63 research teams will be created in CEITEC?
- … there will be 7 research programmes in CEITEC?
- … there will be more than 1,000 modern instruments in CEITEC?
- … more than 31,000 m2 of new infrastructure will be built in CEITEC?
- … more than 1,500 students will use the CEITEC infrastructure per year?
- … there will be 10 shared laboratories created in CEITEC?
- … CEITEC has 6 partners?
- … work will be carried out on self-cleaning surfaces in CEITEC?
- … CEITEC will co-operate closely with the industrial sector?
- … there will also be international scientists working in CEITEC?
- … CEITEC will support the international mobility of scientists?
- … the scientists in CEITEC are developing a subdermal chip which will analyse some life functions and will inform doctors from a distance?
- … the scientists in CEITEC are working on the development of a device which will enable physiotherapy from a distance?
- … the scientists at CEITEC are working on the development of biosensors?
- … CEITEC will be created in the south-Moravian city of Brno?
Advanced Ceramic Materials
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Prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Cihlář, CSc. Research Group Leader |
Prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Cihlář, CSc.
Research Group Leader
THEMATIC RESEARCH FOCUS
RESEARCH AREAS
- Biomaterials
- Materials for energetics and ecology
- Structural materials
MAIN OBJECTIVES
Biomaterials
The development of novel composite biomaterials that can induce the growth of connective tissue on the surface of implants and therefore accelerate healing and improve the strength and biological stability of the implant-tissue connection (ceramic materials for replacement of soft and hard tissues, materials for orthopaedic devices).
Materials for energetics and ecology
The development of novel composite materials with a functionally graded structure for the improvement of the efficiency and lifetime of components and devices for energetics (conductive ceramic materials for electrodes, catalysts for the decomposition of gaseous pollutants).
Structural materials
The development of novel ceramic composites with excellent mechanical and thermal properties for structural applications (transparent ceramic materials, thermally and chemically resistant ceramic composite materials, impact-resistant ceramic composites).
CONTENT OF RESEARCH
Advanced ceramic materials
The research will be focussed on the preparation of precursors of advanced ceramic materials and composites using modern advanced methods of inorganic ceramic powder synthesis and surface or bulk modifi cations of ceramic nanoparticles. By means of application of novel ceramic shaping and sintering methods and using advanced ceramic precursors new heterogeneous, functionally graded and nanostructural ceramic materials will be developed. Characterisation of composition structure and properties of advanced ceramic materials, modelling of the structure-property-function relationships and testing of ceramic materials from the view of potential applications will be carried out. The particular research activities include:
Synthesis of ceramic powdered materials
The research of ceramic synthesis will be focussed on methods for the thermodynamically and kinetically controlled preparation of powder materials or mixtures with a defi ned chemical composition and properties (size, shape and phase composition) namely on synthesis methods producing nanoceramic powders with tailored properties. Newly developed methods based on organometallic, colloidal and surface chemistry will facilitate the precise control of the composition and surface properties of nanometric ceramic powders. This will have consequences in decreasing sintering temperatures and also in new properties of nanostructured ceramics.
Consolidation, shaping and sintering of ceramic materials
The research in the area of shaping ceramic materials will be mainly focussed on a study of concentrated ceramic suspensions and their behaviour during consolidation by methods based on liquid-solid phase transition. The development of these techniques will be oriented to materials with requested structure and dimensional accuracy. The main eff ort will be focussed on fi nding empirical and physical models describing the behaviour of concentrated suspensions during their transition to bulk nanoceramics. There is a lack of rigorous models for the quantitative prediction of the sintering behaviour of multicomponent and multiphase complex systems. The research in this area will be focussed on the development of new models so that sintering processes can be described in relation to the evolution of the microstructure as well as the chemical and phase composition of ceramic materials. These models (based e.g. on an atom’s diff usivities and the surface energy of grains) will facilitate the description of the microstructure of microstructured as well as nanostructured ceramic materials and thus tailor the properties of the fi nal products.
Physico-chemical properties of ceramic materials
The research in this area will be focussed on the study and testing of the surface properties and catalytic, photocatalytic and electrochemical properties of ceramic powdered materials, ceramic coatings, thick layers and membranes. The properties of nanostructured ceramic materials used as catalysts for chemical transformation of hydrocarbones, photocatalysts for water splitting, electroceramics for membrane reactors and solid oxide fuel cells will be studied and appropriately adjusted according to the selected application.
Electroanalytical diagnostic of materials
This research will be focussed on the study of (ceramic) materials in a low intensity AC and DC electric field using an integrated system of measuring instruments with a wide frequency range and sensitive electrometer, picoampermeter and sub-femtoampermeter. The materials (namely ceramics, polymers, and composites) will be tested by electrical and electrochemical methods (EIS, CV, LSV, DPV). The workplace for ultra-low current measurement (fA) will be used to study the kinetic properties and diff usion transport eff ects in advanced materials. Material properties will be evaluated during the course of aging by the impedance spectroscopy method in the frequency, time and temperature domain.
KEY RESEARCH EQUIPMENT
PLANNED RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
Technology Units
- Synthesis of ceramic powdered materials and films
- Laboratory for consolidation and shaping of ceramic materials
- Sintering of ceramic materials
- Physico-chemical properties of ceramic materials
- Laboratory for study of electrical properties of polymer and ceramic materials and composites (clean room and fundamental measuring)
CURRENT RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
Ceramic laboratories equipped by devices for shaping and sintering of advanced ceramic materials: ceramic injection moulding machine, double-screw ceramic extrusion machine with granulator, biaxial ceramic press, cold isostatic press, hot isostatic press (1500°C, 2000 bar), set of high temperature furnaces for sintering of ceramics in air and hydrogen atmosphere, high temperature dilatometer; equipments for particle ceramic particle analysis: size analysis, pore size analysis; equipments for rheological and electrokinetic measurements; systems for testing of catalytic properties of ceramics; complete ceramographic laboratory; equipments for ceramic particles synthesis: hydrothermal reactors, ultrasonic reactors, microwave solvothermal reactors.
MAIN PROJECTS
- Rheological behaviour of polymer melts and solutions loaded with nanoparticle fi llers (OC09040), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, 2009-2011, M. Trunec, Brno University of Technology.
- Processing and properties of ferroics and multiferroics (LD11035), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, 2011-2013, K. Maca, Brno University of Technology.
- Support of the Development of High-Quality Teams in R&D in the Field of Material Science (MATERIS) (CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0029), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, 2011-2014, E. Martincova, Brno University of Technology, J. Cihlař, Brno University of Technology.
- Building up cooperation in R&D with the Research and Industrial Partners (Research4Industry) (CZ.1.07/2.4.00/17.0006), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, 2011-2014, R. Vrba, Brno University of Technology.
- Inorganic Nanomaterials and Nanostructures: Fabrication, Characterization, Properties (MSM0021630508), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, 2005-2011, J. Cihlař, Brno University of Technology.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
- KLIMKE, J., TRUNEC, M., KRELL, A. Transparent tetragonal yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramics: Infl uence of scattering caused by birefringence. Journal of the American Ceramic Society. 2011, 94(6), p. 1850-1858.
- BARTONICKOVA, E., CIHLAR, J. Synthesis and processing of InVO4 ceramics. International Journal of Modern Physics B. 2010, 24(6-7), p. 770-779.
- BARTONICKOVA, E., WIIK, K., MACA, K., LEIN, H. L., RUDBERG, E. A. Synthesis and oxygen transport properties of La0.2Sr0.8Fe1-xTixO3 (x=0.2, 0.4) intented for syn-gas production. Journal of the European Ceramic Society. 2010, 30(2), p. 605-611.
- TRUNEC, M., CHLUP, Z. Higher fracture toughness of tetragonal zirconia ceramics through nanocrystalline structure. Scripta Materialia. 2009, 61(1), p. 56-59.
- MACA, K., POUCHLY, V., ZALUD, P. Two-step sintering of oxide ceramics with various crystal structures. Journal of the European Ceramic Society. 2009, 30(2), p. 583-589.
EUROPEAN UNION
