The Institute of Materials Engineering is a dynamically operating research unit in the field of materials science and materials engineering. The research tasks are of an interdisciplinary nature and cover issues in the field of solid-state physics, material science, physicochemistry of materials and technologies of their production and processing. The distinguishing feature of the research carried out by the Institute in the area of material engineering is the exploration of correlation between properties and structure of matter at the nano and micro levels.
The most important research areas of the Institute include advanced multifunctional materials for modern technology applications (e.g. liquid crystals, monocrystals, ceramics, nanomaterials, amorphous systems, composites, alloys with shape memory), modern biomaterials for human and veterinary medicine, advanced engineering construction materials (e.g. for tribological, aerospace applications and materials with increased corrosion resistance), materials for obtaining and storing clean energy.
Research on modern materials for technical applications covers several groups of innovative structural, functional and multifunctional materials. Strongly developed groups of engineering materials include intelligent materials, mono-crystals, ceramic composites and ceramic materials with multifunctional properties (e.g.: electroceramic materials with piezo, pyro-, and ferroelectric properties based on multi-component electroceramics), liquid crystal materials, materials with shape memory. The research concerns also methods of enrichment and protection of surface layers of engineering materials (including hybrid systems). The institute’s researchers also deal with the synthesis and characterization of functional polymeric materials from the group of electroactive polymers such as polypirol, polyaniline and polyophylene with derivatives and hydrogel materials used in contactology, as well as production of materials for rapid 3D prototyping of implants with biostatic coatings and innovative materials for metabolomic applications (non-invasive diagnostics of lung and respiratory diseases).
The interdisciplinary nature of the research conducted so far has shown the possibility of transferring the acquired knowledge to the area of nanomaterials, including nanomedicine.
Apart from cognitive aspects, the research conducted at the Institute is also of an application nature. The result of the research conducted in recent years is several dozen patents, patent applications and utility models. Many patents were the basis for implementations and several major patents were awarded. The Institute also implements projects financed by the Polish National Science Centre. The research groups of the Institute widely cooperate with the business environment. Joint projects of application nature are regularly carried out.
The Institute has specialist laboratories equipped with high quality research equipment and measuring stands, distinguishing itself from other research units in Poland operating in the field of materials engineering.
Contact person at the Institute of Materials Engineering for international cooperation:
dr Magdalena Szklarska
tel: 32 3497524
email: magdalena.szklarska@us.edu.pl
Offer
Topic description:
Massive superconducting ceramics from the group of cuprates are produced by melt texturing. The experimental work includes: powder synthesis of yttrium cuprates, shaping into solid bodies and the melt texturing process. The superconducting monoliths should have a cylindrical shape and remain mechanically stable. The massive superconductors can be used as permanent magnets. The aim of this work is made to achieve a state of technology that is standard in some laboratories worldwide. To the investigations, different chemical and physical methods are used to determine i.e. the oxygen content, copper ion value, phase composition, texture and microstructure of the ceramic superconductor. The quality of the superconducting solid samples is tested by the levitation test. Obtained results, i.e. prepared materials or demonstrators could be used for academic researching and students classes.
Offer of a specific research projects conducted in the Institute of Materials Engineering:
Research group: Electroceramics with optical properties
Leader: prof. dr hab. inż. Julian Plewa
e-mail: julian.plewa@us.edu.pl
Topic description:
The phosphors with the emission in the IR range are currently in demand as interesting materials for medical applications. As the IR radiation passes through the tissue, new ideas come up to build some systems that could be used for diagnostic applications. Research is carried out in order to devices that use IR radiation for diagnostic purposes During studies some oxide systems will be tested as host materials for the IR phosphors, and both 4d metals and rare earth metals will used as activators. To the synthesis of pure powder, some special preparation methods are used and lead to get selected combination of host and activators. Obtained materials will show an IR emission with the selected excitations.
Offer of a specific research projects conducted in the Institute of Materials Engineering:
Research group: Electroceramics with optical properties
Leader: prof. dr hab. inż. Julian Plewa
e-mail: julian.plewa@us.edu.pl
Topic description:
The aim of this project is to produce modified ferroelectric ceramics, which is sintered as a sandwich, built from two or more units. The individual ceramic components layer should have different chemical compositions. To the investigations materials with ferroelectric (dielectric, piezoelectric) properties will use, which can emit in the visible range, due to the doping with the rare earth ions. In the first step, ceramic powder of each compositions are synthesized, which be subsequently converted to the ceramics plates and in last should be sintered together to form of electro-ceramic materials. It is desirable to obtain the sandwich ceramics as translucent elements. For this reasons, as a host materials the complex oxides with the structure of perovskites will used, i.e. titanates, titanium zirconates, copper titanates, although they have a light pastel powder color, but provide a possibility for the incorporation of activators (from the group of rare earth metals). Such ferroelectric-optical sandwich ceramics find application i.e. as demonstrators for the signal conversion.
Offer of a specific research projects conducted in the Institute of Materials Engineering:
Research group: Electroceramics with optical properties
Leader: prof. dr hab. inż. Julian Plewa
e-mail: julian.plewa@us.edu.pl
Topic description:
The work involves synthesis and study of electroactive materials to obtain stable polymer layers characterized by morphological order, containing selected pharmaceutically active compounds (PAC). They will provide efficient intelligent platforms for the controlled release of these substances. Research will also be conducted to determine the possibility of using the produced materials in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. The experimental part as well as scope of conducted research is verified by the collaborating partners with scientific background in the field of neurology.
Research group: Group of Polymer Functional Materials
Leader: dr eng. Sylwia Golba (dr eng. Justyna Jurek-Suliga)
e-mail: sylwia.golba@us.edu.pl (justyna.jurek-suliga@us.edu.pl)
Topic description:
The subject of this research is strictly related to the scientific activity that determines the development of nanotechnology, for which knowledge of physical phenomena occurring in the localized stress fields is important. The project involves experimental research and theoretical modelling aimed at revealing the mechanism of the “elastic-plastic transition”, i.e. the interruption of the reversible elastic deformation pathway and transformation of the material into a plastic state. The elastic-plastic transition is often explained by nucleation of dislocations but the case of semiconductor crystals is more complex as understanding of their nanoscale plasticity requires consideration of phase transformations. Peculiarities of plastic deformation of dislocation-free Si and GaAs crystals elicit questions about the phenomenon responsible for elastic-plastic transition of other widely used semiconductors. The experimental studies of the “elastic-plastic transition” will be carried out using various methods of studying the structure of materials including nano-indentation, TEM and SEM. They will be complemented by theoretical research (modelling) using quantum “ab initio” and classical molecular dynamics methods.
Research group: Group of Semiconducting Materials
Leader: dr hab. Dariusz Chrobak, prof. UŚ
e-mail: dariusz.chrobak@us.edu.pl
Scientific area: mechanical properties of semiconductors, simulations of materials properties
Topic description:
The work includes a technological process and comprehensive measurements of ceramic materials with functional properties. Refers to the design and production of new ceramic materials with improved electrophysical parameters in electronics, microelectronics and related applications. In the technological process, in addition to classic and already well-proven technologies, it is possible to use innovative methods of synthesis and sintering of ceramic powders. Research topics mainly concern the analysis of microstructural, electrical, pyroelectric and piezoelectric properties of ceramic materials. The experimental part and the scope of conducted research is provided by years of experience of the ceramics group in the control of synthesis and microstructure of ceramic materials with functional properties (ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics and multiferroics) and ceramic-polymer composites.
Research group 1: Functional liquid crystal and ceramic materials with perovskite, Aurivillius and Dion Jacobson structure
Leader: dr hab. Małgorzata Adamczyk-Habrajska prof. UŚ
e-mail: malgorzata.adamczyk-habrajska@us.edu.pl
Research group 2: Ceramic Materials with Functional Properties
Leader: dr hab. Dariusz Bochenek prof. UŚ
e-mail: dariusz.bochenek@us.edu.pl