The continuously increasing need for more efficient, reliable, cheaper and clean industrial and civilian applications requires materials to work in chemical, temperature and mechanical conditions of increased severity. Harnessing surfaces to improve materials performance by applying protective and multifunctional thin films and coatings of systems based on ceramic oxides, nitrides, and carbides, ceramic/metal combinations and diamond-like carbons, or by other surface modification techniques, are forefront technologies to achieve these goals with applications in e.g. the power, automotive, aerospace, mechanical, building and chemical industry, medical implants, electronics, decorative uses, etc.

This symposium will address experimental, theoretical and manufacturing issues associated with cutting edge research on advanced deposition techniques, low dimensionality structures such as heterostructures, nanocomposites, and multilayers/superlattices, growth and surface modification processes, nano-scale phenomena, interface issues, new theory, modelling strategies and refined characterisation tools aimed at obtaining surfaces with enhanced properties and/or novel multifunctionality to meet ongoing requirements and future challenges.

Focus will be on:

• Advances in deposition and surface modification techniques: CVD/PVD (activated reactive evaporation, ion enhanced pulsed laser deposition, plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition, highly ionised sputter deposition, hybrid CVD/sputtering techniques, etc.); thermal spraying (arc, flame, plasma, HVOF, laser, cold and kinetic spraying); sol-gel and organometallic precursors coating, self-assembly, electrophoresis.; ion beam, laser and electron-beam surface processing, thermochemical treatments, etc.
• Refined characterisation and properties at meso- to nanoscale of thin films and coatings including chemistry, microstructure, void content, morphology, elastic modulus, toughness, hardness, friction, lubrication, wear, erosion, corrosion, load-bearing capacity, residual stresses, chemical and electrical properties etc.
• Protective coatings aimed at improving the high-temperature thermal, chemical and physical degradation of materials in both oxidising and harsh environments such as in gas and steam turbo machinery, diesel engines, chemical/petrochemical processes, coal gasification plants, fuel cells, metal casting, etc.
• Thermal barrier coatings apt to increase the operating temperature of static and dynamic components in advanced gas turbines and in a number of other high temperature applications capable to withstand severe thermo-mechanical stresses eventually coupled with erosive and corrosive environments.
• State-of-the-art nanostructured and nanocomposite multifunctional thin films and coatings with simultaneous high hardness and toughness, controlled friction and adequate thermal and chemical stability for use in e.g. cutting tool and machining, medical devices, electronic displays, hard disks, optical coatings and smart coatings (self-cleaning, anti- microbial, anti-smog, catalytic, etc.).

Session Topics

CG-1 Advances in deposition, surface modification and characterisation techniques

CG-2 High temperature protective coatings in oxidising and harsh environments

CG-3 Thermal barrier coatings

CG-4 Thin films and coatings for tribological and multifunctional applications

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