Séminaire LMGP - Dr.Anders C. Wulff

Dr. Anders C. Wulff
Associate Professor, Technical University of Denmark,
Department of Energy Conversion and Storage Section for Electrofunctional Materials

Abstract
Modification of surface properties and characteristics, such as topography, crystallographic texture and microstructure, is a well-known approach to control the functionality of a material. For example, tailoring of a specific surface adhesion, roughness, corrosion protection in various environments, catalytic reactivity etc.
This presentation will give an overview of some the experimental processes that are developed and investigated at the Technical University of Denmark in order to tailor the surface of metallic/ceramic structures. A specific example is the investigations of 3D micro-profiles synthesized on metal substrates using large-scale applicable electrochemical coating and etching techniques. Such micro-profile substrates can subsequently be coated with e.g. superconducting thin films, using various vapor or solution-based techniques, in view of making ultra-strong superconducting magnets. In-situ analysis of the electrochemical processes during the surface modification and of the resulting structures are investigated using advanced characterization techniques, which include in-situ monitoring, surface probe microscopy, 3D-SEM analysis and electron backscatter diffraction imaging. Both the electrochemical processes and the material property are modelled in view of tailoring the functionality. For example, specific local electrochemical reactions are simulated using finite element modelling based on the in-situ and ex-situ analysis input parameters. The presentation will include various examples of how the micro-profile functionality can be investigated using such modelling experiments, in addition to a discussion of implementation of surface tailored materials into energy technologies.