Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

The purpose of the MéLiMo Project is to develop coatings to protect metal surfaces from liquid metals thereby eliminating their wetting. More specifically, MéLiMo will focus on making surfaces resistant to liquid aluminum. MéLiMo is a TRL 1-3 (Technology Readiness Level) presented within the scope of a collaborative research grant application by the Université de Sherbrooke and the NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council) with support from the CQRDA (Centre québécois de recherche et de développement de l'aluminium), METAL7 and Aluminerie Alouette. The expertise of the Université de Sherbrooke research scientists in the field of material synthesis is crucial, particularly in the combinatorial synthesis of new coating compositions and anti-wetting textures. The Université de Sherbrooke's Plasma Engineering Laboratory can generate nearly 225 new compositions per day using induction plasma technology combined with suspension synthesis technology (invented by Professor Gitzhofer); composition and multi-step analysis techniques are adapted to the large number of samples produced. This synthesis techniques use precursors (powders, liquids or gases or mixtures such as suspensions) which can react and allow new compositions to be deposited. For the synthesis of new compositions, suspensions will be used, with ethanol and glycerol as carrier liquids for oxides, and nitrogen or boron-based liquids for nitrides and borides. A patent application was recently filed for using these special liquids to make borides and nitrides from suspensions. As for composite coatings, they can be designed by changing the size and composition of the suspension precursors during the suspension projections and also by adding to the existing process a DC plasma spraying gun.