Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

This Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) application is for a vacuum/inert atmosphere sintering furnace, with graphite elements, that has a maximum operating temperature of 2,950°C. The requested equipment will be capable of processing a wide variety of advanced materials, in support of several major industrially oriented research programmes, including ongoing NSERC CRD, APC, and Discovery grants, a Springboard Innovation grant, as well as a major Boeing-funded research contract. This furnace system will operate initially in support of the following projects: (i) development and characterisation of high performance ceramic-metal composites (or cermets) for aerospace and petrochemical applications, (ii) processing of TiAl intermetallic powders and components for the automotive industry, (iii) improving the hardness and wear resistance of Ti- and Fe-alloy components through surface boriding, and (iv) development and characterisation of novel carbon and graphite foams, derived from renewable bio-resources. The specified equipment is critical to the applicants' research into advanced materials development, and dramatically expands upon present capabilities and capacity. Progress is currently severely constrained, as we are limited to an ageing and unreliable facility that cannot satisfy the operational performance demands of the various research programmes. The need for the specified vacuum/inert atmosphere furnace is both immediate and vital to the success of the outlined research, and will ultimately support the work of 15 to 20 HQP per annum, across four research groups.