Surface Engineering
The surface functionality of a metal is highly important in determining its overall properties. Innate qualities such as hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and catalytic properties are all surface specific and can be enhanced through suitable surface treatments.
The Surface Engineering Research Group at Loughborough study a wide range of surface modifying techniques, these include:
- Electrodeposition (electroplating)
- Anodising
- Hot dipping and thermal spraying
- CVD and PVD coatings
- Organic coating technologies
Through expertise in these areas the group are actively investigating the following key areas of surface modification:
- Electrodeposition based on non-aqueous ionic liquid electrolytes
- Mechanisms for mitigating tin and zinc whisker growth in electronics
- Surface modifying processes for adhesive bonding
- Creating surfaces characterised by their abhesive qualities
- Environmentally friendly anodising processes for light metals
- Co-depositing nano-particles into metallic and organic coatings
Zinc whiskers growing through a hexavalent chromium conversion coating
Highlighted Projects
- The growth of tin and zinc whiskers from electrodeposited coatings
- The electrodeposition of metallic coatings from ionic liquid electrolytes
- Development of novel, chromate-free anodising processes for the structural bonding of aluminium alloys.
- Nanostructured Coatings
Academic Staff
- Dr Ali Ansarifar
- Dr Gary Critchlow
- Dr Steve Edmondson
- Dr Rebecca Higginson
- Dr Simon Martin
- Professor Mo Song
- Professor Rachel Thomson
- Dr Geoff Wilcox