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Chemistry and Technology of Materials
Doctoral Programme,
Faculty of Chemical Technology
Doctoral study of Chemistry and Technology of Materials is a natural consequence of the long-time material research at UCT Prague. The study is based on the cutting-edge physical, chemical and engineering approaches to materials and material technology. Students develop their knowledge about materials; they find and comprehend deeper relationships among preparation and/or production of materials, structure and composition, and their properties. Inevitable part of the study are courses focused to deeper understanding of nature of materials, analytical methods, material characterization, and material technologies. CareersGraduates become not only leading experts in the field of material science and technology, but thanks to their experience in international teamwork they are predetermined to start their career in academic area, international research and technology corporations, innovative companies, and state government. Programme Details
Ph.D. topics for study year 2026/27Novel glass materials for fiber lasers
AnnotationFiber lasers are in focus of intense research thanks to their high efficiency, beam quality, high average power, compactness and other advantages that are beneficial for increasing scope of applications including space ones. Silica optical fibers doped with rare-earth ions represent hearts of these lasers. Knowledge of stability of their optical properties including their behavior under extreme space conditions is important for wide employment of fiber lasers. Attention will be focused on investigation of glassy materials of various matrices doped with thulium or holmium emitting at 2 um spectral region and co-doped with other elements or oxides aiming at enhancement of radiation resistivity of these materials.Glassforming, refractive index, spectroscopic, mechanical properties and radiation resistivity of the prepared materials will be studied. The achieved results leading to forecast of suitable materials in form of radiation resistive optical fibers together with methods of their preparation will be verified later by testing in fiber lasers. New steel grades for hydrogen production, transport and storage
AnnotationHydrogen will become an important part of the energy mix in next decades. Until 2030, some 60 billion € is expected to be invested into the hydrogen infrastructure, R&D and new production facilities along the value chain, including component suppliers, specialized materials, and end use applications, such as the development of fuel cell vehicles and retrofitting of industry heat equipment. Stainless steel is considered as an optimal material for e.g., electrolyser proton exchange membranes (PEMs), liquid hydrogen transport and storage of compressed hydrogen. Low- and medium-alloyed steels have multiple applications mainly for hydrogen storage and transport. Still, these materials may suffer from hydrogen embrittlement (HE), welding issues, high production cost and dependency on raw materials imports. Therefore, within the European project HYSTORY, innovative Mn austenitic stainless and non stainless steels are developed for hydrogen production, cryo-compressed hydrogen storage and compressed hydrogen transport. The study will focus on their susceptibility to HE and the interaction between hydrogen and the steel composition and microstructure. Deep understanding into the effect of steel composition and microstructure on mechanical properties, hydrogen entry and interaction will be sought using numerous advanced techniques available in the hydrogen laboratory of Technopark Kralupy and at international partner institutions. Advanced high-entropy alloys with tunable properties reinforced by transition-metal carbides
AnnotationHigh entropy alloys belong to a relatively new group of materials which are characterized by the preferential formation of solid solutions instead of intermetallic compounds. These materials exhibit several excellent properties, foremostly high strengths while maintaining sufficient ductility, good corrosion resistance and others. By suitable processing of these alloys, it is possible to achieve further substantial improvement of these already very good properties. The work will be focused on the preparation of new advanced high-entropy alloys combining significantly higher strengths while maintaining sufficient plasticity. These alloys will be further reinforced with transition-metal carbides produced from waste products of organic-material pyrolysis or directly via reactive plasma pyrolysis. Drawing of specialty optical fibers for fiber lasers
AnnotationFiber lasers are in focus of intense research thanks to their high efficiency, beam quality, high average power, compactness and other advantages that are beneficial for increasing scope of applications. Optical fibers doped with rare-earth ions represent hearts of these lasers. Attention will be focused on investigation of optical fiber drawing prepared mainly by the so-called stack-and-draw method. This method allows to create fibers with different regions, for example structured doped and undoped regions. The influence of drawing parameters on the resulting properties of the fibers, their refractive index, spectroscopic and mechanical properties will be studied. New findings leading to the selection of appropriate composite fiber geometry and methods of its preparation will be subsequently verified in fiber lasers with the use of the prepared fibers. Effect of silicon on protection by Zn-Al-Mg coatings
AnnotationZn-Al-Mg coatings show more than two-times longer service life compared to unalloyed zinc and demonstrate excellent results in the corrosion protection of steel car bodies, roofing, and building components. The aim of the study is to determine systematically the effect of silicon addition and describe the mechanism by which this element influences the corrosion behavior of coatings and steel protection. Using advanced electrochemical, imaging, and analytical techniques, the initial stages of the corrosion process and the chemistry of the electrolyte surface layer, the development of the composition of corrosion products and their protective effects in further stages of corrosion degradation, and the degree of cathodic protection of the steel substrate will be described. The output will be a comprehensive description of the corrosion and protection mechanism, which will enable the optimization of the microstructure and amount of silicon in the coating structure. The study is a part of the European Quazcoat project, which will enable the doctoral student to collaborate with leading foreign institutions in France, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Finland, and Belgium. Development of advanced tools for early stage detection of degradation of organic coatings produced by environmentally friendly technologies
AnnotationA critical barrier for full commercialization of organic coatings cured using environmentally friendly technologies is the length and complexity of testing required to prove their long-term durability. European industry therefore continues to use thermal cured coatings that have been proven over decades, even though modern UV or electron beam (EB) cured coatings have the potential to reduce energy consumption by 60-95% and volatile organic compound emissions by up to 90%. The aim of this study is to understand the mechanism of microstructural degradation and physicochemical changes in organic coatings in the early stages of exposure to corrosive environments and to find methods for detecting the first signs of their degradation. The introduction of new characterization techniques capable of revealing the kinetics of degradation at the molecular level will shorten the time needed to bring radiation cured UV/EB coating systems to market. In particular, the potential of electrochemical techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning Kelvin probe, and new techniques for detecting small amounts of hydrogen generated during corrosion processes will be tested. The study is a part of the European SustCoat project, which will enable the doctoral student to collaborate with leading foreign institutions in Finland, Austria, and Belgium. 3D-printed high-entropy alloys with tunable properties for use in extreme conditions
AnnotationThe work focuses on the development of 3D-printed high-entropy alloys whose mechanical and functional properties can be tuned as needed for use in extreme conditions. These alloys can be further reinforced with a range of additional particles to enhance their overall performance. The aim is to create materials with exceptional strength, thermal stability, and resistance to degradation, thereby expanding the capabilities of additive manufacturing technologies in demanding industrial applications. |
Updated: 21.1.2022 15:24, Author: Jan Kříž