Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

For decades, technological advancements have been driven by the progress in materials science. For example,x000D
the substitution of iron components in automobiles with lighter aluminum components during the 1970's andx000D
80's resulted in an immediate performance and fuel economy enhancement. Recently, the Environmentalx000D
Protection Agency and the Dept. of Transportation in USA mandated automakers to decrease greenhouse gasx000D
emissions and improve fuel economy by over 50% by 2025, otherwise face economic penalties. It is generallyx000D
accepted that such a drastic improvement is achievable either by vehicle hybridization, or by vehicle weightx000D
reduction. Both approaches face challenges: 1) Hybridization is costly and adds weight to vehicles, and 2)x000D
Existing manufacturing processes for lightweight alloys are approaching technological limits and furtherx000D
advancements are costly.x000D
In this Engage grant, researchers from the University of British Columbia and Nemak Canada will explorex000D
an innovative multi-process approach to overcome the limits associated with existing manufacturing methodsx000D
for ultralight high-strength aluminum (Al) alloys. Specifically, an advanced powder metallurgy process (Sparkx000D
Plasma Sintering, SPS) will be combined with a traditional metalcasting process to develop novel castable Alx000D
alloys. Using SPS, nano- and micro-scale ceramic reinforcements will be blended with Al matrix powder andx000D
sintered into a disc. The sintered discs will be subsequently added to liquid Al alloys during casting, resultingx000D
in dissolution of the Al matrix within the melt, followed by a homogeneous release of the ceramicx000D
reinforcements inside of the melt. The reinforcements will serve to simultaneously enhance the roomx000D
temperature strength (via grain refinement and the modification of eutectics) and creep resistance (via grainx000D
boundary pinning). This novel approach is anticipated to overcome several critical challenges (e.g., particlex000D
settling, flotation or oxidation) associated with current treatment methods for liquid Al alloys. Experimentalx000D
work will be carried out at UBC laboratories as well as at Nemak Canada Windsor Aluminum Plant, Ontario.