Reference number : GC-2017-Q2-00364, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Bichler, Lukas (The University of British Columbia), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : British Columbia|Colombie-Britannique, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for Universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : 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 and_x000D_
80's resulted in an immediate performance and fuel economy enhancement. Recently, the Environmental_x000D_
Protection Agency and the Dept. of Transportation in USA mandated automakers to decrease greenhouse gas_x000D_
emissions and improve fuel economy by over 50% by 2025, otherwise face economic penalties. It is generally_x000D_
accepted that such a drastic improvement is achievable either by vehicle hybridization, or by vehicle weight_x000D_
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 further_x000D_
advancements are costly._x000D_
In this Engage grant, researchers from the University of British Columbia and Nemak Canada will explore_x000D_
an innovative multi-process approach to overcome the limits associated with existing manufacturing methods_x000D_
for ultralight high-strength aluminum (Al) alloys. Specifically, an advanced powder metallurgy process (Spark_x000D_
Plasma Sintering, SPS) will be combined with a traditional metalcasting process to develop novel castable Al_x000D_
alloys. Using SPS, nano- and micro-scale ceramic reinforcements will be blended with Al matrix powder and_x000D_
sintered into a disc. The sintered discs will be subsequently added to liquid Al alloys during casting, resulting_x000D_
in dissolution of the Al matrix within the melt, followed by a homogeneous release of the ceramic_x000D_
reinforcements inside of the melt. The reinforcements will serve to simultaneously enhance the room_x000D_
temperature strength (via grain refinement and the modification of eutectics) and creep resistance (via grain_x000D_
boundary pinning). This novel approach is anticipated to overcome several critical challenges (e.g., particle_x000D_
settling, flotation or oxidation) associated with current treatment methods for liquid Al alloys. Experimental_x000D_
work will be carried out at UBC laboratories as well as at Nemak Canada Windsor Aluminum Plant, Ontario., program purpose french : 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 and_x000D_
80's resulted in an immediate performance and fuel economy enhancement. Recently, the Environmental_x000D_
Protection Agency and the Dept. of Transportation in USA mandated automakers to decrease greenhouse gas_x000D_
emissions and improve fuel economy by over 50% by 2025, otherwise face economic penalties. It is generally_x000D_
accepted that such a drastic improvement is achievable either by vehicle hybridization, or by vehicle weight_x000D_
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 further_x000D_
advancements are costly._x000D_
In this Engage grant, researchers from the University of British Columbia and Nemak Canada will explore_x000D_
an innovative multi-process approach to overcome the limits associated with existing manufacturing methods_x000D_
for ultralight high-strength aluminum (Al) alloys. Specifically, an advanced powder metallurgy process (Spark_x000D_
Plasma Sintering, SPS) will be combined with a traditional metalcasting process to develop novel castable Al_x000D_
alloys. Using SPS, nano- and micro-scale ceramic reinforcements will be blended with Al matrix powder and_x000D_
sintered into a disc. The sintered discs will be subsequently added to liquid Al alloys during casting, resulting_x000D_
in dissolution of the Al matrix within the melt, followed by a homogeneous release of the ceramic_x000D_
reinforcements inside of the melt. The reinforcements will serve to simultaneously enhance the room_x000D_
temperature strength (via grain refinement and the modification of eutectics) and creep resistance (via grain_x000D_
boundary pinning). This novel approach is anticipated to overcome several critical challenges (e.g., particle_x000D_
settling, flotation or oxidation) associated with current treatment methods for liquid Al alloys. Experimental_x000D_
work will be carried out at UBC laboratories as well as at Nemak Canada Windsor Aluminum Plant, Ontario., agreement title english : Development of new grain refiners for aluminum alloys for engine block applications, agreement title french : Development of new grain refiners for aluminum alloys for engine block applications, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-08-23, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada