REALMAX

  This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 892501.  

Title

Replenishing the limited Aluminium reservoir of MAX phase coatings in harsh environments

Concept

MAX phases are a class of materials that serve as a bridge between metals and ceramics, combining the best of both worlds. This family of layered ternary ceramics has attracted a great deal of attention mostly because they withstand high temperatures and demonstrate self-healing behaviour. These properties make them suitable for use in extreme environments. Aluminium-based MAX phases tend to decompose locally when aluminium comes in contact with oxygen and develops a thin oxide layer. The EU-funded REALMAX project plans to develop a new material solution to tackle MAX phase instabilities in extreme environments. The strategies that will be adopted include supplying MAX phase coatings with Al from MAX phase substrates and exploring the effect of alloying elements on the potential sluggish diffusion of Al species. The project's results will provide a better understanding of the oxidation behaviour of MAX phases, which represent an emerging effort in materials science and engineering.