Professor Tadeusz Kulik

I. Structure

1. Nanomaterials Group

The Nanomaterials Group will continue the interest in widely defined nanomaterials: from nanopowders to bulk materials with nanocrystalline structure. Ultrafine-grained and nanocrystalline materials are the new class of structural and functional materials possessing polycrystalline microstructure, with grain size from hundreds to tens of nanometres. The Group members’ activities include methods and techniques of production (e.g. severe plastic deformation, mechanical alloying, nanocrystallisation of metallic glasses), consolidation of nanocrystalline powders, problems related to understanding of mechanisms of the formation of nanocrystalline structure during manufacturing processes as well as stability, homogeneity of this microstructure, phase transformations and various properties, such as mechanical, magnetic, electrical, corrosion resistance etc.

2. Surface Engineering Group

The Surface Engineering Group is focused on the methods of surface modification, including the formation of multicomponent and composite surface layers with various structure, and on the development of novel surface treatment technologies (PDT, PVD, CVD, electrochemical). The Group members investigate the mechanisms of layers formation, characterisation of the obtained layers’ microstructure, surface topography, chemical and phase composition, residual stress in the formed layers, and their mechanical, chemical and biological properties in the context of their industrial applications. Development of new equipment for surface treatment is also in the field of interest.

3. Degradation of Metallic Materials Group

The main area of interest of the Degradation of Metallic Materials Group covers the experiments and analyses of physicochemical phenomena of local destruction of metallic structural and functional materials at the level of their properties and their structure, under the combined action of:

• aggressive liquid or gas environment creating the conditions of destruction by chemical or electrochemical reactions (chemical loads),
• mechanical stresses created in the course of manufacturing and operation (residual or applied) with various nature: tensile, bending, torsion, complex, and with various load spectra: constant, monotonous, variable or cycling, e.g. fatigue, complex.

The additional factors in the degradation may be time, temperature, friction, erosion, cavitation, neutron radiation, bacteria and others.

Within the scope of interest of the Group is identification of the degradation effects (cracking, structure degradation) at their initiation and development stages and characterisation of their impact on materials’ properties in given working conditions, e.g. fatigue, cavitation, erosion, corrosion etc.

II. Actions

1. Working meetings of the Groups twice a year (Autumn and Spring)

2. Meetings of the Section once a year.

All the meetings will be held on a rotary basis in different scientific institutions, each meeting will be hosted and organised by a Group member affiliated in a given institution. Each meeting will comprise three scientific parts:

1. Oral presentations

a) host’s presentation of the hosting institution,

b) scientific lecture of an invited Group member on the indicated topic.

2. Discussion on the current issues related to the Group, Division and Committee.

3. Visit to the host institution’s laboratories or visit to the neighbouring industrial company co‑operating with the host institution.