Research project on processing of functional ceramic materials funded by the Academy of Finland

Prof. Erkki Levänen leads the research group focusing on functional ceramic materials and surfaces in the Department of Materials Science at Tampere University of Technology (DMS/TUT).

Supercritical fluids have properties between gas and liquid. The density and solvent power can be easily varied with pressure and still maintain the diffusivity of gas. The supercritical condition of carbon dioxide (scCO₂) is rather mild and gas is toxic and easy to recycle. These properties enable the use of scCO₂ as carrier matrix aid in material synthesis. The adjustable solvent power and possibility of water-in-scCO₂ emulsion offer large synthesis routes for ceramic powders with unique compositions and structures such as core-shells, capsules and hybrid materials. The common sol-gel or metal salt based raw materials can be used in scCO₂ assisted synthesis, but it needs its own additives for colloidal chemistry. The control over reactions at supercritical carbon dioxide needs to be understood well so that the material composition and structure can be controlled respectively.

The ScCO2 based technology has already been demonstrated in DMS/TUT for synthesis and modification of functional structures with promising results. The Academy funding offers now good tool for the basic research on the nano- and hybrid material synthesis.

The budget of the project is 850,000 euros, where the Academy of Finland’s share is 685,000 euros. International collaboration with Beijing University of Technology, China is included in the project.

Further information:

Professor Erkki Levänen, ">erkki.levanen@tut.fi, tel. +358 40 849 0191