Metallic and Ceramic Materials
We investigate the relationship between microstructure and properties, as well as the optimisation of industrial processes.
Experience and services
Mechanical Behaviour
Advanced mechanical characterization of parameters relevant for cold and hot sheet metal forming.
Standard conformability studies.
Definition of new studies.
Implementation of inspection techniques.
Definition of materials and coatings for tools’ development.
Cold cutting and stamping pilot plant.
Hot stamping pilot plant.
Fatigue and fracture of materials
Fatigue and fracture behaviour of mechanical alloys, ceramics and elastomers.
Development of specific tests to reproduce the behavior in service (impact, fatigue, fatigue-corrosion, etc.).
In-service behaviour forecasting through fracture mechanics.
Characterisation of mechanical, adhesive and mixed bonds.
Characterisation of components subject to mechanical forces in the laboratory and in service (instrumentation).
Light alloy forming
Selection of alloys and thermal treatments for light alloy transformation processes: casting, stamping, forging, extrusion, etc.
Degasification and cleaning of liquid metal in HPDC. Ultrasound treatments. Dispersion of ceramic particles and nanoparticles in metal.
Sensorisation of processing tools and development of mechanisms adapted to process variations.
Analysis of damage mechanisms and search for solutions to prolong the useful life of forming tools (moulds for HPDC, stamping tools, extrusion dies, etc.).
Research into vacuum-assisted die casting.
Research into hot stamping of aluminium alloys.
Corrosion and deterioration
Corrosion and environmental effect on mechanical properties. Biocorrosion.
Hydrogen embrittlement, stress corrosion and corrosion fatigue in structural components.
In-situ identification of corrosion and superficial degradation mechanisms.
Corrosion mechanism study through potentiometric techniques.
Paints, coatings and corrosion inhibitors.
Tribology
Wear and friction. In-situ inspection of superficial damage to components.
Wear mechanisms in forming tools: characterisation and assessment of alternatives with improved performance.
Definition of laboratory tests to estimate wear resistance.
Advanced surface characterisation.
Contact fatigue and micromechanics.
Effect of the machining process on surface properties.
Lubricant tests: effect on the tools and the final product.
Surface Technology
Development of coatings by PVD and CVD on metals, plastics and ceramics.
Hard and low-friction coatings for tribomechanical applications.
Coatings to protect against corrosion and fouling.
Coatings for biomedical applications.
Coatings for thermosolar applications.
Decorative coatings.
Characterisation of coatings.
Most representative sectors
Key projects
Innplágeno
Innovation in manufacturing technologies and coatings for the optimization of the performance of bipolar hydrogen plates  with polymeric membrane.
Hermes
Development of smart and flexible freight wagons and facilities for improved transport of granular multimaterials.
Toughsheet
Measurement of toughness in high strengh steels sheets to improve material selection in cold forming and crash-resistant components.
Clients
Multimedia
European Project HERMES
Fatigue Strength of Trimmed Edges in High Strength Steel
Metal and Ceramic Materials Team
Montse Vilaseca
Director of the Metal and Ceramic Materials Unit at Eurecat
Holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering, from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technologies of the University of Zaragoza (2005), specifically in selectivity improvement of gas sensors using ceramic microporous materials as sorbents and molecular filters. She leads the Metallic and Ceramic Materials Unit since 2019, after leading the Tribology research line, in the same unit, for 12 years. Previously, she worked in automotive industry for 3 years in coatings development.
