Surface Technology Applied Research (STAR)

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A warm welcome!

As a cross-sectional technology, surface technology is relevant to all areas of daily life. Innovations in this field therefore play a key role in many industries.

The competence centre Surface Technology Applied Research (STAR) sees itself as a cooperation partner for industry. Above all, medium-sized companies in the region are to benefit from the services offered. Innovative material concepts and surface technologies are required for the development of new high-quality machines, especially in the fields of transportation, energy technology, water treatment and microsystems technology. If problems arise in industrial application practice, the STAR competence centre offers prompt solutions thanks to concentrated project assignments.

By increasing the value-added share of Surface Engineering in their products and services, companies gain competitive advantages. This not only creates new jobs in the Lower Rhine region. Through resource conservation and Energy Efficiency, global environmental policy requirements are also taken into account.

New XRD system in the Surface Engineering laboratory

Since November 2023, the Laboratory for Surface Engineering has had a new XRD system of the "STADI MP" model from Stoe, Darmstadt. The application for the X-ray diffractometer was submitted by Professor Andreas Roppertz, who is a member of the STAR competence center and a player in the Laboratory for Surface Engineering, in close cooperation with Dr. Sabrina Keil and Professor Markus Lake. Financial support is provided by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

The acquisition of an X-ray diffractometer at The Hochschule Niederrhein offers the opportunity to directly combine theoretical contexts from courses with practical experience. Application-relevant issues such as the influence of dopants on phase formation or temperature-induced phase transformation and much more can be illustrated in a sustainable way during internships. Unrestricted access to this method is particularly advantageous for material and phase analysis in project assignments, theses and dissertations. The new device is used for crystallographic analysis of powders, bulk materials and thin films and has an automatic multiple sample changer, which enables time-efficient analysis of large sample volumes. The device also has a modular in-situ cell in which the samples can be gassed and heated during analysis. At temperatures of up to 900 °C and a reactive gas phase, in-situ phase formations and transformations can be investigated. The high power of the X-ray tube and the high intensity of the detector enable very short analysis times, so that the temporal resolution for in-situ experiments is given. These analyses enable the elucidation of reaction mechanisms in solid-state chemistry, which are of enormous importance in the field of reactive surfaces and material systems.

XRD system STADI MP from Stoe, Darmstadt

core research areas

In the STAR competence centre and in the Surface Engineering laboratory, practice-relevant issues are addressed and innovative solutions are developed, e.g. within the framework of publicly funded R&D projects, as bachelor's and master's projects and as theses in bachelor's and master's degree programs.

Below you will find a small selection of current research topics:

  • Energy efficiency assessment and risk assessment along production and coating processes.
  • Collaboration in the continuing training of PhD students and postdocs to become Academic Scientific Agents (ASA).
  • Synthesis of reactive multi-material systems (RMS), e.g. based on the elements zirconium and aluminum, as innovative energy storage systems.
  • Development and application of surface systems for Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP).
  • Further development of electrolysis cells based on the rod bundle electrode for water treatment, e.g. for phosphate recycling from coating baths, for drug degradation, for germ reduction or for the degradation of organics.
  • Development of methods and test systems for coating characterization.
  • Development and realization of innovative measurement and analysis techniques for continuous process monitoring, e.g. radio measuring system for online temperature monitoring in the PVD coating process.
  • Development and implementation of QM strategies along the coating technology workflow.

 

Working group "Catalytic material and surface systems"

In March 2022, the working group "Catalytic Material and Surface Systems" was founded under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Andreas Roppertz and Prof. Dr. Markus Lake in order to bundle activities in the field of catalysis research. Thanks to the intensive cooperation between the two Faculties of "Chemistry" and "Mechanical and Process Engineering", the existing expertise in the development of catalytic systems is ideally combined with the application and analysis technology available in the STAR competence center and the Surface Engineering Laboratory. Both professorships work closely together on publicly funded R&D projects, on Bachelor's and Master's projects and on theses.

Photocatalytic and antimicrobial surface systems

All surfaces with which one comes into contact in daily life play a special role, particularly with regard to the spread of pathogens. Titanium dioxide in its modification anatase is photocatalytically active and can therefore be used as a self-cleaning, antimicrobial surface system. Particularly with regard to the development and spread of bacteria (e.g. coli bacteria), germs (e.g. MRSA), fungi and algae, Anatas can thus make a contribution to minimizing their development and spread. Highly frequented surfaces such as door handles can thus be equipped with antimicrobial agents.

Another potential field of application for photoassisted catalysis is the treatment of water. Titanium dioxide can decompose organic substances by means of an advanced oxidation process (AOP) and help to reduce the contamination of wastewater with pollutants, pharmaceutical products, bacteria or pesticides.

TiO2 layer on glass substrate [MS thesis N. Desch, 2020].

In this master's thesis, a process using magnetron sputter ion plating technology was developed to synthesize titanium dioxide in the anatase modification in a low-temperature process. The low process temperatures and the process control allow the reproducible deposition of this antimicrobial coating on different materials, e.g. metals, ceramics and plastics.

Aging tests of coated samples in methylene blue solution to investigate the photocatalytic effect [MS thesis N. Desch, 2020].

EFRE project "Electrochemical oxidation at BDD electrodes".

In the project "Electrochemical oxidation on boron-doped diamond electrodes for the treatment of electroless nickel baths", a pilot plant is to be set up as part of an upscaling to oxidize hypophosphite and phosphite electrochemically to phosphate. Hypophosphite is a component of the baths, while phosphite is a by-product of electroless nickel plating, a process known as electroless plating.

For economic and ecological reasons, the disposal of spent solutions from the process of electroless plating is the focus of the platers. Likewise, the purification of wastewater has gained in importance. If phosphorus species get into the environment, this leads in most cases to above-average growth of plants, the so-called eutrophication. For this reason, The Hochschule Niederrhein is working within the project 'Elimination of phosphite in wastewater from the coating industry' on the treatment of wastewater and spent baths generated by the coating process 'electroless nickel'. A treatment technology patented by the university is available for this purpose (DE102012100481, rod bundle electrode). The main focus of the work is on the elimination of the heavy metal nickel and the oxidation of the phosphorus species to phosphate.

The rod bundle electrode and the electrochemical processes taking place are suitable for increasing the oxidation state of phosphorus when conventional methods fail. The rod bundle electrode works particularly well in the range of low concentrations. Phosphorus species present in the electroless nickel bath are oxidized to phosphate at a boron-doped diamond (BDD) rod bundle electrode. The anodic oxidation of hypophosphite (H2PO2-) and phosphite (HPO32-) to phosphate (PO43-) takes place at the electrode surface. The biggest advantage of the rod bundle electrode, compared to the conventional plate electrodes, is the relatively large surface area. To avoid a back reaction of the phosphate, a shielding of the bath on the cathode side by a diaphragm is necessary. The experiments show that the current density, the volume current, the bath composition and the electrolysis time in the cell have an influence on the phosphorus conversion.

 

Pilot plant with the electrolysis cell [Image: Dr. Annette Pariser].

We would like to thank the state of NRW for supporting this research project as part of the ERDF project Patent Validation. EFRE 2014-2020, Investments in Growth and Employment, funding code EFRE 0400090, duration 2 years.

Development of Reactive Multilayer Systems (RMS)

In the project "Model-based reactive joining to increase process safety and reliability (MoReBond)", the temporal heat and stress distribution in joining processes using reactive multilayers (RMS) are simulated and reproduced on different demonstrators. By modeling as accurately as possible, the spatial and temporal heat and stress distribution both within the joining zone and in the adjacent component are to be determined in order to find the optimum material and process parameters in reactive joining without prior, time-consuming test series.

 

Zr-Al-RMS in cross section [Thanks to Dr. Steffen, Hitachi, Krefeld].

In this project, the Institute for Modeling and High Performance Computing (IMH) and the competence centre Surface Technology Applied Research (STAR) of the Hochschule Niederrhein are working together with the research partners Hahn Schickard Institute in Villingen-Schwenningen and Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology in Dresden.

Sponsor: German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
Project sponsor: German Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AiF)
Funding number: 20896 BG
Duration: 01.11.2019 to 30.04.2022

The video shows the high-speed recording of a reaction front in the Zr-Al system [source: master project "RMS-Speed" in SoSe 2021].

Equipment and infrastructure

Coating and joining technology

  • PVD system Metaplas Domino.Mini with AIP and MSIP multi-source technology (DC, HIPIMS, MF)
  • PVD system CemeCon CC 800/8 HI with four MSIP sources (DC)
  • OSU Hessler arc spraying system (Advanced)
  • Arc spraying system Sulzer Metco (VISUARC)
  • Plasma powder deposition welding system with 6-axis articulated arm robot and rotary tilting table
  • HVOF spraying system GTV
  • Flame spraying Rokide Saint Gobain
  • MIG / MAG welding
  • TIG hot wire welding EWM
  • MIG pulse welding OTC
  • Welding tables with perforated grid system
  • Workstations for GS anodizing
  • Workstations for electrochemical coating
  • Workstations for enameling

 

Sample preparation

  • Fully equipped metallography
  • Electrolytic polishing and etching unit LectroPol 5 from Struers
  • Discotom Fa. Struers
  • Sandblasting unit Blast Cabinet ECO 120 P

 

Component cleaning and residue analysis

  • Eight-chamber ultrasonic cleaning and drying system with penetrator
  • Elmasonic S180H ultrasonic cleaning unit
  • Carbon water analyzer LECO RC-612 C
  • Ion chromatograph 883 Basic IC plus for anion analysis, Metrohm

 

Decoating

  • Workstation for chemical and electro-chemical decoating

 

Analytics

  • Light, stereo and digital microscopy
  • FE scanning electron microscope Zeiss DSM 982 with
  • EDX and EBSD analysis unit from Oxford
  • Sputtercoater safematic CCU-010 HV for graphite and gold evaporation
  • Table Top Nanoindentation Tester (TTX-NHT2) from CSM
  • Spherical grinding technology
  • Discontinuous scratch test
  • Kern ABJ 320-4NM analytical balance
  • Kern PLJ1200-3A analytical balance
  • Platform scale Kern DS 8K0.05
  • Small load hardness tester
  • ZwickRoell DuraScan 70 G5 hardness testing system
  • Duramin 1 hardness test
  • Hardness testing (Rockwell) Wolpert R-T-2521
  • Universal testing machine Zwick Z 1120
  • Zwick BZ050/TH3A materials testing machine
  • Zwick Extensiometer materials testing machine
  • Ultrasonic testing device USIP-11
  • Infrared detectors 900 SW/TE
  • Metis M322 quotient pyrometer, Sensortherm
  • Metis H322 high-speed ratio pyrometer, Sensortherm
  • Dewetron measurement data acquisition
  • FH 52 magnetic field strength meter with axial probe, Magnet Physik
  • Conductivity meter Loresta GX-II, Mitsubishi Chemical Analytech
  • Radio link for online temperature measurement

 

Wear testing and friction coefficient analysis

  • Taber Abraser 352 G
  • Miller test (analogous to ASTM G75-15)
  • Friction wheel test (analogous to ASTM G65-16)
  • Pin-on-disk tribometer

 

Corrosion test and climate change test

  • Salt spray chamber SAL 400 with 400 liter volume from VLM GmbH
  • Workstation for potentiostatic and potentiodynamic tests
  • Climate change test from mtv messtechnik oHG

 

Heat treatment

  • High-temperature furnace Naber HAT 08/17
  • Chamber furnace Naber N21/H

 

Simulation and statistical evaluation

  • Network licenses Thermo Calc, Dictra and TC-Prisma (databases for Fe, Ni and Al base materials, slags and the associated mobility databases)
  • Minitab 17 software licenses for statistical test evaluation
  • Welding simulator Soldamatic 2.5 Standard

 

Process visualization

  • VW 9000 high-speed camera from Keyence
  • Schlieren optics
  • High-intensity lighting system

 

Lectures

  • M. Lake; "Discovering Production Technology: A fascinating journey into the world of industrial innovation", Digital Study Orientation Days 2023, Rheinisch Bergischer Kreis, Bergisch Gladbach, 1.9.2023
  • M. Lake, N. Desch; "Design and synthesis of PVD coatings for AOP process for waste water treatment", Humboldt Kolleg 2023, April 12-14, 2023, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

 

Textbooks

  • M. Lake (Editor) Surface Engineering in Plastics Processing, 2nd edition, Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich, 2016, ISBN: 978-3-446-44675-5
  • G. Mennig, M. Lake (editors) Wear minimization in plastics processing, 2nd edition, Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich, 2008, ISBN 978-3-446-40776-3

 

Reviewed publications

  • A. Roppertz; D. Bissinger; J.-H. Honerkamp; J. Roldan; J. Bremes; K. Kannen; M. Lake: Development of Catalytically Functionalized Polyester-Based Filters Produced by Flame Spray Pyrolysis, 2024, Topics in Catalysis, Springer Verlag, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-023-01892-7
  • N. Desch, A. Rheindorf, C. Fassbender, M. Sloot, M. Lake: Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by anatase TiO2 coating. Authorea. September 07, 2023, DOI: 10.22541/au.169382729.90341592/v2 (under review)
  • N. Desch, M. Lake: Formation of pure anatase TiO2 by reactive pulsed dc magnetron sputtering: method for controlling target poisoning state, 2023, Applied Research, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/appl.202300003
  • S. Sen, M. Lake, P. Schaaf: Al-based binary reactive multilayer films: Large area freestanding film synthesis and self-propagating reaction analysis, 2018, Applied Surface Science, doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.02.207
  • S. Sen, M. Lake, P. Schaaf: Experimental investigation of high temperature oxidation during self propagating reaction in Zr/Al reactive multilayer films, Surface and Coatings Technology, 2018, doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.02.014
  • S. Sen, M. Lake, R. Grieseler, P. Schaaf: Effects of mulitlayer arrangements in ternary reactive fim on self-propagating reaction properies, Surface and Coatings Technology, 2017, doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2017.07.065
  • S. Sen, M. Lake, J. Wilden, P. Schaaf: Synthesis and characterization of Ti/Al reactive multilayer films with various molar ratios, Thin Solid Films, 2017, doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2017.04.012
  • S. Sen, M. Lake, N. Kroppen, P. Farber, J. Wilden, P. Schaaf: Self-propagating exothermic reaction analysis in Ti/Al reactive films using experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulation, Appl. Surf. Sci, 2016, dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.11.197

 

Non-peer-reviewed publications

  • A. Belguanche, A. Schumacher, N. Desch, A. Benachour, J. Böttcher, G. Dietrich, E. Pflug, I. Spies, P. Meyer, B. Folkmer, S. Knappmann, P. Farber, J. Gräbel, M. Lake, A. Dehé: Modellbasiertes Reaktives Fügen, Mikro-Nano-Integration, GMM-Fachbericht 105. Beiträge des 9. GMM-Workshops, VDE Verlag GmbH 2022

  • A. Schumacher, B. Folkmer, S. Knappmann, A. Dehé, A. Belguanche, A. Benachour, P. Farber, N. Desch, M. Lake, E. Pflug, J. Böttcher, G. Dietrich: Modeling and simulation of the reactive joining process, 13th TechnologyMountains InnovationForum Smart Technologies & Systems, March 31, 2022, Donaueschingen

  • S. Sen, M. Babaei, M. Lake, P. Schaaf: Characterization of self-propagating exothermic reaction in bimetallic Zr/Al reactive multilayer nanofoil. - In: 4SmartS Conference Proceedings. De Gruyter Publishing House. Symposium on Smart Structures and Systems (4SmartS), April 6-7, 2016, Darmstadt, Germany, pp. 320-329, doi.org/10.1515/9783110469240-028

  • S. Sen, G. Langels, M. Lake, P. Schaaf: Effects of melting layers on nanobonding using reactive multilayer nanofoils. - In: 2nd International Conference Euro Hybrid Materials and Structures (Kaiserslautern) : 2016.04.20-21. - Frankfurt : Deutsche Gesellschaft für Materialkunde e.V. (2016), pp. 257-261

 

Professorships in the competence centre

  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Emely Große Böckmann
    • Teaching and research area "Foundation course in engineering and innovations in teaching education".

 

  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Franz-Josef Adams
    • Teaching and research area "Processes and machines in production engineering".

 

  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Deilmann
    • Teaching and research area "Materials, Forming and Joining Technology

 

  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tobias Kimmel
    • Teaching and research area "Cleaning Technology

 

  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus K. Lake
    • Teaching and Research Field "Production Technology and Coating Processes
    • Head of the Surface Engineering Laboratory

 

  • Prof. Dr. Andreas Roppertz
    • Teaching and Research Field "Technical Chemistry

 

Employees in research and teaching education

  • Mrs. B. Eng. Theresa Gielen
  • Mr. M. Sc. Nikolai Desch

 

Promotions

Current doctorates (supervision Prof. Dr. M. Lake)

  • Mrs. Dipl.-Ing. Angela Rheindorf
  • Mr. M. Sc. Nikolai Desch

 

Completed doctorates (supervision Prof. Dr. habil. J. Wilden, Prof. Dr. M. Lake)

  • Mrs. Dr.-Ing. Seema Sen
  • Mr. Dr.-Ing. Oliver Stahn
  • Mr. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Luhn
  • Dr.-Ing. Matthias Herr
  • Dr.-Ing. Johannes Richter

 

Head of the competence centre

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus K. Lake
Production Technology and Coating Processes