Yes, scientists and teachers from the Technical University – Plovdiv Branch are indeed embedding diamonds into metal alloys to create ultra-durable car engines. However, these gemstones are of nanometric size. This means they are one billion times smaller than a millimeter. This does not prevent the engine's technical aluminum-silicon alloy from acquiring the sought-after special "diamond" qualities. In the renovated metallography laboratory of the Plovdiv technical university, they are studying an aluminum alloy in which the diamonds are sized from 4 to 20 nanometers. "In order to be absorbed by the alloy while it is still in a liquid state, it is necessary for the nano-diamonds to be coated with copper or nickel. Thus, they do not float to the surface of the metal melt, are absorbed by it, and serve as crystallization centers upon which silicon crystals grow in a controlled manner. By using this technology, the alloy possesses increased strength and improved operational properties. High-silicon aluminum alloys are used in the automotive industry for manufacturing pistons in internal combustion engines. The development of new alloys makes it possible to create more economical, more ecological, more powerful, and longer-lasting internal combustion engines" - explains Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Boyan Dochev, a teacher in the Department of "Machine Building Technology" at the Technical University Sofia – Plovdiv Branch. And since science rests on two main pillars – measurements and observations – it becomes clear why teachers and scientists from the Department of "Machine Building Technology" at the university have applied for new metallographic laboratory equipment. Assistant Dr. Eng. Desislava Dimova explains: "We participated in a competition by the Ministry of Education and Science for funding fundamental scientific research of young scientists and postdoctoral researchers with the project 'Study of the tribological properties of new aluminum-silicon piston alloys not containing nickel in their composition'. The project was evaluated appropriately, and the laboratory received funding in the amount of 40,000 leva. With this money, at the end of 2023, the most modern metallographic inverted microscope from Germany was purchased for the Metallography Laboratory of the Technical University Sofia – Plovdiv Branch. It is equipped with an ODC 832 digital color camera and objectives providing magnification for observation up to 1000 times. The thermal furnace from Spain was also purchased. The necessary thermal treatment of the studied alloys is carried out in it. The working temperature of the furnace is up to 1300º C.
= Bulgarian nano-diamonds for science =
The small diamonds of scientific value used at the Technical University – Plovdiv Branch are Bulgarian. They are obtained by the detonation method /controlled explosion/, not by plasma-chemical synthesis. According to teachers and researchers from the Department of "Machine Building Technology" at the Technical University Sofia – Plovdiv Branch, the advantage of this technology is that the diamonds created with it have better properties.
= Advantages of the new equipment =
The Metallography Laboratory is also equipped with other microscopes and a thermal furnace, as well as equipment for automated preparation of metallographic samples. What are the advantages that the new instruments provide to young researchers and students? Dr. Eng. Desislava Dimova explains that the most significant difference from previous laboratory microscopes is that the German instrument is equipped with a camera and specialized software for it. Thus, all linear measurements performed in metallography are made directly on the monitor. This method is more accurate and saves time. Previously, we measured the structure of metals with a microscope in which one of the eyepieces had a built-in scale grid, which required calibration with a micrometer line for the respective magnification during observation every time, and this is a laborious process that takes time and has some subjectivity in the accuracy of measurements, she says. "The purchased Spanish thermal furnace has a maximum working temperature of 1300º C. It is equipped with a programmer that allows setting 64 steps in the technological process of heat treatment and allows achieving greater accuracy in research." - explains Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Boyan Dochev.
= Well-spent money =
When a higher education institution like the Plovdiv branch of the Technical University of Sofia possesses such high-quality laboratory equipment, it is expected that the scientists there will "produce" and add knowledge that people have not had before. And this is a fact. The "life" of the new metal alloys created here continues as patents. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Boyan Dochev and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Panov patented their invention "Method for modifying hypoeutectic aluminum-silicon alloys" in 2020. The Technical University of Sofia – Plovdiv Branch is open to professionals from various industries. Desislava Dimova: "We hosted a national conference of the Union of Founders. We opened the doors of our laboratory to them. For these specialists, it was interesting and important to see what our capabilities are to observe and measure the structures of different alloys and especially our work with non-standardized alloys, which can serve them in their further developments and make their products competitive. The business showed interest and we received inquiries for conducting certain analyses." At the University's Metallography Laboratory, future engineers connect the theory from lectures with practice in metal science, heat treatment, and material testing. "Our laboratory serves to study all these subjects because the cycle goes from the foundry through heat and mechanical treatment to reach mechanical testing. Interest in mechanical engineering specialties has increased. We see the reasons for this in the industrialization of the Plovdiv region and Southern Bulgaria and the corresponding growing need for specialized personnel." - concluded Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Boyan Dochev.
plovdivnews.bg, 16.02.2024
= Bulgarian nano-diamonds for science =
The small diamonds of scientific value used at the Technical University – Plovdiv Branch are Bulgarian. They are obtained by the detonation method /controlled explosion/, not by plasma-chemical synthesis. According to teachers and researchers from the Department of "Machine Building Technology" at the Technical University Sofia – Plovdiv Branch, the advantage of this technology is that the diamonds created with it have better properties.
= Advantages of the new equipment =
The Metallography Laboratory is also equipped with other microscopes and a thermal furnace, as well as equipment for automated preparation of metallographic samples. What are the advantages that the new instruments provide to young researchers and students? Dr. Eng. Desislava Dimova explains that the most significant difference from previous laboratory microscopes is that the German instrument is equipped with a camera and specialized software for it. Thus, all linear measurements performed in metallography are made directly on the monitor. This method is more accurate and saves time. Previously, we measured the structure of metals with a microscope in which one of the eyepieces had a built-in scale grid, which required calibration with a micrometer line for the respective magnification during observation every time, and this is a laborious process that takes time and has some subjectivity in the accuracy of measurements, she says. "The purchased Spanish thermal furnace has a maximum working temperature of 1300º C. It is equipped with a programmer that allows setting 64 steps in the technological process of heat treatment and allows achieving greater accuracy in research." - explains Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Boyan Dochev.
= Well-spent money =
When a higher education institution like the Plovdiv branch of the Technical University of Sofia possesses such high-quality laboratory equipment, it is expected that the scientists there will "produce" and add knowledge that people have not had before. And this is a fact. The "life" of the new metal alloys created here continues as patents. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Boyan Dochev and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Panov patented their invention "Method for modifying hypoeutectic aluminum-silicon alloys" in 2020. The Technical University of Sofia – Plovdiv Branch is open to professionals from various industries. Desislava Dimova: "We hosted a national conference of the Union of Founders. We opened the doors of our laboratory to them. For these specialists, it was interesting and important to see what our capabilities are to observe and measure the structures of different alloys and especially our work with non-standardized alloys, which can serve them in their further developments and make their products competitive. The business showed interest and we received inquiries for conducting certain analyses." At the University's Metallography Laboratory, future engineers connect the theory from lectures with practice in metal science, heat treatment, and material testing. "Our laboratory serves to study all these subjects because the cycle goes from the foundry through heat and mechanical treatment to reach mechanical testing. Interest in mechanical engineering specialties has increased. We see the reasons for this in the industrialization of the Plovdiv region and Southern Bulgaria and the corresponding growing need for specialized personnel." - concluded Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Boyan Dochev.
plovdivnews.bg, 16.02.2024
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