Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 11:41 AM Subject: FW: two FP7 proposals I have checked the coverage of our plan against the texts of the topics in the published calls Results are : For the first proposal NMFOI: we have chosed Call identifier: FP7-NMP-2007-SMALL-1 Call identifier: FP7-NMP-2007-CSA-1 For the second proposal DAMSYS we have choosed Call identifier: FP7-ERANET-2007-RTD Call identifier: FP7-NMP-2007-SME-1 Please help us and let us know, before submitting the proposals, if they fall in the specific portfolios of above call identifiers. Sincerely yours, Veturia Here there are details of both proposals First proposal.Nanocomposition modulated foils with supermodulus effect (NMFOIL) Abstract. The self-assembled nanocomposition modulated foils (NMFOIL) contain short wavelength 1D composition modulations produced by a new vapor deposition method. Our objective consists inproducing NMFOIL with a combination of high strength and ductility. We have simulated at the atomic level producing of multilayers composites with a repeat nanodistance. The foils exhibit a mechanical strength beyond the current engineering materials limit predicted by the simple rule of mixture. For example, a Cu-Ni foil of 66% Cu has a reported Y[100] value of 18.9 TPa (Y[100] for a bulk Cu-Ni alloy of the same Cu composition is 0.14 TPa). NiTi foil reveals yield strength for austenite of 351-1242 MPa (compare with 195-690 MPa for a bulk NiTi alloy). 1. Statement of the rationale for proposing the research action The rationale for proposing this research action is to produce super strong foils by a nanostructuring method based on the vapor deposition strategy. Traditionally, the mechanical strength of crystalline materials is believed to be largely controlled by the grain size. As the structural scale reduces to the nanometer range, the materials exhibit different scale dependence and there is a limit to the conventional descriptions of yielding. In addition to the high strength, the intrinsically high interface-to-volume ratio of the nanostructured materials may enhance interface-driven processes to extend the strain-to-failure and plasticity. A recent study on nanostructured Cu-Nb composites shows a complete suppression of brittle fracture when the wire was tensily tested at liquid He temperature. This is an amazing finding, since bcc metals (such as Nb) are known to fracture in a brittle fashion at 4.2 K. The nanostructured Cu-Nb composites exhibit significant strain hardening and ductility before fracture at a tensile strength of ~2 GPa and a strain of 10. This opens up possibilities for unprecedented direct will greatly enhance our understanding. Self-assembled materials exploit our understanding of molecular interactions and materials chemistry to enable the guided formation of complex structures. The idea of the research is to manipulate under control the nanoscale structures and to integrate them into foils components. The critical length scale for novel properties and phenomena is under 1 nm (manipulation of atoms at ~0.1 nm). The control is based on the vapor nano-deposition strategy to organize the composite foils. The atoms are drastically organized into a precise, pre-determined structure, by producing alternately depositing layers whereby a one-dimensional composition modulation is produced. We have simulated at the atomic level producing of multilayers composites with a repeat nanodistance. The wavelength of the modulation ranges from 0.1-5 nm and the thickness of the deposits from 0.5-2 . For specific multiplayer repeat periodicities the mechanical strength properties of the foil are maximized. The resulted foils exhibit a mechanical strength beyond the current engineering materials limit predicted by the simple rule of mixture and only a small fraction of the weight. For example, a Cu-Ni foil of 66% Cu has a reported Y[100] value of 18.9 TPa (Y[100] for a bulk Cu-Ni alloy of the same Cu composition is 0.14 TPa). A Cu-Nb foil exhibits a tensile strength of 2.7 GPa (a nanostructured Cu-Nb composites exhibit a tensile strength of ~2 GPa). NiTi foil reveals yield strength for austenite of 351-1242 MPa (compare with 195-690 MPa for a bulk NiTi alloy). The principle for the self-assembled nanocomposition modulated foils (NMFOIL) is fundamentally different from self-assembly by phase-separation and surface chemistry modification. We believed that NMFOIL opens up exciting areas for fundamental scientific study and practical applications. 2. The objectives The project has 5 main tasks: (1) to attain a fundamental scientific understanding of nanoscale phenomena, particularly of self-assembly guided phenomenon. (2) to design the vapor nano-deposition strategy to organize composite foils, into a precise, pre-determined structure, by producing alternately depositing layers with a one-dimensional composition modulation. (3) to develope the fundamental laws governing the processes in nanocomposition modulated foils development. (4) to develop experimental characterization tools and theory/modeling/simulation tools necessary to drive the strategy and to express the properties of interest for the super strong foils. (5) to design a virtual manufacturing process based on guided self-assembly of atoms. The vapor nano-deposition strategy is an innovative integration of the state of art of the self-assembly control strategy into the known technique of producing thin films containing one-dimensional composition modulation. The NMFOIL exhibit desirable characteristics of self-assembly; namely, that they are novel and reproducible structures that can be fabricated in industrially significant quantities. This is an area of active fundamental research and if successful on industrially interesting scales, is expected to lead to produce of NMFOIL with novel properties and low costs. The efforts in this area generally encompass and depend on many different scientific disciplines. 3. The general approach foreseen to achieve the objectives Nature is a good teacher because it provides many examples of organized architectures whose self-assembly is choreographed by molecular interactions. The nature has been assembling atoms into complex "nanostructures" for millions of years, and in a remarkably efficient way. Molecular engineering learns to self-assemble atoms into structures consistent with the laws of physics specified in atomic detail. But, it is not enough to improve and extend the techniques of assembling molecules atom by atom, we must solve the problem of artificial self-replication and integration as well. Self-assembling atoms have been proposed and demonstrated, but no experimental verification of artificial self-reproduction has succeeded as yet. It has been shown that, in principle, self-reproducing machines in special supporting environments could be realizable but not sustainable. The existing theoretical and experimental tools and methods must be combined and linked to an atomistic understanding, for developing the laws governing the processes to produce NMFOIL with a combination of high strength and ductility. The principal tools of investigations belong to the continuum and discrete nonlinear mechanics and physics, to the mesoscale theories, complexity theory, multiscale methods, and to new advances in applied mathematics. An interdisciplinary effort will be required to combine the solutions of the governing equations of the processes in NMFOIL with atomistic density functional theory (as done now in chemistry and physics). Unique opportunities exist here for the merging and novel use of existing knowledge in mathematics,thermomechanics, physics, multi-scale and multi-phenomena theories, modeling and simulation at the nanoscale. For example, the quantum chemical and molecular theory and simulation are required to offer fundamental insights and provide predictability methods for nanoscale material properties such as thermophysical, thermochemical, electrical, mechanical, magnetic, and rheological behavior. The optimization of nanoscale materials properties requires the exploration of thousands of design alternatives prior to producing. Second proposal. Damping Systems and Vibration Control with Applications in Manufacturing (DAMSYS) Abstract. The aim is to implement the flexible Vibration Control and Damping Systems (DAMSYS) for damping vibrations in manufacturing equipments. The "smart" dampers with tailor-made functionalities are based on the knowledge-based multifunctional materials (viscoelastics, MR fluids, MPz and SMA elements). The dampers are incorporating in-built characteristics to be exploited under predetermined conditions. The control strategies take a maximum advantage of the prescribed geometric nonliniarities with friction and the negative stiffnesses of the attached, inclusions or inserted in the initial deformed matrix. The concepts, devices design, theoretical and experimental results for damping increasing in manufacturing equipments (lathes, drilling and milling machines, transfer machines, etc.) are "end products" of this project. 1. Statement of the rationale for proposing the research action Chatter, a violent relative vibration between workpiece and the cutting tool, is a frequent problem in rotary machining operations. Chatter affects the productivity, the surface finish, and the tool life. It also causes severe acoustic noise in the working environment. To reduce/eliminate chatter, approaches such as continuously varying spindle speed, using a damped absorber, and increasing the stiffness of machine structures have been studied. The spindle speed variation approach reduces chatter by limiting the cutting speed to the stable regions according to the stability lobes, but this unavoidably decreases the productivity, while the latter two approaches require the redesign of the absorber/machine whenever there is a change in the chatter frequency. The aim is to implement the flexible Control Elasticity and Damping Systems (CEDS) for damping vibrations in manufacturing equipments. The "smart" dampers with tailor-made functionalities are based on the knowledge-based multifunctional materials (viscoelastics, MR fluids, MPz and SMA elements). The dampers are incorporating in-built characteristics to be exploited under predetermined conditions. The control strategies take a maximum advantage of the prescribed geometric nonliniarities with friction and the negative stiffnesses of the attached, inclusions or inserted in the initial deformed matrix. An active biaxial chatter control system is then developed to reduce/eliminate chatter in both the radial and the feed directions. The concepts, devices design, theoretical and experimental results for damping increasing in manufacturing equipments (lathes, drilling and milling machines, transfer machines, etc.) are "end products" of this project. 2. The objectives The proposed project consists of objectives: 1. The concept and design of smart dampers for an active tool holder Smart dampers are developed in the aim of manufacturing an active tool holder. The purpose is to mount the actuators for the implementation of the active controllers as well as to hold the cutting tool. The active tool holder shall allow biaxial actuation, since an active biaxial chatter control system will be developed to reduce/eliminate chatter in both the radial and the feed directions. The concept is based on the dynamic analysis of the active tool holder. 2. Active control design Various control strategies will be studied and implemented experimentally. The efficiency and the robustness of the controllers will be compared. Active control can be designed to adjust the dynamic characteristics of a vibration mode by changing the modal parameters. Velocity feedback can be used to add smart damping to the frame to damp out the chatter energy. Displacement feedback can be employed to increase the stiffness of the structure to suppress the chatter. Chatter control design can also be approached from an energy-absorbing point of view. Compared to the passive vibration absorber, the advantage of using an active controller to absorb the vibrational energy is that changing the damping and stiffness of the absorber is achieved through the changing of the control gains in the software. As a result, no redesign of the absorber is needed. 3 Real-time implementation of the active controller A real-time implementation of the active controller will be performed on a lathe. Measurements from sensors are input to the A/D terminals of the data acquisition board in the computer as well as to a spectrum analyzer. The data from the data acquisition board are used to calculate the control signal, while the data to the analyzer are used to monitor the response on line. The control signals are sent out via the D/A terminals of the data acquisition board, filtered, amplified, and then used to drive the control actuators. 3. The general approach foreseen to achieve the objectives The design of "smart" dampers with tailor-made functionalities is based on the knowledge-based multifunctional materials (viscoelastics, MR fluids, MPz and SMA elements). For viscoelastics, MPz and SMA elements the compliant composite unit cells are made with negative stiffness constituents. Composites with negative stiffness inclusions in a viscoelastic, MPz or SMA matrix have higher stiffness and mechanical damping than that of either constituent and exceeding conventional bounds. The causal mechanism is a greater deformation in and near the inclusions than the composite as a whole. Though a block of negative stiffness is unstable, negative stiffness inclusions in a composite can be stabilized by the surrounding matrix. Such inclusions may be made from single domains of ferroelastic material below its phase transition temperature or from prebuckled lumped elements.