Lightweight Materials for Automotive Products and Manufacturing Processes

The NSERC/General Motors of Canada/University of Windsor Industrial Research Chair (IRC) in Tribology of Lightweight Materials focuses on understanding and improving the friction and wear behavior of lightweight materials, like aluminum, magnesium and their composites and developing novel coatings to protect them against wear. In addition to experimental studies, theoretical studies are carried out, via mathematical modeling and computational simulations, to understand tribological phenomena at the microscopic and atomic level.

Overall these research programs contribute to the development of new technologies to help industrial designers select materials, design systems and utilize components that are more resistant to wear, yet easier to machine, which is vital to metal processing and manufacturing industries, including automotive manufacturers. Research is conducted in the Tribology of Materials Laboratories under direction of the chair holder, Dr. Ahmet T. Alpas, professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering.

Recent Articles

Metals Anchor Platinum to Graphene Using Metallic Adatoms: A first principles investigation

Sen, F.G., Qi, Y., Alpas, A.T.
Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 2012.

Tribology of Fluorinated Diamond-like Carbon Coatings: First principles calculations and sliding experiments.

Sen, F.G., Qi, Y., Alpas, A.T.
Lubrication Science, 2012.

Ultra-mild Wear of Al2O3 Fibre and Particle Reinforced Magnesium Matrix Composites

Banerji, A., Hu, H., Alpas, A.
Advanced Materials Research, 445, 2012, 503-508.

High Temperature Deformation and Fracture of Tribo-layers on the Surface of AA5083 Sheet Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy

Das, S., Riahi, A.R., Meng-Burany, X., Morales, A.T., Alpas, A.T.
Materials Science and Engineering A, 531, 2012, 76-83.

High Temperature Tribological Behaviour of W-DLC Against Aluminum

Abou Gharam, A., Lukitsch, M.J., Alpas, A.T.
Thin Solid Films, 206, 2011, 1905-1912.

A Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Crack Formation and Propagation in Electrochemically Cycled Graphite Electrode in Lithium-Ion Cells

Bhattacharya, S., Riahi, A.R., Alpas, A.T.
Journal of Power Sources, 196, 2011, 8719-8727.

Role of Plastic Deformation on Elevated Temperature Tribological Behavior of an Al-Mg Alloy (AA5083): A Friction Mapping Approach

Das, S., Morales, A.T., Riahi, A.R., Meng-Burany, X., Alpas, A.T.
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 42A, 2011, 2384-2401.

The Role of Diamond-like Carbon Coated Drills on Minimum Quantity Lubrication Drilling of Magnesium Alloys

Bhowmick, S., Alpas, A.T.
Surface & Coatings Technology, 205, 2011, 5302-5311.

Electrochemical Performance of a Tin-Coated Carbon Fibre Electrode for Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries

Shafiei, M., Alpas, A.T.
Journal of Power Sources, 196, 2011, 7771-7778.

Material Transfer Mechanisms between Aluminum and Fluorinated Carbon Interfaces

In-situ Observations of Lithiation/ Delithiation Induced Graphite Damage during Electrochemical Cycling

Subsurface Sliding Wear Damage Characterization in Al-Si Alloys Using Focused Ion Beam and Cross-Sectional TEM Techniques

High Temperature Tribological Behaviour of Carbon Based (B4C and WC-DLC) Coatings against Aluminum

Tapping of Al-6.5%Si Alloys with Diamond-Like Carbon Coated Tools and Minimum Quantity Lubrication

Improvement of Platinum Adhesion to Carbon Surfaces Using PVD Coatings

Shafiei M., Riahi A.R., Sen F.G., Alpas A.T.
Surface & Coatings Technology, 205, 2010, 306-311.

 

Dry and Minimum Quantity Lubrication Drilling of a Magnesium (AM60) Alloy

Bhowmick S., Lukitsch M., Alpas A.T.
International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture, 50, 2010, 444-457.

 

Microstructural Evolution during High Temperature Sliding Wear of Mg-3%Al-1%Zn (AZ31) Alloy

Das S., Morales A.T., Alpas A.T.
Wear, 268, 2010, 94-103.
 

 

Indentation-Induced Subsurface Damage in Silicon Particles of Al-Si Alloys

Bhattacharya S., Riahi A.R., Alpas A.T.
Materials Science and Engineering A 572, 2009, 387-396.
 

 

Nanocrystalline Nickel Films with Lotus Leaf Texture for Superhydrophobic and Low Friction Surfaces

Shafiei M., Alpas A.T.
Applied Surface Science, 256, 2009, 710-719.
 

 

Surface Stability and Electronic Structure of Hydrogen and Fluorine Terminated Diamond Surfaces: A First Principles Investigation

Sen F.G., Qi Y., Alpas A.T.
Journal of Materials Research, 24, 2009, 2461-2470.