VASIKER – Damage tolerant ceramics in the technology industry

The "damage-tolerant ceramics in the technology industry (VASIKER)"-project is based on a recent discovery and further research, where glassy oxide materials of element group 13 have been found to have significant plastic deformability at room temperature. When brittle fracture is avoided and the oxide material yields, the strength is very high, in the order of 3-5 GPa. In practice, the strength is greater than in, for example, any known high-strength steel. This occurs primarily because the atomic bonds in ceramics are naturally strong. The plasticity helps to avoid brittle fracture, which normally lowers the achievable strength of ceramics and glass materials significantly. 

The VASIKER project deals with the manufacturing technology of these glassy oxide materials and the testing of the materials in relevant laboratory conditions in cooperation with end users. The project creates better capabilities for the project's domestic partners to build broad and impactful projects and cooperation networks, which are also able to utilize the EU's competitive financial instruments such as the Horizon Europe and Digital Europe programs. The project aims at technical and scientific joint publications, which contribute to the credibility of the consortium to implement EU projects. The project is implemented in cooperation between Tampere University and University of Turku. 

Oxide glasses are important for applications ranging from smartphone screens to window panels and they show great promise for modern electronics, including potential uses in optoelectronics, flexible electronics, photovoltaics, single-electron transistors, and battery technologies. These glasses allow for a wide range of tailored, functional properties, from full dielectrics to tuned semiconductors coupled with visible light transparency, and good chemical and thermal stability. However, in practical terms inorganic oxide glasses are considered brittle, which has led to the current design paradigm of glass and ceramic materials. We aim to transform the current paradigm by attempting to verify that a bulk oxide glass can deform plastically at room temperature.
 

European Regional Development Fund, Project A91840
Elcogen Oy
Pulsedeon Oy
Seldeon Oy
Stick Tech Oy
Heirol Oy

Tampere University and University of Turku