High Entropy Ceramics (HECs) are a new class of materials consisting of more than five components stablised by their high configurational entropy. They are attracting a great deal of attention from the ceramics research community and industry. They were developed following some inspiration from the field of metallurgy, in which the useful compositional space for the exploration of new alloys was drastically increased upon the discovery of High Entropy Alloys (HEAs). In these materials some combination of multiple elements can produce single phase materials, rather than multiple phases by their increased configurational energy. Among HECs, high entropy transition metal carbides (HETMCs) and borides (HETMBs) are the subject of investigation because of their superior properties such as ultra-high melting point and hardness, excellent corrosion resistance, and relatively low density. The goal of this project is to develop novel synthesis methods, and understand and optimise the physical properties, of HECs. To do this we will focus on Group IV and V transition metal carbides and borides with respectively simple rock salt and hexagonal structures as model systems. These materials have the potential to lead to new materials with novel properties that could find commercial applications under the most extreme conditions. In the first part of the work, first principles calculations (DFT) will be used to assist in developing a deep fundamental scientific understanding of HECs, and this will then be used to guide the development of new HEC compositions with unique and industrially-applicable combinations of functional and mechanical properties. In the second part, a novel "microwave and molten salt co-assisted carbo-/borocarbo-thermal reduction" technique will be developed to make pure 1-D/2-D HETMC/HRTMB phase with a high aspect ratio, pure spherical HETMC/HETMB particles, or a mixture consisting of both forms of particles in various ratios (compositional design guided by the above DFT calculations/modelling). The process will use relatively inexpensive metal oxides, B2O3/B4C, and carbon precursors, processed at much lower temperatures (reduction by 300-600oC) and in shorter times (could be reduced to 20min) compared to using traditional processing routes. In the third part, in-situ formed powder mixtures or mixtures formed by combining the first two forms of presynthesised powders in appropriate ratios will be sintered using SPS or flash-SPS sintering to prepare self-reinforced HE carbides/borides composites that can be used under the most extreme engineering conditions, for example applications in, armour, aerospace, refractories, cutting tools, hypersonic vehicles, catalysis, and nuclear reactors. This work, if successful, would not only have significant academic significance, but also great industrial impact, benefiting a number of important communities/sectors.

Carbon-containing refractory bricks (CCRBs) are one of the most important materials for the iron and steel industry worldwide. One modern steel-making company alone needs to spend over £200M/annum on refractories of which 70-80% are CCRBs. However, current commercial CCRBs contain high level of carbon (>25%C), causing several serious problems, including great heat loss, temperature drop of the molten steel, deformation of steel shells of steelmaking furnaces, nozzle clogging, carbon pickup, emission of green house gases and unnecessary use of excessive amounts of expensive graphite. To overcome these problems, the carbon content in CCRBs has to be reduced to an appropriately low level (ideally <3%C), i.e., the so-called low carbon carbon-containing refractories (LCCRs) have to be developed. In this programme, a simple, straightforward yet novel concept was put forward to develop LCCRs. Based on the proposed technique, the effective surface area of graphitic carbon to cover the oxide grains could be exponentially increased. Consequently, the carbon content could be substantially reduced without compromising properties and performance of the refractory. This programme, in addition to its academic significance, will greatly benefit many important industries, in particular the refractory and steel industries by providing high quality "greener" refractory materials at lower-cost.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Carbon-containing refractory bricks (CCRBs) are one of the most important materials for the iron and steel industry worldwide, e.g. Corus alone spends over 200M/annum on refractories of which 70-80% are carbon-containing refractories. However, their two critical drawbacks, poor oxidation resistance and poor mechanical properties (low mechanical strength and poor erosion resistance), significantly reduce their service life in many applications. Whilst the poor oxidation resistance can now be improved via additions of antioxidants and/or formation of refractory coatings on graphite, the issue of poor mechanical properties has yet to be solved. In this programme, based upon the applicants' extensive experience in R & D of refractories and expertise on nanofibre/tube fabrication, the design and development of a novel and commercially-viable catalytic-growth technique is proposed that can create large quantities of in-situ carbon nanotubes in CCRBs, aiming to improve substantially their mechanical strength and erosion resistance (by >50%) and service durability (by >25%). This programme, in addition to its academic significance for in-situ nanostructure design, will undoubtbly benefit the refractory and steel industries by providing high quality refractory materials at low-cost.