New Materials and Technologies:
Research within the scope of material technologies predominates in the scientific and research activity of the following faculties: Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Faculty of Non-Ferrous Metals, and Faculty of Foundry Engineering. The issues connected with the production, testing and application of materials are also in the offer of many other faculties of the University: Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, Faculty of Mining and Geoengineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatics, Computer Science and Electronics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, Faculty of Drilling, Oil and Gas, and Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection. A characteristic feature of research works conducted at AGH-UST in the field of materials is their practical application and intensive collaboration in this domain with partners in industry. New prospects in material research will open up at AGH-UST along with the completion of new investments, including "The Centre of New Materials and Nanotechnology" and "The Centre of Ceramics".
Problems associated with new materials and technologies have been classified into the following research areas: nanotechnologies, material engineering and material technologies, metallurgy, biomedical engineering and geoengineering. Nanotechnologies and nanomaterials are one of the most modern and the most promising development areas in the field of material technologies. Works on nanomaterials are in the phase of rapid theoretical, experimental and practical development. Among detailed studies, research on the following subject area scan be listed: new production technologies of nanopowders and ceramic nanocomposites, the synthesis of organometallic precursors for oxide and non-oxide nanomaterials, new alloys of nanometric microstructures, epitaxial nanostructures, nanometric layers and nanometric magnetic materials.
The most widely-represented group is material engineering and material technologies. Traditionally, AGH-UST is a well-established research centre and it has a rich offer, especially in the field of metallic and ceramic materials.
Research into new metallic materials comprises: mechanisms controlling phase transitions, microstructure and crystal structure in metals and in ferrous and non-ferrous alloys, powder metallurgy, methods of examining the structures and defects of metals by means of electron microscopy, processes of plastic strains, surface engineering and the development of monocrystals; designing composite materials and technologies of their development, and well as examining the structures and properties of noble metals.
In the field of ceramic materials, a wide range of cognitive and development research is conducted in the domain of chemistry and industrial technologies of such materials as: ceramic whiteware, tile ceramics, sanitary ceramics, building ceramics, refractory and technological ceramics, cementing agents and concretes, insulating materials, as well as glass and enamel. A parallel group constitutes research into advanced ceramic materials, including: modern construction oxide and non-oxide materials, and technologies of their development, materials for the needs of electronics (sensors, semiconductors, integrated circuits, superconductors, thermoelectric materials, magnetic materials) and energetics (materials for alkaline and solar batteries, fuel cells, materials for hydrogen power engineering), different types of glass for optoelectronics, electronics and amorphous coating, carbon fibres and composites for technological and medical applications. These works are supported by cognitive research in the domain of inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry of solid bodies, chemistry of silicates, and analytical chemistry.
The oldest and still heavily developing group of research is metallurgy. Works conducted in this field are: metallurgy of ferrous metals, modelling and development of new plastic forming technologies of ferrous and non-ferrous alloys, problems of thermal technologies and energy-saving technologies in metallurgy, extractive metallurgy of non-ferrous metals, technologies of processing metals and alloys, electrochemistry, corrosion, and chemistry of metals. Important studies are conducted in the field of metal casting, including the development of technologies of alloy casting, construction of casting machines and their operation, mechanization and automation of foundries and their designing, environmental protection, as well as artistic and precision casting.
Research in the field of materials for biomedical engineering constitutes an important programme of research developed by faculties educating students in the discipline of Biomedical Engineering in collaboration with research units in the field of medicine. The research includes such areas as carbon fibres and composites for medical applications, biomaterials for tissue engineering, implants made of resorbable polymers and composites, as well as metallic, including titanium, materials for applications in medicine.
Geoengineering in material research at AGH-UST comprises subject areas connected with the application of materials for the needs of underground, road and water engineering, as well as mining, drilling and environmental protection. This applies to such subject areas as concretes and special binding materials, binding agents used in drilling, insulating materials for municipal waste dumps, material technologies used in the process of industrial waste disposal and the immobilization of metals and dangerous compounds.
