Calnano’s Advanced Materials Development Process ABCs California Nanotechnologies provides a complement of advanced processing and testing capabilities for materials research & production needs. Cryogenic mills, multiple in-house Spark Plasma Sintering systems, mechanical testing and tooling fabrication combine to meet the growing demand for advanced materials. R&D and pilot-scale production services are performed for both in-house programs and customer-funded projects. Programs range from Space, Aerospace, Nuclear and Sports & Recreation industries.
Of Note, CalNano combines advanced cryogenic milling and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) to synthesize novel materials, particularly High Entropy Alloys (HEAs) & high-temperature ceramic composites.
Cryogenic Milling, performed below -150°C, creates powders with controlled microstructures and nano-scale particle sizes. Specifically, CalNano’s powder processing technique uses high energy attrition ball milling at cryogenic temperatures to reduce particle size, refine nano-grains, and create custom powder alloys.
Cal Nano uses cryomilling to create nanomaterials in two ways:
- Change the microstructure of the powder to keep the particle size the same, but create nanograins that improve material properties.
- Reduce the size of the material from micro to nano during milling
CalNano’s SPS process, as highlighted by Christopher Melnyk, Director of Business Development, is:
- a powder metallurgy technique utilizing high pressure and temperature to create dense materials with unique properties capable of sinterng parts from 10 mm to 450 mm in diameter at temperatures up to 2,500°C.
- SPS diffusion, to add further detail, rapidly consolidates powdered materials into dense, high-performance components using pressure and pulsed direct current, resulting in several advantages. These integrations reduce processing time and allow for rapidly exploring various compositions and structures. The developed materials exhibit superior mechanical, thermal, and corrosion properties, making them ideal for arrays of emerging technologies including Hypersonics, Fusion, and Green Energy. This approach facilitates the rapid resolution of material property challenges and enables the direct production of bulk materials and complex geometry components from novel material solutions.
Material development and testing
Cal Nano's material development process involves creating and designing new materials or improving existing materials. Material testing assesses the properties and behavior of materials under various conditions. Cal Nano's mission is to bring next generation materials to market with cutting-edge technologies.