Ameey Anupam is strengthening University West’s research team in thermal spraying over the next two years. She has been awarded a prestigious EU-funded postdoctoral position – one that many researchers dream of. “My mission is to develop a simpler way of depositing a new type of thermal barrier coating that has the potential to improve combustion efficiency and reduce fuel consumption in gas turbines – something that could significantly lower their climate impact.”
Ameey Anupam holds a PhD in thermal spraying, and her postdoc position is funded through the EU’s Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme. This is the first time University West has the opportunity to host a postdoc within this programme. Competition for this type of funding is fierce, and the demands for quality and innovation are high.
“I previously conducted research in thermal spraying in Australia and India before moving with my family to Trollhättan. This position caught my interest because I’m passionate about exploring materials and processes, and because University West is one of the few institutions in Europe with such advanced equipment and expertise in thermal spraying.”
Combining new materials and plasma spraying
Ameey’s research focuses on developing a new type of thermal barrier coatings by combining novel materials with innovative thermal spraying techniques.
“The material is a high-entropy oxide – a ceramic material essentially a cocktail of various metals and oxygen. The process we use is a form of plasma spraying, using liquid feedstock instead of powders. This combination allows us to create, in one shot, coatings for gas turbine engines that can withstand higher temperatures. Use of such coatings translates into more efficient combustion, lower fuel consumption, and longer engine life. All of this contributes to reducing the environmental impact of the turbines.”
Multiple areas of application
Other potential applications for this class of thermal sprayed coatings are as electrodes in solid-state batteries and in catalysis for hydrogen generation.
“My research is mainly about understanding what happens in the process, how the materials behave, and gaining insights into how processing affects properties. My hope is to lay the groundwork for a method that can benefit industrial actors who are actively working on climate solutions.”
Collaborating with companies and institutes
Most of the research will be conducted in University West’s thermal spray lab at the Production Technology Centre in Trollhättan. Ameey will also collaborate with the Institute of Plasma Physics in the Czech Republic and the company Treibacher Industrie in Austria.
“I’m really looking forward to working with them. The Czech institute has access to advanced deposition and characterization tools, and together with Treibacher Industries, we can explore the commercial potential of this work.”
For Ameey and her family, life in Trollhättan is off to a good start.
“We really enjoy it here; especially how calm and quiet it is. It’s a big contrast to living in an Indian city.”
More about the research!