FIRST TEAM Silvia Bonfanti

Dr. Silvia Bonfanti leads the FIRST TEAM project:

Designing Enhanced Metallic Glasses — METGLAS

Project No.: FENG.02.02-IP.05-0177/23
Beneficiary: National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ)
Principal Investigator: Dr Silvia Bonfanti
Implementation period: 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2028
Total project value: PLN 4,000,000.00
European Funds contribution: PLN 4,000,000.00

The project is co-financed by the European Union under the European Funds for Smart Economy Programme 2021–2027, Priority II “Innovation-Friendly Environment,” Measure 2.2 FIRST TEAM.

Project objective

The objective of the project is to develop new methods for designing and optimising metallic-glass compositions and to verify them experimentally. The project combines atomistic modelling, materials informatics, machine learning, Bayesian optimisation and experimental research to accelerate the identification of materials with high thermal stability and favourable mechanical properties.

Tasks and activities

The project activities include:

• Development of atomistic models and machine-learning interatomic potentials.
• Computational screening and optimisation of metallic-glass compositions.
• Production of thin films by magnetron sputtering and their characterisation, including mechanical testing.
• Experimental validation of relationships between chemical composition, structure and material properties.
• Development and optimisation of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processing methods for metallic glasses.
• Structural, thermal and mechanical characterisation of the produced materials.
• Development of results with publication, patent and application potential.
• Cooperation with the domestic business partner AMAZEMET and the international scientific partner Johns Hopkins University.

Research collaboration

The project is conducted in collaboration with an international scientific partner, Johns Hopkins University (USA), represented by Prof. Michael Falk, and the domestic industrial partner AMAZEMET, which has expertise in additive manufacturing methods and the production of specialised metallic powders.

Additive manufacturing and LPBF

A key element of the project strategy is the development of expertise and research methods in additive manufacturing at NCBJ. The project develops and experimentally validates laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processing methods for metallic glasses using the research infrastructure available at NCBJ. The work includes the selection and optimisation of process parameters, production of test samples, and investigation of the relationships between processing conditions, thermal history, material structure and properties.

Target groups

The project is addressed to the scientific community and companies active in advanced materials, metallic glasses, computational materials design, machine learning and additive manufacturing. Its results may also benefit sectors requiring lightweight, strong and durable materials, including the aerospace, automotive, consumer-electronics and healthcare industries.

Expected effects and results

The expected project results include:

• New computational methods for designing metallic glasses.
• Identification of promising material compositions with improved properties.
• Experimental validation of selected compositions and structure–property relationships.
• Validated material-production and characterisation procedures.
• Development of knowledge and know-how concerning LPBF processing.
• Progress in applying additive manufacturing to compositionally complex materials.
• Scientific publications, patent applications and development of an interdisciplinary research team.