Erb, Uwe

Professor Erb’s research group is working in the areas of nanostructured materials, interface control in conventional materials and bio-inspired nanostructures.

Nanostructured Materials

Professor Erb’s research team is internationally recognized as a world leading group in the development of electrochemical synthesis methods for nanostructured metals, alloys and composites. These materials have outstanding physical, chemical and mechanical properties usually not observed in conventional materials. Applications include wear and corrosion resistant coatings, environmentally benign replacement coatings for chromium and cadium, nuclear steam generator repair, soft ferromagnetic materials for high performance motors and power supplies, and high strength structural materials for automotive, aerospace and consumer product applications. The patented technology has contributed to the formation of two Canadian start-up companies.

Interface Control in Materials

Grain boundary engineering is a materials processing technology which has the ultimate goal to produce advanced materials with enhanced interface distributions for improved properties, in particular corrosion, fracture and high temperature creep resistance. Over the past 25 years, Professor Erb and his coworkers have conducted numerous fundamental and applied studies in this field for a large number of industrial materials including stainless steels, nickel, copper, cobalt and aluminum.

Bio-Inspired Nanostructures

In this research we explore what we can learn from nature in the area of nanostructure design. Examples include mimicking micro/nanoscale structures of Aspen leaves to create superhydrophobic / self-cleaning surfaces, crystal defects and diffraction gratings in butterfly eye nanonipple arrays, and nano-sized silica precipitates in horsetails.

 

More information on UofT website.