The Advanced Heat Transfer and Surface Technologies Laboratory is housed in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. The group engages with industry and government organizations in developing surface engineering solutions to existing critical problems of part components used in various sectors. The research focus is on the application of heat transfer principles in the development and functionalization of thermal-sprayed coatings, determination of material and wear properties of coatings, performance testing of wildfire chemicals with custom-made sensors, and performance of building equipment systems.
Under the leadership of Dr. André McDonald, the AHTST Laboratory has trained more than a hundred highly qualified personnel, including 5 post-doctoral fellows, 9 PhD students, 36 MSc students, 45 undergrads, and numerous high school interns. The group has received over 70 awards and recognitions from various local and international organizations.
Thermal Spraying and Coatings Development:
• Flame spray deposition of metal coatings for Joule heating in anti-icing/de-icing systems.
• Cold spraying of metal matrix composite coatings for wear resistance in aggressive environments.
• Development of thermal-sprayed metal coatings for structural health monitoring systems.
• Coupling of heat transfer analysis with thermal-sprayed coating materials characterization.
Latest Research Activities:
• Ultra-high strength and light coatings from high entropy alloys (HEA).
• Predictive performance modelling.
• Autonomous fabrication of repair coatings using integrated artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques.
• Thermally sprayed coatings for protection against hydrogen embrittlement.
Applications:
• Aerospace and Defence
• Energy Generation
• Natural Resources and Agriculture
Emerging Research Priorities:
• Critical Minerals
• Hydrogen Economy
• Low-carbon Energy Generation
-
Industry
-
Research Services
-
Company size
-
11-50 employees
-
Headquarters
-
Edmonton
-
Type
-
Educational
-
Specialties
-
Heat Transfer, Multi-functional Surfaces, Flame Spray, Cold Spray, Metal Matrix Composite, Wear-resistant Coatings, Heating Coatings, High Entropy Alloys, Photocatalytic Bactericidal Coatings, De-icing Coatings, Smart Hybrid Coating - Membrane Systems, Thermally Sprayed Coating Sensors, Predictive Modelling, and Testing of Mechanical Properties
