Project information
- Funder
- Horizon Europe / HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDEROPEN
- Period
- 2027-2028
- Registration number
- 101352371
- Budget
- 2.58M Kč
Summary
SHIELD aims to create a new class of sustainable, self healing phosphate conversion coatings for carbon steel exposed to corrosion, microbial, thermal and radiation related degradation. The project moves beyond passive zinc based phosphating by developing calcium and strontium phosphate matrices able to host silver and bismuth nanodomains. Silver will provide antimicrobial protection against biofilm driven corrosion, while bismuth will be explored for stability in radiation relevant environments. The core objective is to prove that an amorphous or semi amorphous phosphate interface can act as an adaptive host matrix, supporting ion mobility, defect passivation and re precipitation of protective phosphate phases after damage. The objectives will be achieved through a stepwise research plan. First, reproducible calcium and strontium phosphate coatings will be prepared on carbon steel by chemical and electrochemically assisted deposition. Bath composition, pH, temperature, treatment time, pretreatment and polarization will be optimized. Second, silver and bismuth will be incorporated and their influence on microstructure, adhesion, barrier performance and functional response will be determined. Third, characterization will be combined with electrochemical, microbial, thermal and radiation screening tests. Finally, the most promising coatings will be transferred to demonstration samples and compared with reference treatments. The project will validate the scientific basis and proof of principle of an adaptive surface protection technology with potential impact in automotive, energy, nuclear storage, offshore and critical infrastructure applications. By extending the lifetime of steel components and reducing reliance on problematic metal cations, SHIELD supports safer and more sustainable industrial systems.