Excellent mechanical properties make metal matrix composites (MMCs) an attractive and desirable material in many industries. However, manufacturing costs of MMCs are currently very high mainly due to lack of material design database and limited knowledge related to their behavior in various working conditions. This proposed research aims to improve understanding of the relation between MMCs production parameters and their properties. The proposed research plan has two main assignments: firstly, to experimentally obtain optimal processing parameters for producing highly conductive, strengthened copper matrix composites with uniform dispersion of submicron and nano-sized reinforcements; secondly, to create a computational model for mechanical alloying process and for predicting the behaviour of MMCs. Powder metallurgy will be used for MMCs production. It is expected that with increasing mechanical alloying time the distribution of reinforcements (in-situ formed during densification process) in metal matrix become more uniform which is a requirement for excellent mechanical properties. Investigating the influence of size and volume fraction of in-situ formed reinforcing nanoparticles on its microstructural, mechanical and physical properties will be the overall objective of the experimental work. Proposed techniques, data collection, and analysis will identify the relationship between process parameters and material behaviour, which will contribute to the establishment of process parameters for fabrication of MMCs. Obtained results will present a good database which can accelerate further research, development and possible implementation of MMCs. Moreover, creating computational models for control of microstructure and process design of MMCs will contribute to a better understanding and predicting the behaviour of a wide variety of MMCs. It will provide a cost effective solution in the manufacturing of MMCs which will expand possibilities in the design of new products.

IICT is an autonomous institute within the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The VIBraTE project aims at enhancing the scientific excellence of IICT and its capacity to gain competitive research funding by establishing an ERA Chair focused on a better understanding of the interactions of implants with the brain tissue and the technologies to interface the human brain (i.e. brain-computer interfacing, BCI) and Deep Brain Stimulation devices. The high-level scientific objectives of the action are to: (i) investigate the viscoelastic coupling between the brain and implanted electrodes; (ii) optimize the interface geometry for invasive and non-invasive BCIs; (iii) model and investigate diffusion of substances around implants; (iv) model the mechanical effects on recorded brain activity. The Chair will open an experimental BCI lab, which will test model predictions in brain tissue phantom models and will close the loop between theory and experiment. The action will also establish a project management and technology office that will support the long-term funding strategy of the Chair and stakeholder interactions. The long-term ambition of the action is to enable the formation of a Bulgarian high-tech pole in neurotechnology. The prospective Chair relies on the combined expertise of the ERA Chair holder in neurotechnology and mathematical modeling with the relevant expertise in neural network models and scientific computing and signal processing, already available at the host. The VIBraTE chair will allow for the formation of a group with top expertise in Bulgaria, which will participate as an equal partner in international research programs and will become a central knowledge hub for neurotechnology in the country.