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DOCTORAL TRAININGPhD TOPICS

PhD topics

 

 

Name Title of the researct topic Description of the research topic  Student
Prof. Dr. Barkóczy Péter Allotropic phase transormation of Titanium-Zirconium system Pure Titanium and Zirconium have an allotropic phase transformation which also exists in the alloys too. The scope of the research work to study the kinetics allotropic phase transformation either in commercial purity metals or its alloys. Lamellar structured specimens will be prepared by welding process. The specimens will be deformed and annealed to study the effect of recrystallized structure to the allotropic transformation. The kinetics of recrystallization and allotropic transformation will be studied by DTA or DSC technique. The kinetic equations determined by thermal analysis evaluation techniques. Alloys will be prepared by diffusion at high temperature heat treatment. The diffusivities studied by heat treatment above and below of the characteristic temperatures of the allotropic phase transformation. The microstructure of the alloys will be observed by metallography and electron microscopy. 1
Prof. Dr. Baumli Péter Synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles and coatings for elektrochemical applications Nanosized particles and nanocoatings of ceramics and metals have received great interests due to their attractive electronic, capacitive properties. In this research, firstly ceramic and metallic nanoparticles and than coatings will be prepared from the nanoparticles. The particles and the coatiings electrical properties will be investigated. The main goal to develop electrode, supercapacitor materials. The samples investigation will be done by SEM, TEM, EIS, and galvanostatic charge discharge method. 1
Prof. Dr. Baumli Péter Preparation and investigation of Carbon Nanosheets from natural wastes Carbon nanosheets (CNs) synthesized from natural waste which is an inexpensive material with a high carbon content that is abundantly available in nature. CNs are produced using chemical activation and acid exfoliation and thermal treatments. CNs were found to be a potential candidate for electrode material in electrochemical capacitors. During this work, the Ph.D. student will confirm that CNs are good supercapacitor materials and they can be applied in energy storage devices. 1
Prof. Dr. Baumli Péter Preparation of corrosion-resistant coatings on steel A significant drawback of steel for example in the case of pipelines is their sensitivity to corrosion, which reduces the lifetime of the product prepared from steel. Owing to the corrosion, the physical and chemical behaviour will change. This highlights the importance of the problem of corrosion and the need for protecting the metal from corrosion. There are different methods to protect the metals from corrosion. This research is focused on the corrosion-resistant coating preparation. The corrosion-resistant coatings can be formed from other non-corrosive metals, composite materials, or nanomaterials. 1
Prof. Dr. Baumli Péter
Prof. Dr. Kaptay György
 
Development of new aluminum-matrix composite materials reinforced with nanoscale refractory particles Particle reinforced composite materials, (nano) laminar materials, foams and emulsions (stabilized by solid particles or not) are high interfacial area materials. This class of materials has a very large variety of matrix / reinforcing / stabilizing phases and a high variety of potential applications. The goal of research studies under this general subject is to develop new high interfacial materials, study their properties as function of composition and technological parameters and to study basic criteria of their successfull production. Applicants are invited for PhD studies in any specific part of this wide field. 1
Prof. Dr. Baumli Péter
Prof. Dr. Kaptay György
 Fabrication and characterization of nano multi-layered materials for low temperature brazing applications Engineered nano multi-layered materials (NML) exhibit promising applications in contemporary brazing technologies. The use of NML in joining introduces melting point depression which is the ability to achieve the desired effects with decreased temperature range using traditional brazing techniques. NML have the potential to increased thermal flow and interface formation thus also reducing the reaction time. NML films are fabricated in alternate layers of metal and chemically inert barrier in nano scale using sputtering techniques. In the proposed study fabrication of brazing filler composed of Ag, Cu, Ag-Cu and other metal alloys with different inert barriers and their applicability as brazing materials will be studied. The prepared layers will be characterized using techniques including XRD, SEM and TEM to study their microstructure in the interface and bond formation. 1
Dr. Benke Márton Anisotropy of Rolled Multilayered Structures The objective of the proposed topic is to characterize the crystallographic and mechanical anisotropy of multilayered "composite" structures produced by rolling processes. The crystallographic anisotropy of the different, repeating metal layers is to be described and correlated with the macroscopic mechanical anisotropy of the multilayered sheet material. Another objective is to determinate whether one type of the repeating material layers governs mechanical anisotropy, or it is the combined result of the different layers. 1
Dr. Dobó Zsolt Investigation of direct CO2 capture from the atmosphere The recent atmospheric CO2 concentration reached a level never seen before causing significant concern in terms of climate change. Therefore, various new technologies and strategies are pursued in order to lower carbon emissions and lower the atmospheric CO2 concentration. The PhD research aims to investigate the direct CO2 capture method which has the potential of artificially removing the carbon from ambient air. Development of novel carbon capture approaches and identifying the possible carbon utilization methods are also in focus 1
Dr. Fiser Béla Experimental and Computational Study of Polyurethane Catalysts Polyurethanes (PU) are one of the most versatile polymers. They are made by reacting di-, oligo- or polyisocyanates with polyols to produce different materials (e.g. heat insulators). During their synthesis various catalysts are used depending on the final product. The description of the catalytic reactions at the molecular level could further initiate the rational design of new polyurethanes. In this project, the catalytic activity of PU catalysts will be compared and studied by using computational and experimental tools. Based on the results, we will design new polyurethanes. 1
Dr. Fiser Béla Development of Ionic Liquid-based Polymers (AMAL ZARRAMI) The aim of this research is to design and produce polyurethane foams that are not made from conventional polyols but from ionic liquids. In the first step, ionic liquid (IL) systems capable of replacing different polyols are investigated by theoretical methods. Ionic liquids will contain biomolecules (e.g. sugars) and choline chloride. Based on the theoretical results, the most promising ILs will be prepared and used in the synthesis of polyurethanes. The synthesized polymers will be characterized and compared to properly chosen reference systems. 1
Dr. Fiser Béla Experimental and Computational Study of Antioxidant Additives Additives are widely used to achieve the desired properties of polymers. These molecules can be incorporated into the formulation of polymers, and thus, the processability and end-use of the materials can be improved. The first well known example of successful additive application was Charles Goodyear’s discovery, by which he was able to drastically improve the properties of natural rubber by vulcanization (adding sulphur to the material). This moment has been an important milestone not only for the rubber industry but for polymer science as well. Antioxidants (AO) are utilized as additives to prevent thermal- and UV light-induced oxidation of polymers. Bio-based antioxidants will be studied by using experimental and computational tools. The applicability of the bio-based antioxidants will be compared to their synthetic counterparts. The most promising bio-based AOs will be selected, and new, “green” polymer formulations will be developed. 1
Prof. Dr. Gömze A. László Nitridkötésű SiC kerámiák vizsgálata A PhD kutatás célja a SiC kerámiák nitrogén atmoszférában történő égetése során fellépő fázisátalakulások vizsgálata. A nitridkötésű SiC kerámiák fizikai és kémiai tulajdonságainak vizsgálata. Ennek a kutatásnak a Si3N4, valamint a Si2ON2 koncentrációinak a fázisösszetételre, a pórus- és kristályszerkezetre, valamint a pórusfelület morfológiájára kell összpontosítania. A nirtidkötésű SiC kerámiák mechanikai szilárdsága, porózus és kristályos szerkezete közötti összefüggéseket szintén meg kell vizsgálni és tanulmányozni. 1
Prof. Dr. Hernádi Klára Modification of carbon nanotube surfaces via formation of inorganic composites Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) have attracted considerable attention in recent years, most notably because of their extraordinary mechanical and unique electronic properties and might find application on several fields. Before certain applications, for better wettability and improved load transfer, their surface modification is recommended. The goal of the work is to prepare homogeneous layer of inorganic coating over MWNTs. It is important to find a method for controlling their thickness, homogeneity, structure, crystallinity, etc. Detailed characterization (TEM, SEM, Raman, IR, UV-vis, XRD, etc.) of the samples is also important. 1
Prof. Dr. Hernádi Klára CVD synthesis of carbon nanotubes Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) have attracted considerable attention in recent years, most notably because of their extraordinary mechanical and unique electronic properties and might find application on several fields. Catalytic processes are known as highly selective methods. CVD synthesis of carbon nanotube – over against arc discharge or lase ablation – is an excellent candidate to control toward selective growth of specific SW, MW, vertically aligned or spiral nanotubes. The main task is the optimization of synthesis of CNT required with varying different parameters during CVD. 1
Prof. Dr. Hernádi Klára Fabrication and investigation of semiconductor containing composite photocatalytic materials Semiconductor-based photocatalysis is a complex research field, with a high degree of interdisciplinarity (physical-, analytical chemistry, physics, materials’ science etc.) having an even higher degree of applicability in surface/coatings related industry and water-cleaning, sensorial and energetic problems. In “fine-tuning” the applicability spectra the most important mission is the optimally selected morpho-dimensionality (e.g. shape and size of the nanomaterials) which determines their photocatalytic activity and applicability. The main task is the synthesis and characterization (TEM, SEM, Raman, IR, UV-vis, XRD, etc.) of photocatalytically active materials. 1
Prof. Dr. Kaptay György  Development of Calphad and nano-Calphad PhD applicants are invited to develop further the modeling of bulk and interfacial thermodynamics of mostly metallic materials, including the Calphad method. 1
Prof. Dr. Kaptay György
Dr. Baumli Péter 
Development of metallic materials with high internal specific surface area Particle reinforced composite materials, (nano) laminar materials, foams and emulsions (stabilized by solid particles or not) are high interfacial area materials. This class of materials has a very large variety of matrix / reinforcing / stabilizing phases and a high variety of potential applications. The goal of research studies under this general subject is to develop new high interfacial materials, study their properties as function of composition and technological parameters and to study basic criteria of their successfull production. Applicants are invited for PhD studies in any specific part of this wide field. 1
Prof. Dr. Kékesi Tamás Developing hidro-electrometallurgical methods for the utilization of metal bearing wastes There are a number of types of the waste materials arising from the industrial production or from communal collection which can be used for extracting valuable metals. However, the value of the metal obtained depends also on its purity. The research is focused on the extraction of non-ferrous, precious or rare metals of high purity from the by-products of electronic or metals processing industries or from the collected wastes of modern technical or electronic devices. For this purpose, the media of mineral acids and other common or complexing aqueous solutions, the separation selective precipitation and controlled cathodic reduction of ions must be developed in coordination. The tasks belong to the technical phases of leaching, solution purification and the extraction from the electrolyte solutions. Concerning each of these technical phases, the goal is to work out the optimal process by determining the equilibrium and kinetic characteristics of the implied reactions. For this to achieve, exploring and utilizing the complex formation, redox transformation, ion-exchange and electrode kinetic processes of the ions may provide the possibilities. 1
Prof. Dr. Kékesi Tamás Purification of chloride solutions by anion exchange for the extraction of high purity metals Preparation of high purity metals, mainly required by the modern electronic industry, is aimed by hydro-electrometallurgical methods, that are economically feasible at low scales and with low investment. The aqueous chloride waste solutions obtained from industrial technologies or model solutions prepared by chemical or anodic dissolution can be purified by selective methods of ion exchange and/or precipitation. The possibility of purification must be based on equilibrium anion exchange distribution studies. The elimination of the impurity metals has to be verified and optimized by the results of anion-exchange chromatographic elution experiments. High purity metal is obtained by direct electrowinning or hydrogen reduction after evaporation to dryness. Efficiency of the process should be enhanced by optimizing the composition  and the redox conditions of the aqueous media.  1
Dr. Kovács Helga Investigation of cleaning and capturing techniques for CO2 during oxy-fuel combustion "The climate change mitigation and adaptation became a primary challenge for our civilization. Looking at the technologies currently under development, industry experience shows that oxygen-fuel combustion may be one of the most promising method due to significant reductions in NOx emissions, but also CO, HxCy and particulate matter. One of the benefits of oxy-fuel combustion is the ability to directly capture CO2, which is used as a by-product in circular economy strategies such as the production of synthetic fuels and e-fuels. However, capturing CO2 from the primary source is the most crucial step because it represents significant part of the total operating costs. The PhD research aims to investigate and develop capturing techniques for CO2 in the case of oxy-fuel combustion.
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Dr. Kovács Helga Investigating the enrichment of rare earth elements and noble metals in thermal treatment residues of different base materials REEs are playing an increasingly vital role in the industry, especially in green high-technology applications namely wind turbines, hybrid cars, electric cars, batteries, etc. Thermal treatment technologies (combustion, gasification, pyrolysis) can be used to enrich valuable elements in certain base materials. Base materials can be contaminated biomass, coal, red sludge, electric wastes or other materials. The PhD research aims to investigate the thermal treatment processes and the enrichment rate of rare earth elements and noble metals by using different base materials and operation conditions. 1
Dr. Mende Tamás Application of ESTPHAD phase diagram calculation method for multicomponent systems In materials science, one of the oldest, but one of the most useful tools is the so-called equilibrium phase diagram, since the knowledge of the transformations in the structure of the materials to be used as a result of temperature and concentration changes is essential in the design-development process. Equilibrium phase diagrams were available to industry and researchers in the early days mainly in graphical form, but from the second half ot the XX. century, in parallel with the development of computer technology, phase diagram calculation methods with thermodynamic foundations began to develop rapidly. The role of phase diagram algorithms and software is very important in industrial and R&D applications, because these software or the sufficiently detailed and accurate databases they produce can be significantly integrated into simulation programs or everyday production. The ESTPHAD method is a thermodynamic-based phase diagram calculation method that is continuously developed for two- and multi-component systems. 1
Prof. Dr. Mertinger Valéria Effect of parameters of friction stir welding on the microstructure of aluminum alloys Friction stir welding is increasingly being considered as a bonding technology, especially for aluminum alloys for low temperature applications. The justification for low temperature application is made possible by the storage of liquid hydrogen as a potential fuel storage. In the research work, the bonds created by the partner institutions (Sweden- University West- Dr Vivek Patelt) are examined, with special regard to the residual stress state and the crystallographic orientation. The results of the microstructural test, combined with the results of the mechanical material test, greatly facilitate the optimization of the bonding technology and the safe introduction of aerospace and automotive applications. During the research, we used the examination devices in the institute as X-ray diffraction residual stress, computer tomography,  EBSD orientation and classical metallographic methods. 1
Dr. Michael Owen
Dr. Béla Fiser
Experimental and In Silico design of Environmentally-Friendly Polyurethanes Polyurethanes are used in a range of various products, such as rigid and flexible foams as well as adhesives. The physical and chemical properties of polyurethanes are typically modulated by additives. In this project, a combination of experimental and in silico methods will be used to optimize the use additives to enhance the physical and mechanical properties of polyurethanes. The aim will be to maintain or exceed desirable mechanical properties, further understand the relationship between the atomistic structure and the physical properties of polyurethanes, and to reduce any negative effects on health and the environment. 1
Dr. Nagy Miklós Development of smart fluorescent molecules "One of the core areas of today's material science research is the preparation and investigation of intelligent materials, tools that respond to environmental stimuli similarly to living systems. An exceptionally important group of them is the solvatochromic fluorescent smart materials, which respond to external stimuli by altering the wavelength or intensity of their emitted light. Despite their wide range of practical applications, the number of available solvatromic fluorophores and polymer-based systems is very limited.
We were the first to discover the group of amino isocyanonaphthalenes (ICANs) and still to this day we are pioneers this field. Our aim is to extend the field of application by utilizing other base aromatic rings than naphthalene (anthracene, fluorine, acridine) and by changing the relative position of and the amino and isocyano groups. We are looking for new low molecular weight, non-toxic, low-cost compounds suitable for metal ion detection and/or the neutralization of potentially toxic metal ions (eg mercury). Our ICAN derivatives, with reactive functional groups, may be useful for detecting specific cellular processes indicative for the early diagnosis of cancer, or utilizing fluorescence labeling to locate cancer cells. Our compounds containing acridine base ring exhibit phototoxic properties, allowing them to be used in treatments that are less harmful than conventional chemotherapy. In addition, we plan the preparation and investigation of solvatochromic homo- and copolymers, amphiphilic polymer systems, and / or nanoparticles with easily fine-tunable fluorescent properties, as well as polymer-based nonlinear optical systems are also envisaged."
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Dr. Szőri Milán Theoretical Investigations for a Better Understanding of Industrial Processes The goal of the PhD work is to provide ab initio prediction of the chemical properties using robust and accurate computational chemistry tools for those species which are relevant for present and future chemical industry. For instance, the deeper understanding of the reaction mechanism of chemical synthesis of isocyanates can fuel the design of more selective catalysts to avoid the complication from the formation of the by-products such as interference and poor atom economy. Furthermore, the characterization of these chemicals can be used for the better design of their chemical separation. 1
Dr. Szőri Milán Molecules in Fire: Ab Initio Investigations on Biofuels No matter how far combustion technology has advanced since the first meat was cooked, clean combustion remained the ultimate aim of the humankind. Furthermore, long-time, rapidly accessible energy storage is also central issue of the modern civilization. In principle, energy stored in chemical bonds can be sustainable alternative to fossil energy if rapid carbon cycle of a high energy density molecule is used. In order to do so, a potential, multifunctional platform molecule needs to be identified which can serve as energy storage, raw materials which can be formed through a cheap and sustainable production from biomass. The energy density and combustion properties of such candidates can be predicted using ab initio computation. The aim of this project is to describe these properties of biomass derived molecules using ab Initio/RRKM-master equation methods employed to various reaction pathways, and to obtain pressure- and temperature- dependence of the major channels. 1
Dr. Szőri Milán Passive Transport Phenomena of Pollutes on Biomembranes The understanding of the passive membrane permeation is crucial to gain insight into mechanism of action, disposition, toxicity of pollutants. Passive diffusion is the main limitation of penetration of small pollutant molecules and thus the main barrier for their infiltration into living cells. This phenomenon can be understood based on free energy calculations using metadynamic technique. By means of atomistic modeling, the changes in the membrane structure and the required energy for the transport can be determined. The aim of the project is to determine the energy barrier of the passive transport of a set of pesticides and pollutants in order to identify the key molecular features of fast transport. With these features in hand, prediction of the environmental hazard can be made. 1
Dr. Szőri Milán Molecular Simulation on Supercritical Systems Classical force field molecular simulation enables us to predict phase diagram at wide variety of conditions, and to provide energetics background of the phases with the structural understanding. Above the vapor-liquid critical point, the vapor-liquid equilibrium curve – which separates liquid and vapor phases – terminates, and the two phases merge forming a supercritical fluid (SCF) phase. Physicochemical properties of SCF such as density, diffusivity, viscosity, and dielectric constant can be tunable at large scale by changing temperature, pressure and composition making it a promising reaction and separation media. Therefore, the final aim of the project is to design systems with certain properties having industrially relevance by means of molecular simulations. 1
Dr. Szőri Milán Molecular Simulations of Astrochemical Relevance: Properties of Cold Interfaces Over 200 individual molecular species have already been detected in the interstellar (ISM) and circumstellar medium (CM) by astronomical observations. Detection of gaseous ISM species requires overwhelming efforts, their identification in adsorbed state is severely hindered by serious technical difficulties. Although, these experiments can be well complemented by computer simulation methods such as Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC). GCMC method can be particularly suitable for investigating the problem of adsorption of ISM species on interstellar icy surfaces. The aim of this project is to provide structural, orientational and energetics information about the interactions amongst the adsorbed molecules and the interfaces at such an extreme condition. 1
Prof. Dr. Tóth László
Prof. Dr. Mertinger Valéria
Nano-metal development using the Friction Assisted Lateral Extrusion Process (FALEP) The Friction-Assisted Lateral Extrusion Process (FALEP) is a severe plastic deformation (SPD) technique for producing metal sheets from bulk metal or powder, in one single deformation step at room temperature. With FALEP, the microstructure can be highly refined, the grain size can be reduced more than 100 times under an imposed shear strain of 20. The FALEP SPD process is a very promising candidate for industrial applications. There are only very limited studies in FALEP, see the list of papers below.
The candidate will develop an experimental FALEP attachment on an existing high capacity SPD machine in the University of Miskolc to carry out experiments on bulk as well as on initially powder metals. The objective is to obtain sheet metals with nano-size grain structure and a specific shear crystallographic texture. Nano-layered composites will be also developed using the new Accumulative Shear Bonding (ASB) technique. The developed metals will be examined by EBSD; the crystallographic texture by X-ray; material strength, Lankford parameter and ductility by tensile testing. Polycrystal plasticity simulations will be also carried out using the VPSC approach. 
The candidate should have good education in mechanics of materials and well informed in metallurgical aspects of material science, with good numerical skills. 
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Prof. Dr. Török Tamás Plasma surface engineering studies of metals coatings Corrosion protection of Mg and Al alloys has been a great challenge for surface engineers, therefore, the electrolytic anodic and plasma oxidation techniques, environmental friendly conversion layers, electroless and other new coating systems will be studied concurrently with further development of a special in depth surface analytical method (GD OES) working with plasma ablation. In addition, the research project is also aiming at developing at least one novel solution in the field of light metals surface treatments based on better exploitation of the GD OES technique 1
Dr. Veres Zsolt Effect of melt flow on solidified microstructure of Al-Si Eutectic Under earth conditions melts are flowing. The rate of melt flow can be increased by rotating or travelling magnetic field. Microstructure of solidified Al-Si Eutectic, which were formed by induced melt flow, is investigated as a function of rate of melt flow. 1
Dr. Veres Zsolt Effect of melt flow on solidified microstructure of Al-Al3Ni Eutectic Under earth conditions melts are flowing. The rate of melt flow can be increased by rotating or travelling magnetic field. Microstructure of solidified Al-Al3Ni Eutectic, which were formed by induced melt flow, is investigated as a function of rate of melt flow. 1
Dr. Veres Zsolt Effect of melt flow on columnar-equiaxed transition The mechanical properties of a workpiece are influenced inter alia by the structure of them. With change of the parameters of solidification, the microstructure of the workpieces is changing. One of the most popular investigated topic is the columnar-equiaxed transition in the microstructure during solidification. The effect of melt flow will be investigated on this phenomenon. 1
Prof. Dr. Viskolcz Béla Investigation of polyurethane formation processes Investigation of polyurethane formation processes, application and development of industrial optimisation methods and simulations. Development of receptors and catalysts to meet new industrial requirements. 1
Prof. Dr. Viskolcz Béla Investigation of polyurethane formation processes, application and development of industrial optimisation methods and simulations. Development of receptors and catalysts to meet new industrial requirements. Investigating the optimal sorption and desorption of gas mixtures with different CO2 concentrations. Mapping the chemical conversion processes of CO2, developing new industrial processes for the utilisation of CO2 flue gases. 1
Prof. Dr. Viskolcz Béla CVD synthesis of carbon nanotubes Determination of the structure of the various polyol-type compounds formed. Search for systematic structure - synthesis relationships in the formation of polyols. 1