Marie Curie Actions: Inspiring Researchers - Imdea

MaterialcollaborationThe EU-funded Gladnet project is rising to the challenge, designingmore accurate spectroscopic methods that will help industryto develop new materials and surface coatings.Gladnet sees collaboration between 16 industrial and researchteams working on new glow-discharge spectroscopy techniquesfor analysing materials such as steel. A glowing gas plasma(analogous to those in household fl uorescent lamps) is used toerode the surface of the material under investigation, allowinga researcher to determine the concentration of the chemicalelements below the surface quickly and accurately.Glow-discharge spectroscopic analysis enables manufacturersto quantify and identify the bulk composition of materials such asalloys, semiconductors and glass. The technology also providesinformation on the layer-by-layer composition of surfaces andcoatings, making it useful for analysing the materials used forcomputer hard disks, paint layers, car bodies, tools, humanbody implants, nuclear materials and nanowires, for example.The partners continue to develop glow-discharge spectroscopyas a more competitive alternative to typical analytical techniques.They have taken great strides towards improving the understanding,performance and analytical capabilities of the procedure.Finding the best brainsThe project responds to European industry’s need for skilledresearchers and new knowledge on rapid, accurate methodsto analyse solids, says Johann Michler, project coordinatorand head of the Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials andNanostructures at Switzerland’s Federal Laboratories forMaterials Testing and Research (Empa).Dr Michler notes that the Marie Curie funding for the trainingnetwork allowed the project to recruit some of the best youngminds in the fi eld. As a result, 8 of the 16 Fellows are women.Gladnet training course161