Sirris: Precision Manufacturing

General expertise of the research group

• Sirris Precision Manufacturing is one of the oldest groups of Sirris and is dedicated towards research and services in the field of advanced manufacturing technologies, and in particular, subtractive manufacturing technologies (e.g. milling, turning, laser ablation) and this in combination with advanced Industry 4.0 practices such as adaptive, data driven machining processes and sensor based manufacturing systems.

Specific hydrogen- related expertise & research topics

• Ultrashort pulsed laser texturing which can potentially:
  • Increase specific surface area of Hydrogen Fuel Cell electrodes (up to 1500-fold) and hence increase efficiency.
  • Activate or de-activate parts of the electrode for gas evolving reactions (OER).Produce defects close to the surface to increase wettability and enhance the removal of gas bubbles from the electrodes.
  • Create high emissivity (>0,99) and absorption (>99%) surfaces
• Ultrashort pulsed laser machining which can:
  • Cut and structure thin electrode materials in fast and efficient way.
  • Engineer coating and selectively remove very thin (200-300 nm) noble metal layers without damage to substrate.

Available equipment/tools:

• LASEA LS5-1 Femtosecond laser texturing machine
• Keyence vk-x1100 confocal microscope
• COMSOL Thermal modelling & simulation software
• IR Camera & Vacuum tank
• Photo spectrometer

Participating in FL/B/EU funded projects with H2 related research:

Currently none, but active in ESA GSTP programs to create functional surfaces for space applications and
more specifically ultra black surfaces. Recent work by Karsten Lange (Univ. Hannover, Electrode Structuring
by Ultrashort Pulsed Lasers: a new tool for the Hydrogen Economy, PhD Thesis, 2019) showed that the same
structures are greatly beneficial for Hydrogen applications. This could be potentially a on ground spin-off of
space technology developed by Sirris for ESA/Belspo.

International collaborations:

• Sirris Circular Economy, Coatings and renewable materials (T-ICE)
• Sirris Onshore and Offshore Wind Energy Industry (T-OWI)

Main relevant publications

1. Ultrafast Laser Selective Phase Removal for surface modification of nanocomposite materials, J. Han,
2. O. Malek, J. Vleugels, A. Braem, S. Castagne, Optics Express 29 (16), 24834-24845.
3. Ultrashort pulsed laser ablation of zirconia-alumina composites for implant applications, J Han, O Malek, J Vleugels, A Braem, S Castagne, Journal of Materials Processing Technology 299, 117335.
4. De Tijd “Belgische Onderzoekers lopen mee naar zwarste zwart” (17/06/2021)