Ainara López, a Tekniker researcher, receives an honorary mention at the first edition of the Manuel Heredia award.

The Tekniker researcher Ainara López is recognised with one of the three mentions awarded during the first edition of the Manuel Heredia Award ceremony to young researchers in the area of steelmaking organised this year by UNESID, the Spanish Association of Steelmaking and First Transformation of Steel in collaboration with PLATEA, the Spanish technological steel platform.

Her thesis, entitled "Tribocorrosion of High-Strength Low-Alloy steels and coatings used in offshore applications" has focused on studying tribocorrosion in high strength low-alloy steels (HSLA) and coatings used in the offshore sector, more specifically, for mooring lines used on floating platforms.

Research was split into two major areas. The first focuses on studying the behaviour of tribocorrosion (the simultaneous action of corrosion and wear) affecting HSLA used to manufacture chains and components for mooring lines usedon floating structures that are subjected to corrosion-wear stresses throughout their life cycle.

To date, numerous research actions have been carried out focused on tribocorrosion in so-called passive materials such as aluminium and titanium alloys or stainless steel. However, there are no previous studies available to explain what happens when tribocorrosion occurs in active materials such as low-corrosion resistant HSLA. Consequently, this PhD applies an innovative approach to steelmaking and is one of the first papers ever to be published on this subject.

The second area of study addresses the evaluation of how the coatings used to protect steel components and structures behave when tribocorrosion occurs. Until now, coatings were selected based on their effectiveness with regard to providing protecting against corrosion, although without giving thought to wear behaviour. This explains the interest of carrying out research actions aimed at discovering how they behave under such adverse operating conditions in order to ensure greater durability.

Consequently, studies have been carried out on how coatings used to protect mooring lines behave when tribocorrosion occurs in order to verify their degree of suitability with regard to corrosion and wear stresses.

Based on the tests conducted, the best-performing coating in terms of tribocorrosion has been selected; thermally projected aluminium (TSA). Organic sealants and several surface modification techniques have been used to enhance functionalisation and improve wear and corrosion resistance properties by means of the plasma electrooxidation technique (PEO) applied to aluminium layers as well as to enhance antifouling properties by adding nanoparticles to organic sealants to produce superhydrophobicity and biocidal reactions.

This mention acknowledges the work carried out by young researchers involved in a doctoral thesis focused on steelmaking. It also offers proof of Tekniker’s level of commitment with regard to training doctoral candidates and fostering research vocations among young talented people.

The Manual Heredia award ceremony will take place at the facilities of the Ceit technology centre in San Sebastián.