Research Stay of PhD Student Ewa Filipkowska at FunGlass

From 8 to 21 April, FunGlass had the pleasure of hosting PhD student Ewa Filipkowska from the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Metal Forming, Welding and Metrology.

At her home institution, she is supervised by Prof. Marzena Lachowicz and Dr. Paweł Sokołowski. During her stay, she collaborated with Assoc. Prof. Amirhossein Pakseresht and Dr. Milan Parchovianský from the Department of Coating Processes at FunGlass.

Ewa’s research focuses on Self-healing Thermal Barrier Coatings – local structural effects influencing overall coating durability. Her work lies at the intersection of mechanical engineering and materials science, with a particular emphasis on Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs). As part of her PhD project, she investigates modifications to TBC top coats by replacing Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) with Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG), while also introducing a self-healing mechanism. This mechanism is based on oxidation processes, where volume expansion of oxidized particles during service helps seal cracks within the coating, thereby enhancing durability.

A key aspect of her research involves the development of composite powders. During her stay at FunGlass, Ewa worked with a spray dryer to prepare these powders, which will later be used for plasma-sprayed coatings upon her return to her home institution.

Reflecting on her experience, Ewa shared:

“I was warmly welcomed by the FunGlass team and had a very positive experience during my research stay. The laboratory facilities are very well equipped and provided a supportive environment for my work. I also truly appreciated how helpful and approachable everyone was throughout my stay. Working in such an international and collaborative setting was both inspiring and motivating. This experience allowed me to gain valuable insights and develop new skills relevant to my research. I would be very happy to return in the future or to continue our collaboration in other forms.”

Her stay highlights the importance of international collaboration in advancing innovative materials research, and we look forward to future cooperation.