The Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) disclosed the finalists for the third annual T.C. Graham Prize. This unique contest was established in 2014 through an endowment from one of the steel industry’s most successful and innovative executives, Tom C. Graham Sr.
The T.C. Graham Prize recognizes innovative applications for steel that may lead to the development of new markets. The winning entry will receive $20,000.
Entries for the 2018 T.C. Graham Prize competition represented a diverse group of individual applicants and teams. After the proposals were reviewed by steel industry professionals, four semi-finalists were chosen. The semi-finalists delivered their presentations to AIST in August, where three finalists were selected.
The 2018 T.C. Graham Prize finalists are:
1. “Stronger Than Titanium, Lighter Than Aluminum and Lower Cost Than High-Strength Steel” for Lighter, Safer, More Fuel Efficient Automobiles and Armored Vehicles – Gary Cola, Washington Twp., Michigan.
Flash Bainite processing is an evolutionary steel heat treating technology capable of producing 1,600 MPa sheet in just 5 seconds. Flash 1600 has been proven in automotive OEM test labs to reduce mass 20 to 58 percent while maintaining performance and reducing cost. Flash technology is an entirely new field of ferrous metallurgy that leverages the natural heterogeneity of steel to create a highly complex, nanorefined microstructure with unparalleled mechanical properties.
2. Nanotexturing to Make Bactericidal Stainless Steel for Food/Beverage, Health Care and Consumer Products Industries – Julie Champion and Dennis Hess, Atlanta, Georgia.
Creation of nanotexture on stainless steel by electrochemical etching decreases attachment of bacteria and kills bacteria while simultaneously improving corrosion resistance. The goal is to scale up and establish the feasibility of translating electrochemical etching as a method of creating nanotexture on stainless steel food and beverage equipment, biomedical devices and a variety of surfaces to prevent bacterial infection.
3. An Introduction to the Next Breakthrough in Advanced Materials; Novel Steel Composite Metal Foam – Afsaneh Rabiei, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Steel-steel composite metal foam is a low weight, high-strength metal foam manufactured using hollow steel spheres embedded in a steel matrix. This material has shown superior mechanical properties under loading, fire, radiation and even blast and fragments impact. Such properties have made steel-steel composite metal foams strong candidates for applications in structural components.
The Contest Jury consists of John Ferriola, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Nucor Corp.; Mark Millett, president and chief executive officer, Steel Dynamics Inc.; Roger Newport, chief executive officer, AK Steel; and Barbara Smith, president and chief executive officer, Commercial Metals Company.
Published in the October 2018 Edition
