Can Özkan

Can obtained his bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering (2018) with a specialization in engineering materials and finite element modelling from Boğaziçi University, İstanbul, Turkey. Afterward, he continued his education in materials science with a master's in Materials Science & Engineering (2020) from TU Delft. His master thesis studied the relationship between the microstructure and corrosion/passivation behavior of multi-phase high strength low alloy steels. After a brief period of working as a materials scientist in the industry, he joined the CTE group in May 2021 as a PhD candidate.

Can is currently working on self-healing coatings as an experimental scientist under the supervision of Dr. Peyman Taheri and Dr. Arjan Mol. The aim of his research is to improve the understanding of inhibition and self-healing mechanisms of coatings for corrosion protection with local electrochemical techniques at a nano/micro-scale.

Project Summary:

VIPCOAT - Self Healing Coatings for Corrosion Protection

Funded by: European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No 952903

The goal of the EU-funded VIPCOAT project is to create an open innovation platform that should assist engineers in developing coating materials and constructing accelerated life test scenarios to assess their durability. Initially, the platform will target the aeronautic industry. However, it will later host interoperable applications, based on standardized ontologies as extensions of the European Materials Modelling Ontology that should enable to transfer methods and insights to other industries. The VIPCOAT platform will open the door to new production concepts with reduced process steps, lower energy consumption and reduced use of natural resources. Supporting modelling, the platform should also promote the development of green, cheap and efficient coatings that inhibit corrosion.

The aim is to create an open innovation platform that can be used by the research, industrial, political and public sectors alike. The approach facilitates an effective transfer of science and communication between all those involved. The platform is to serve as a database (for experimental, industry-relevant and modeling data), scientific infrastructure and simulation tool at the same time. Machine learning and physics-based modeling are combined here to optimize industry-relevant active protective coating development processes. VIPCOAT is designed to support industry in making the development of customized innovative corrosion protection technologies not only faster and more economical, but mainly to also to make them more sustainable and environmentally friendly.