Advanced Polymer and Composites (APC) Research Group

Research Projects

Research and consultancy projects include:

• Characterisation and Testing of Different Adhesive Systems for Joining Fixings and Fixtures in Next Generation Aircraft Carrier
• Electrically Conductive Composites for Bi-polar Plates in Fuel Cell
• Development of Water and Moisture Repellent Coating for Building Bricks
• Stiffness and Impact Toughness Evaluation of Light Aircraft Undercarriage Leg
• Finite Element Analysis of Splice Box and Stiffness Measurement of Rotor Blade of Light Aircraft
• Impact Resistance and Structural Integrity Assessment for Carbon Fibre Composites Windscreen Frames
• Impact Resistance and Structural Integrity Assessment for Composites Bicycle Forks 
• Impact Resistance and Post Impact Stiffness Test of Sandwich Panels for Marine Applications
• Design Verification of a Racing Yacht Hull Using Finite Element Analysis
• Stiffness Evaluation of Carbon Fibre Composites Fishing Rods
• Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) on the World’s Largest Yacht "Mirabella" Using Electronic Shearography (ES) and Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI)
• Clustering and Networking of Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Polymer Composites
• Structural Integrity Evaluation of Polymer Composite
• Nano indentation and scratching test of Novel Nanocomposites
• Development and Evaluation of Novel Carbon Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Composites for Marine and Sports Industry
• Development, Characterisation and Evaluation of Novel Nano Gel Coat Systems with Improved Anti-fouling and Anti-blistering Properties
• Evaluation of Impact Toughness and Post Structural Integrity of Sandwich Panels for Marine Industry
• Design and Rapid Prototyping of Innovative High Technology Engineering Block System
• Development and Characterisation of Novel Nano/Epoxy Composites
• Development, Characterisation and Testing of Unsaturated Polyester Nanocomposites
• Fabrication and Evaluation of Novel Thermoplastic Composites (Glass Fibre /Polypropylene Twintex)
• Chemical Modification of Montmorillonite as Nano Scale Reinforcements in Polymer Matrix Composites
• Determination and Analysis of Thermal Characteristics of Thermoplastic and Thermoset Polymers
• Investigation into Change in Adhesive Mechanical Characteristics with Thermal Cycling SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
• Investigation into Roof Tile Polymer Coating Degradation for LaFarge Roofing Technical Centres Ltd Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Nano-indentation and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
• Microstructure Observation and Element Analysis of Contaminated Switches for ITW Switches Using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
• Examination of Failed Elastomer Sealants for Gravatom Engineering Systems Ltd Using Differential Scanning Thermal Analysis, Nano-indentation and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
• Study on Aluminised Fibre Reinforced Unsaturated Polyester Composites
• Impact Toughness Evaluation of Glass Fibre Reinforced Unsaturated Polyester Composites Using Instrumented Falling Weigh Impact Tester
• Packing Plastic Bag Performance and Failure Analysis
• Development of Online Learning and Training Module of Advanced Polymer Composites on Internet Platform

Project Funding Organisations/Partners/Clients

• BBSRC
• TSB
• DTI
• SEEDA
• VT Shipbuilding
• Thales
• Safeguard Europe
• TWI
• PERA
• Guit (SP Systems)
• Xyratex
• ACG
• Gravaton Rubber
• LaFarge Coating
• Bac2 Conductive Composites
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Pall Europe
• ENL
• Material Technology Ltd
• Card Substrate Ltd
• McMurdo
• Univar
• Halyard
• NUI Galway

PhD Projects:

• Athanasios Tsovolos: Aging/Damage Evaluation and Repair of Polymer Composites (part-time from October 2009-September 2015);
• James MacMullen: Development and Characterisation of Nano-particle /Polymer Coating Systems for Materials Performance Enhancement and Protection (from September 2009 to September 2011);
• Mr Martin Jin: Low and High Speed Impact Behaviour of Hybrid Composites (from September 2006 to June 2009, PhD awarded);
• Mr Jie Ma: Heterogeneous Nucleation on Convex and Concave Spherical Surfaces (from September 2006 Janaury 2009, PhD awarded);
• Mr Seng Chai SEE: Development, Characterisation and Evaluation of Novel Nanocomposite Material for Marine Applications (from January 2005to December 2007. PhD awarded);
• Mr Osama Ali Zorgani Errajhi: Mechanical and Physical Properties of Aluminised E-glass Fibre Reinforced Unsaturated Polyester Composites (from February 2002 to May 2005, PhD awarded);
• Mr Hom Nath Dhakal: Study onNatural Fibre/Nanoclay Reinforced Unsaturated Polyester Composites ( from October 2002 to September 2005, PhD awarded);
• Mr Salah Alkahtani: Effects of Hemp Fibres on Mechanical Properties of Glass/Polypropylene Composites (from October 2002 to September 2005, PhD awarded);
• Mr Luke Spandly: Development of Nanoclay/Polyamide Composites for Selective Laser Sintering (Part-time MPhil from October 2004 to October 2006. MPhil awarded);