Chemical & process engineering Advanced manufacturing and materials
We design, develop, and manufacture new nanostructured materials that can be used to address problems of global significance.
We're working on solutions to energy generation and storage, water purification, carbon capture and pharmaceutical manufacture.
Our key areas of research include the manufacture and application of porous materials and metal-organic frameworks; the properties and processing of polymeric materials; the nucleation, growth and separation of crystals; the applications of electrochemistry to coatings, metal ion recovery, and water clean-up.
Meet the team
Professor Jan Sefcik
Our research expertise is in particle engineering and nanostructured materials, with focus on the design of novel particulate products and efficient processes for their manufacturing.
Dr Leo Lue
We develop mathematical models, ranging from the molecular to the continuum up to the plant scales, in order to better understand, design, and optimise novel chemical processes.
Prof Ashleigh Fletcher
Focusing on the development and characterisation of new nanoscale materials, these are employed in a range of test applications targeting adsorption systems.
Dr Karen Johnston
My research focuses on modelling materials with interfaces, including polymer composites and polymer thin films, using a combination of quantum mechanics and classical molecular dynamics simulations.
Dr Demosthenes Kivotides
We work on physics, numerics and algorithmics of colloidal suspensions and polymer solutions. Our research covers the whole range of manufacturing related flows from simple extensional and shear flows to fully developed turbulence.
Dr Miguel Jorge
We're using cutting-edge multiscale modeling approaches to understand, control and design novel nanoporous materials, so their properties can be tailored for specific applications.
Dr Paul Mulheran
I use the ARCHIE-WeSt supercomputer to model materials evolution. Current projects include PhD studentships on modeling the formation of porous organic gels for use as adsorbents and electrode materials.
Dr Mark Haw
My research focuses on particulates such as pharmaceutical powders and suspensions like colloids and swimming algae. We study how such 'multiphase' systems respond to forces, flow, and interactions.
Dr Iain Burns
Investigation of laser induced nucleation with application to crystallisation in the continuous manufacturing of pharmaceutical compounds. In situ monitoring of crystallisation by static and dynamic light scattering.
Dr Vitor Magueijo
My current research activities comprise the production of polymeric membranes using green solvents, the manufacture of biocomposite materials and the use of deep eutectic solvents for carbon capture.
Dr Todd Green
My research interests lie in the areas of electrochemical engineering and electrochemistry, including electrodeposition, metal ion recovery, wet etching and corrosion.
Professor Sudipta Roy
My research interests lie in the areas of electrochemical engineering and electrochemistry, including electrodeposition of alloys and coating, processing using ionic liquids and the electrochemical treatment of effluents waste water.
Prof Chris Price
I’m working on developing technologies for continuous purification and isolation of active pharmaceutical ingredients with physical attributes suitable for continuous formulation to drug products.
Dr Javier Cardona Amengual
Our research involves the development of digital tools to monitor continuous crystallisation processes in pharmaceutical manufacturing and the deployment of predictive multiscale modelling to interpret and control these complex phase separation phenomena.
Dr Edward Brightman
My research is in electrochemical energy conversion and storage, including fuel cells, electrolysers and redox flow batteries. I focus on engineering novel devices, particularly for new flow battery chemistries and electrochemical hydrogen production processes, as well as working on diagnostic techniques for manufacturing of membrane electrode assemblies for fuel cells and electrolysers.
Dr Vassilis Inglezakis
My research is mainly on porous and nanocomposite materials and applications in water/wastewater treatment & reclamation. My interests cover the surface catalytic and non-catalytic reactions, biological wastewater treatment and the combination of processes.
Dr Dragos Neagu
Our focus is on the development and multiscale characterisation of new nano-structured materials for application in electrolysis, fuel cells, membranes, catalysis, carbon dioxide utilisation and green hydrogen production.
Dr Xiaolei Zhang
We work on production of advanced carbon-based materials including carbon nanotubes and mesoporous carbon from waste including plastics. Also, we work on biochar and its utilisation, activation, and functionalisation. Our work focuses on mechanism and kinetics investigation from an atomic or molecular level using Density Functional Theory and Molecular Dynamics.
