University of Manchester
Ian holds the Royal Academy of Engineering/Morgan Advanced Materials Chair in Carbon Materials at the University of Manchester. His group sits across the Department of Materials, National Graphene Institute and Henry Royce Institute. His research covers the production, processing and use of nanomaterials with a focus on the energy transition (power materials and energy storage) and composite applications. He has previously held R.A.Eng/EPSRC Research and EPSRC Challenging Engineering Fellowships.
The energy transition requires a new generation of materials to deliver high performance at low weight. This transition is made more difficult with traditional performance materials such as fluoropolymers and coal tar pitch becoming restricted due to environmental concerns. The exceptional combination of mechanical, electrical, barrier and thermal properties of 2D materials make them ideal to address these challenges, with composites being used to translate their properties to the bulk scale [1,2].
Herein, we will explore the fundamental design rules for 2D material composites using ideal experimental systems to understand the role of flake size, surface chemistry, dispersion etc. We will also show how2D materials can work in harmony with conventional filler materials (e.g. glass fibre, carbon black etc) to enhanced properties [3]. The translation of these rules to produce advanced composite materials will be exemplified using electrical and thermal conductivity in thermosets and thermoplastics, EMI shielding [4], thermoelectrics [5], hydrogen barrier properties for gas cylinders [6], new fluorine-free elastomeric seals [7], and low friction metal surfaces [8,9].
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