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| Reference Number | EP/Z536192/1 | |
| Title | Turn-On Mechanofluorochromic Materials: Surface Pressure Imaging and Stress Detection | |
| Status | Started | |
| Energy Categories | Energy Efficiency 10%; Not Energy Related 90%; |
|
| Research Types | Basic and strategic applied research 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials) 100% | |
| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Professor J Tan Engineering Science University of Oxford |
|
| Award Type | Standard | |
| Funding Source | EPSRC | |
| Start Date | 01 July 2025 | |
| End Date | 30 June 2028 | |
| Duration | 36 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £612,042 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Materials sciences | |
| Region | South East | |
| Programme | NC : Engineering | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Professor J Tan , Engineering Science, University of Oxford |
| Other Investigator | Dr J Coull , University of Oxford |
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| Web Site | ||
| Objectives | ||
| Abstract | Luminescent mechanoresponsive materials could display an immediate change in optical behaviour, by switching colour or emission intensity as they experience a mechanical stimulus, such as applied pressure, shear stress, tensile/compressive deformation, high-rate impact, cracking and fracture. These 'smart' materials have attracted considerable interests, because such mechano-fluoro-chromic (MFC) systems can be capitalised for a vast range of advanced technological applications. For exemplar: in non-contact optical imaging of pressure distributions over aerospace and hydrodynamic surfaces; structural health monitoring of buildings and bridges; non-invasive fatigue inspection of engineering components; tamper-proof security packaging; and mechanosensory in soft robotics. Pressure-sensitive paints (PSP) used in today's aerodynamics sector for surface pressure imaging have certain limitations, particularly luminescence quenching ('turn-off' emission), poor photostability, and temperature sensitivity. These intrinsic characteristics of current PSPs are hindering effective implementation in innovative technologies elucidated above. To address these challenges, the vision of this proposal is to design and engineer new 'turn-on' type MFC materials with an attractive combination of properties: high fluorescent quantum yield, large Stokes shift, excellent photostability, tuneable reversibility, ratiometric emission and long lifetime. That will require unconventional development of bespoke composite systems, by integrating aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and metal-organic framework (MOF) materials. Going further, to construct tuneable architectures and bespoke functions, we will engineer polymer-based composite fibres incorporating AIE-MOFs. Our pilot studies have demonstrated the efficacy of the general concepts underpinning the proposed materials engineering strategy. Efficient AIE-based PSPs with turn-on luminescence will be a game changer in the field. The high signal-to-noise ratio and improved resistance against photodegradation or other environmental factors will enable, robust pressure mapping in diverse flow environments, extending to stress visualisation in experimental solid mechanics subject to a wide range of strain rates encountered in different engineering applications. More broadly, the research outcomes stand to benefit the academia, the industry, and the general public through the generation of new materials information to realise future design and implementation of more resilient structural multiphysics, clean energy and transportation systems | |
| Data | No related datasets |
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| Projects | No related projects |
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| Publications | No related publications |
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| Added to Database | 29/10/25 | |
