Engineering Fellowships for Growth: Next generation of lightweight composites - how far can we go?
Reference Number
EP/M002500/1
Title
Engineering Fellowships for Growth: Next generation of lightweight composites - how far can we go?
Status
Completed
Energy Categories
Renewable Energy Sources(Wind Energy)
Energy Efficiency(Transport)
Not Energy Related
Energy Efficiency(Transport)
Not Energy Related
Research Types
Basic and strategic applied research
Science and Technology Fields
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation
Not Cross-cutting
Principal Investigator
Dr ST Pinho
Aeronautics
Imperial College London
Aeronautics
Imperial College London
Award Type
Standard
Funding Source
EPSRC
Start Date
31 December 2014
End Date
30 December 2019
Duration
60 months
Total Grant Value
£818,239
Industrial Sectors
Materials sciences
Region
London
Programme
NC : Engineering
Industrial Collaborator
Project Contact, ELG Carbon Fibre Ltd.
Project Contact, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., Italy
Project Contact, BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies Limited
Project Contact, Technical Fibre Products Ltd
Project Contact, Vestas Technology UK Ltd
Project Contact, BASF AG, Germany
Project Contact, Chomarat France
Project Contact, Hexcel Composites Ltd
Project Contact, Triple H Composites Limited
Project Contact, Airbus UK Ltd
Project Contact, Bexhill College
Project Contact, Oxeon AB, Sweden
Project Contact, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB
Project Contact, University of Sheffield
Project Contact, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., Italy
Project Contact, BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies Limited
Project Contact, Technical Fibre Products Ltd
Project Contact, Vestas Technology UK Ltd
Project Contact, BASF AG, Germany
Project Contact, Chomarat France
Project Contact, Hexcel Composites Ltd
Project Contact, Triple H Composites Limited
Project Contact, Airbus UK Ltd
Project Contact, Bexhill College
Project Contact, Oxeon AB, Sweden
Project Contact, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB
Project Contact, University of Sheffield
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract
Breakthroughs in the development of new materials have historically been achieved largely by trial and error. My vision is that there is a new generation of advanced hierarchical materials that has never been addressed and can be achieved by design. This new generation draws inspiration both from recent experimental observations in existing materials and from biomimetics, and is made possible by recent advances in modelling and manufacturing. The main challenges faced by today's composites industry include (i) damage tolerance, (ii) manufacturability and (iii) sustainability. I argue that (i) hierarchical micro-structural designs for composites will be more damage tolerant and achieve over 100% increase in fracture toughness, (ii) that hierarchical discrete carbon-fibre systems will simultaneously address manufacturing and performance needs of the automotive industry, and (iii) that recycled carbon fibres will find a high-value market as semi-structural parts by also exploiting hierarchical architectures. My proposal is to define these hierarchical micro-structures by design and to then develop suitable manufacturing methods to realise them in practice
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Added to Database
10/04/14
