Advanced ceramics, polymers & composites

Completed

Not Energy Related
Other Power and Storage Technologies

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor AR West
Engineering Materials
University of Sheffield

Standard

EPSRC

01 April 2003

30 September 2008

66 months

£6,440,303

Materials sciences

Yorkshire & Humberside

Electronic Materials -- Materials, Mechanical and Medical Eng

Professor AR West, Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield

Dr RJ Hand, Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield
Professor FR Jones, Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield
Professor B Lee, Materials, Imperial College London
Professor WM Rainforth, Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield
Dr IM Reaney, Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield
Professor J Sharp, Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield
Dr D Sinclair, Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield

Structural and Functional Ceramics, together with related Materials, cover a wide range of actual and potential application areas ranging from traditional refractories, abrasives and insulating ceramics, through to functional materials exhibiting a range of electrical, magnetic and optical properties with applications in for instance, sensors, smart devices and telecommunication systems. Many of these fields are in their infancy and even in the more traditional areas, much remains to be done to increase scientific understanding and to improve properties through better processing. Research is required in three broad areas for all these materials so as to: a) Improve fabrication of materials and devices including use of novel chemical approaches, b) Obtain better understanding of microstructure/property relations, c) Develop new and improved materials and/or novel properties. Most of the work to be done is focused on ceramics but defined rather broadly to include cements, glass, polymer-coated glass systems, polymer composites and polymer electrolytes. In addition to the specific projects, we aim to act as the hub of 'ceramics' research in the UK and develop strong links to other major international 'ceramics' centres of excellence

01/01/07