EPSRC Core Equipment Call 2024 - Cranfield University

Started

Not Energy Related
Other Power and Storage Technologies(Energy storage)

Equipment

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Not Cross-cutting

Leon A Terry
Cranfield University

Standard

EPSRC

27 February 2025

27 August 2026

18 months

£400,000

Unknown

East of England

NC : Infrastructure

Leon A Terry, Cranfield University

Francesco Fanicchia, Cranfield University
Leonard Felicetti, Cranfield University
Zhenhua Luo, Cranfield University

The equipment requested in this grant will provide enhanced underpinning capabilities which will support researchers in a range of research areas across Cranfield and beyond. We propose to purchase four items, three are for new capabilities and one offers replacement for an obsolete platform which will reinstate a capability that has been unavailable to the university for some time. Item 1 - NanoTest Vantage Platform5 We request this nano/micro-mechanical testing platform will allow users developing any new material to measure hardness and mechanical properties down to the ~nm scale, being able to differentiate between different phases and grains in the microstructure. This supersedes our older nanoindenter, which is now broken and obsolete, allowing the whole university to use and maintain a basic but essential tool to develop bulk, coatings and additive manufactured materials. Item 2 - Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) test bench We request items to establish an Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) test bench, which is a critical addition to Cranfield’s current battery cycling and charging/discharging facility. Significantly enhancing our capabilities in battery research, particularly in the areas of thermal management and battery characterisation. EIS, in addition to classical battery testing techniques, allows rapid and accurate evaluation of key battery cell criteria during its life cycle, including electrochemistry, electrode kinetics, double-layers studies, batteries, corrosion, solid-state electrochemistry, bioelectrochemistry, and photovoltaic systems. Item 3 - Motion tracking system We request a motion tracking system that will allow reliable and accurate measurement of the motion of the robotic systems and autonomous vehicles moving within our Lunar & Planetary Robotic Exploration and Exploitation test facility area. This will provide very accurate (sub-millimetre) motion measurements and will enable the further development of collaboration across different Themes (equivalent to Departments) and research groups within the university, particularly in relation to our autonomous vehicle research. Item 4 – Vacuum-chamber We request a vacuum-chamber that will be a fundamental asset for the development of our new Extreme Environment facility. It will allow the generation of vacuum conditions in a sufficiently wide volume to enable numerous applications such as the testing of devices and specimens and propulsion systems for orbital applications. In addition, the vacuum-chamber will be used for assessing the survivability of electronic components and devices in radiative-only heat transfer conditions

16/07/25