Material samples

Researching materials science and engineering technology with a sustainability focus

An international hub for advanced materials: design, development, manufacturing, testing and characterisation

Our mission is to advance fundamental and applied research in Materials Science and Engineering Technology. We focus on using nature’s finite resources responsibly as we develop materials, and make contributions towards achieving UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). 

Building on our research in materials and manufacturing, and on collaborations with many industry and academic partners, we established the centre in 2024. Materials we work on include ceramics, woods, metals and alloys, composites (conventional/synthetic, sustainable/natural/bio-composites, lightweight & hybrid composites), polymers processing (thermosets and thermoplastics), sustainable plastics. 

Through investment in our materials and manufacturing laboratory infrastructure, we're able to follow our interests in leading research areas including analysis, characterisation, formulation, manufacturing, design, modelling, rapid prototyping, 3-D printing, testing, repair, structural integrity evaluation, applications and knowledge transfer of advanced materials and manufacturing.

From Hom Dhakal, Director of the Centre

Thank you for your interest in the ongoing work of  the ºÚÁÏÈë¿Ú Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (PCAMM). We're a multidisciplinary centre where a consortium of academics, researchers and industrialists work together to create new optimised future materials for used in many sectors, including aerospace, automotive, energy, construction, packaging and electrical electronic applications. 

Billions of barrels of oil. Commuters in smog masks. Heavy metals leaching into the soil. It’s all too easy to picture these things when we think about what transport does to the environment for example. To protect the planet, we must find ways of making materials and processes more sustainable.

PCAMM focuses on applied research into various areas (such as tension, compression, bending, impact, torsion, buckling, fatigue, fracture, thermal, vibration damping, among others) of materials and components aiming at commercialising research and innovation results. With 77% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent for impact, our research will directly impact our courses from undergraduate, Masters and PhDs.
 

Our focus

Our key thematic areas are:

Student examines manufactured plastic composite gears at Technology Facilities

Materials Development, Testing and Evaluation

In this area, we use our advanced facilities to investigate and analyse materials for use in industries from packaging and construction to automotive and space engineering. Looking at polymers, composites and metals, we have expertise in applying tests including thermal analysis, fracture toughness, 3-point bending and fatigue.

Flax used as alternative manufacturing material

Sustainable Design and Manufacturing

In this area, we explore the design and manufacture of the next generation of materials, and the development of products that use them. We're working with conventional manufacturing techniques, additive manufacturing, and the use of AI to make optimal use of biocomposites, ceramics, woods, metals and super alloys. 

Student working at computer desk in Technology Facilities

Advanced Analysis and Microstructural Characterisation

We use a wide range of characterisation techniques in this area to understand the properties of materials before and after machining. Our research covers microstructures, failure behaviour, and the use of methods such as optical microscopy, nanoindentation and SEM to understand the effects of defects in materials. 

Composite material held by researcher

Materials Performance Modelling

In this area, we use CAD/CAM, multiscale modelling and numerical methods to investigate materials including polymers, composites, alloys and biomaterials. Through structural health monitoring (SHM) we explore the behaviours and properties of materials, allowing us to predict cutting forces and damage behaviour.

Female student making manual adjustments on large machine.
Technology Facilities Day One - NOT FOR THIRD PARTY - CONSENT

Machining of metals, composites and hybrid materials

In this area, we use conventional and nonconventional machining including, drilling, milling, laser drilling, wire EDM and abrasive water jet machining. We apply these methods to metals, polymer-based and bio-based composites and hybrid materials under various conditions, including cryogenic situations.

In these areas, we work holistically with industry and with research partners, integrating our expertise with our collaborators. We also work with internationally recognised scholars, our own postgraduate students, and deliver teaching expertise in leading research areas to students in the University's Faculty of Technology.

Our facilities and capabilities

Our centre has well-equipped laboratories with a wide range of the-state-of-the-art facilities for R&D in advanced materials and manufacturing.

We undertake medium-to-long-term research and knowledge transfer projects, as well as short-term consultancy works. We have strong expertise in the areas of:  

  • Nano-testing (indentation, scratching and impact)
  • Thermal characterisation (MDSC, DSC, TGA, TMA, DMA, Laser flash and hot-wire thermal conductivities)
  • Materials/Mechanical testing (tensile, compression and flexural test at low and elevated temperatures, pendulum, falling weight and impact and nano-indentation)
  • Durability testing (thermal, chemical, moisture, UV and hydrothermal degradation test)
  • Surface properties test (AFM, contact angle, surface tension and surface topography)
  • Structural integrity evaluation (SEM, C-scan, ARAMIS and CT-scan)
  • Manufacturing (vacuum bagging, compression moulding, injection moulding, thermoforming, rotational moulding, RTM and RK control coater with adjustable coating thickness)
  • Finite element analysis of engineering and biomedical systems, materials failure, damage and manufacturing processes
  • Machining of materials, such as conventional and non-conventional drillings, 5-axis CNC milling, water jet and laser cutting, contact and non-contact CMM among others
  • Modelling (analytical and numerical) and simulation of artificial hip and knee joints, materials failure, damage and manufacturing processes
  • Digital Image/Volume Correlation for engineering applications
  • Fatigue/fracture, creep and oxidation at elevated temperature
  • Multi-axial and mixed mode fatigue and fracture
  • Product development and rapid prototyping
  • Precision measurement and quality systems
  • CAD/CAM and electronics fabrication
  • Computer modelling and logistics
  • Automation and mechatronics
  • Reverse engineering

Collaborate with us

If you have a research question or a design project that could benefit from our capabilities, please get in touch with Professor Hom Dhakal to discuss ways we could work together. 

Our publication highlights

2024

Fiore, V., Jagadeesh, P., Nath Dhakal, H., Rangappa, S. M., Siengchin, S.

19 Aug 2024, In: Journal of Polymer Research. 31, 9, 29p., 258

Leseure, M. J., Onyeocha, E., Robins, D.

9 Aug 2024, In: Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management

Bennett, D., Leseure, M. J.

1 Aug 2024, In: Sustainability (Switzerland). 16, 15, 17p., 6572

Buick, J., Rabi', A. M., Radulovic, J.

10 Jul 2024, In: Thermo. 4, 3, p. 295-314, 20p.

Ahamed, B., Bhuiyan, A. H., Dhakal, H., Haq, E., Islam, A., Saifullah, A., Sarker, F., Sayeed, A.

1 Jul 2024, In: Composites Part C: Open Access. 14, 11p., 100488

Our members

Hom Nath Dhakal Portrait

Media ready expert

Professor Hom Dhakal

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Hom.Dhakal@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Antigoni Barouni Portrait

Dr Antigoni Barouni

Senior Lecturer

antigoni.barouni@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Luka Celent Portrait

Luka Celent

Lecturer

Luka.Celent@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Mariana Iordanova Dotcheva Portrait

Dr Mariana Dotcheva

Senior Lecturer

Mariana.Dotcheva@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Krassimir Dotchev Portrait

Dr Krassimir Dotchev

Senior Lecturer

Krassimir.Dotchev@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Khaled Giasin Portrait

Dr Khaled Giasin

Senior Lecturer

Khaled.Giasin@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Jason John Knight Portrait

Dr Jason Knight

Senior Lecturer

jason.knight@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Michel Jacques Leseure Portrait

Mr Michel Leseure

Senior Lecturer

Michel.Leseure@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Theodora Mavridou Portrait

Dr Dora Mavridou

Senior Lecturer

Dora.Mavridou@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

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Petko Vladev Petkov Portrait

Dr Petko Petkov

Senior Lecturer

petko.petkov@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Khurram Rehmani Portrait

Dr Khurram Rehmani

Lecturer

khurram.rehmani@port.ac.uk

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Abu Naser Muhammad Saifullah Portrait

Dr Abu Saifullah

Senior Lecturer

Abu.Saifullah@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Erdem Selver Portrait

Dr Erdem Selver

KTP Associate in Bio-based Electronic Materials

erdem.selver@port.ac.uk

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Jurgita Zekonyte Portrait

Dr Jurgita Zekonyte

Senior Lecturer

jurgita.zekonyte@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Zhong Zhang Portrait

Media ready expert

Dr Zhong Yi Zhang

Principal Lecturer

Zhongyi.Zhang@port.ac.uk

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Current PhD students

  • Mr Muneer Ahmed Musthaq Ahamed (MAMA): Improvement of impact strength and damage behaviour of Natural fibre reinforced composites and their hybrids through novel enhancement techniques 
  • Ifeoluwa Emmanuel Elemure (IEE): Employing green approach in lean manufacturing leading to sustainability
  • Sakib Khan (SK): Development, testing and characterisation of sustainable biodegradable materials for food packaging applications with enhanced performance 
  • Matilda Johansson (MJ): Lignocellulosic biocomposites for structural high impact applications
  • Kumar Shantanu Prasad (KSP): Structural health monitoring of wind turbine blade
  • Usha Kiran Kumar Sanivada (UKKS): Development of hierarchical high-performance sustainable composites
  • Ilias Gkoumas (IG) : Social Life Cycle Analysis in Post Disaster Housing
  • Hang Shi (HS): Abrasive water jet cutting of synthetic and natural based fibre metal laminates

Contact details

For more information, contact Professor Hom Dhakal, Director of PCAMM. 

hom.dhakal@port.ac.uk