male hands hold small solid square panel which is made from materials including plant waste

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE COMPOSITES AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

We develop, test and characterise polymers and composites for use in product development and manufacturing

Our activities include research and development into design, creation and testing of polymers and composite materials, and analysing their effectiveness. We also investigate modelling, 3-D printing and structural integrity of sustainable biocomposites.

Our research informs teaching and knowledge transfer activities in the School of Mechanical and Design Engineering and Faculty of Technology. We contribute to the international research profile of the University of Portsmouth through high-quality publications and participations.

Our mission is to build modern work in advanced materials and manufacturing, through collaborative partnerships with industry and other partners.

Research

Advanced composites application driven areas

  • Composite materials (natural fibre composites and biocomposites for light weight applications)
  • Conventional composites and nanocomposites
  • Polymers/plastics (thermosets and thermoplastics)
  • Composite manufacturing (aimed at exploring the link between materials, process and performance)
  • Additive manufacturing (Design and rapid prototyping, 3D printing of polymers and composites)
  • Lean manufacturing

The APC research group has well-equipped laboratories with facilities for R&D in advanced polymers and composites. The activities we undertake range from short-term consultancy works to medium-to-long-term research and knowledge transfer projects.

SeaBioComp

Successfully completed February 2023

Development and demonstrators of durable biobased composites for a marine environment. Read more at Interreg: SeaBioComp

The FLOWER Project

Successfully completed June 2023

Flax used as alternative manufacturing material

We're working with partner organisations in the UK and France on an innovative research project to develop natural fibre composites that are a viable alternative to the non-recyclable fibreglass products widely used in the automotive and marine industries.

Find out more.

Facilities and capabilities

  • 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 ballistic test impact and
    hardness)
  • Durability testing (thermal, chemical, moisture, UV and hygrothermal degradation test)
  • Surface properties test (contact angle, surface tension and surface topography)
  • Structural integrity evaluation (electronic shearography, C-scan, ARAMIS and CT-scan)
  • Manufacturing (vacuum bagging, compression moulding, injection moulding, thermoforming and RTM)
  • Finite element analysis of engineering and biomedical systems, materials failure, damage and manufacturing processes
  • Machining of materials, such as conventional and non-conventional drillings, waterjet cutting, among others
  • Modelling (analytical and numerical) and simulation of artificial hip and knee joints, materials failure, damage and manufacturing processes
  • Fatigue/fracture, creep and oxidation at elevated temperature

Publications

Members

Hom Nath Dhakal Portrait

Media ready expert

Professor Hom Dhakal

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Hom.Dhakal@port.ac.uk

School of Mechanical and Design 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 Mechanical and Design 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 Mechanical and Design 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 Mechanical and Design Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Abu Naser Muhammad Saifullah Portrait

Dr Abu Saifullah

Senior Lecturer

Abu.Saifullah@port.ac.uk

School of Mechanical and Design 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 Mechanical and Design Engineering

Faculty of Technology

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Jason John Knight Portrait

Dr Jason Knight

Senior Lecturer

jason.knight@port.ac.uk

School of Mechanical and Design Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Luka Celent Portrait

Luka Celent

Lecturer

Luka.Celent@port.ac.uk

School of Mechanical and Design Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Mr Colin Lupton

Research Fellow

Colin.Lupton@port.ac.uk

School of Mechanical and Design Engineering

Faculty of Technology

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Michel Jacques Leseure Portrait

Mr Michel Leseure

Senior Lecturer

Michel.Leseure@port.ac.uk

School of Mechanical and Design 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 Mechanical and Design Engineering

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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