PhD Students

My Research involves the development of optoelectronic devices containing 0D perovskite nanocrystals and 2D materials (graphene) with the use of inkjet-printing. 

My research focusses on the development and studies of 0D and 2D inks for additive manufacturing of photosensitive devices. The overall aim of my project is to develop up-scalable production of photon sensors with extended detection range.

I'm investigating the mechanics of how mussels and other organisms adhere in wet and hostile environments, then seeing how we can mimic those mechanics for use in engineering applications

This project investigates how build setup and process planning affect the process productivity and cost of producing parts in polymer powder bed fusion (PBF) processes. Particular attention is given to sources of production losses, such as the risk of failed prints and idle time during prints. Additionally, the research will explore the network effects of multiple-PBF-machine setups, and how these influence the productivity and cost. This research will extend our understanding of effective AM operations alongside the true cost of parts produced using AM, helping manufacturers to improve the economically feasibility of AM for wider industry applications.

My research focus is on the design of lattice structures able to absorb energy when undergoing dynamic loads, in particular crashes in automotive industry. This is done by using an internal software which allows to create so-called TPMS (Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces) structures. The aim is to prove that those structures perform better than other kinds of structures in terms of energy absorption.There is a concurrent focus on the material that is adopted to print the structures, as it must satisfy the requirements of energy absorption without causing damage to the rest of the environment and by keeping the weight low. Therefore, lightweight steels are considered, and the inherited mechanical properties are investigated. A consequence is that one of the main issues coming from the use of additive manufacturing, porosity, must be addressed. 

I completed my master’s in chemistry at the University of Hull. My final year project was focused on the coupling of two metal species to beta-lactam antibiotics (methicillin etc.).  
I hope to synthesize a diagnostic nanoparticle with therapeutic capabilities.

My research aims to develop a new series of titanium and aluminium alloys for use in SLM in which the alloy composition will be designed to improve the strength and productivity according to the requirements imposed by the aerospace and automotive industry, respectively. The research will be carried out using the empirical and computation approaches for predicting phase formation in materials under the conditions posed by the SLM process. Experimentation will combine elements of powder feedstock formulation, operation of the latest laser powder-bed platforms and analysis and characterization of the printed structures using state-of-the-art microscopy and testing techniques. 

The PhD project contributes to the EPSRC funded Programme Grant looking into Next Generation Additive Manufacturing. The main objective is to understand the 3D deposition of single and multi-material high-temperature metallic through computational modelling; and to validate this work through practical experimentation. This novel metal-jetting technique is exclusively available at the CfAM through a collaboration with Canon-Océ. The printing process works by laying down each voxel of a desired digital object in form of liquid metal droplets. The droplets are dispensed one at a time, deposited in rows and layers onto a solid base until the entire part is created. 

My research will focus on new designs for heat transfer applications. The new designs will be manufactured by additive manufacturing and their performance evaluated by experiments. These new designs will be used for case studies in gas turbines. 

There is an increasing demand for high performance and durable materials in additive manufacturing, particularly in the microelectronics industry. Polyimides offer attractive chemical and mechanical properties to fulfil this need, however, several barriers still exist to utilising these materials in 3D printing techniques. My project focusses on the formulation of novel polyimides that can be inkjet printed directly, without the need for using organic solvents in the printing and processing stages.

Conventional drug delivery systems, tablets, capsules, and solutions, can be limited for the treatment of some diseases. Their necessary frequent administration can be unpleasant to patients and their compliance can be reduced. Sustained release implants can offer a solution and 3D printing a novel method of manufacture of such devices. With 3D printing, it is possible to fabricate drug loaded polymeric implants in order to achieve personalised controlled drug release. In this approach, patients could replace a number of different medications with one drug delivery system which could contain the exact dosages and release profiles of the active ingredients they need. In my project, I will explore the use of the polymer polycaprolactone for the manufacturing of implants, with extrusion-based 3D printers. This 3D printing method is quite similar to conventional hot-melt extrusion pharmaceutical processing technologies and precise dosing and complex drug release profiles can potentially be achieved.

As AM technologies advance and printed electronics materials improve in their electrical and mechanical properties there is a requirement to print onto non-porous substrates. These substrates may vary in surface material, be non-planar in topography, or may generally require tight features that push inkjet resolution to its limits. The project is targeted to leverage new modelling techniques to provide an "inverse design" digital object correction to compensate for the fluid dynamics of drops on non-porous structures. It is also expected to account for the topography of the printed structure and be able to model the effect of multiple layers built up on each other.

Application of selective laser sintering in biomedical filed has been hampered by the lack of suitable polymeric materials. In order to overcome this hurdle, Marica is synthesising biocompatible core-shell particles.Shell of the particles is composed of sintrable material, while core is made of photocurable non-processable matrix with drug-incorporating potential.Particle synthesis is performed in coaxial jet mixer, which can be upgraded to continuously fabricate particles, in amounts of up to several kg/day.

3D Printing has been used in research to print scaffolds that mimic the structural environment and the mechanical strength of bone. But like with other synthetic substitutes, the disadvantages of poor mechanical strength and issues with neovascularization, degradation rate, cell attachment and undesired immune responses remain.Anna is developing an alternative ELP hydrogel membrane fabrication method that will be implemented into Additive Manufacturing (AM) to enable structural reproducibility and improve the predictability of mechanical properties. Printing personalized bone implants that exhibit mechanical properties resembling those of bone without the need of cell culturing can be a vital step forward in bone replacement therapy.

I am working on the development of electronically active materials for use in 3D inkjet printing. The inkjet process allows for multi-material printing, but the available material selection is limited. I’m hoping to add to that selection - particularly with semiconducting materials - as well as to develop improved printing methods to optimise their performance. The ultimate goal is to enable the printing of complete electronic devices such as sensors within one machine. 

My research aims to revolutionise the ways in which we make functional materials by combining innovative manufacturing techniques with nanoscale materials design. To achieve this, I will have to synthesise a range of nanomaterials using carbon nanotubes and nanofibers as 1D templates to achieve desired electronic, optical or catalytic properties, by applying the methods developed in the School of Chemistry. My research also aims at integrating the functional nanomaterials into polymer composites with programmed mechanical properties, shape, and composition, by utilising powder bed fusion techniques developed for novel polymer nanocomposite powder. The presence of functional 1D nanostructures within the 3D printed material is expected to bring new effects and functional properties that can be exploited in practical applications. So the mechanical, structural and functional properties of these materials will be tested using advanced characterisation methods.

This project will attempt to optimise the geometry of the divertor component (the heat exhaust system of a nuclear fusion reactor) for heat transfer using additive manufacturing. This is because the heat exhaust system of the divertor has been identified as a key issue on the road to the commercialisation of nuclear fusion power. Therefore, researching new methods of designing and manufacturing divertors must take place now to avoid delays in the commercialisation of fusion power if traditional methods aren’t able to manufacture divertors to the standard required. Additive manufacturing is a technology with significant potential application in fusion for high temperature, high heat flux components due to the complex structures (such as lattices) that this technology allows us to manufacture.

The project is to investigate alternative additive manufacturing (AM) methods for use in the fabrication of semiconductors.  Spin coating photoactive polymers in conjunction with photolithography is used extensively in this process but is limited to thin layers and rectangular geometries.  To produce thicker layers, multiple steps are necessary.  By applying AM technologies, such as VAT polymerisation, three dimensional geometries can be built directly on to wafer surfaces to reduce the manufacturing steps and expand design features.  AM can also be applied to the back-end packaging, interconnects and in-package passives to support the development of the next generation semiconductor devices.

The release of biopharmaceuticals is an established and growing route to the provision of treatment in a number of a chronic areas, including cardiovascular and metabolic illnesses such as diabetes. It is desirable to tailor these treatments and the delivery mechanism to the patient, and as a consequence we propose to investigate the use of additive manufacturing / 3D printing as a pathway to bespoke production. We will consider how we can use additive manufacturing to create implants and depots specifically to deliver biomacromolecules. This is challenging, since these molecules are large and often unstable, requiring the development of methodologies that facilitate controlled release whilst protecting the molecules during manufacture and prior to their elution in use.

This project will consider the technical challenges in developing effective scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration. We will use an additive manufacturing approach in order to produce scaffolds that have the required geometry for promoting cell attachment and growth, as well as facilitating vascularisation. The scaffolds will incorporate novel biocompatible composites both to encourage efficacy but also to enable the effective processing of the material via additive manufacturing routes.  Our goal will be to produce novel materials and structures that will result in significant improvement in scaffold performance.

A primary concern with regards to enabling this next generation of AM systems is the difficulty of inter and intra layer coalescence/bonding of functional-structural or functional-functional materials due to differences in physical state, chemistry and temperature at deposition or conversion. To overcome these problems one of the requirements is the development of a suite of ex-situ interface analysis techniques capable of delivering a complete 3D characterisation of samples at the micro/nano scale with high spatial resolution. These are not limited by, but rely strongly on, techniques such as focused ion beam (FIB), (cryo) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The aim of this project is to advance the fundamental understanding of interface phenomena in multi-material additive manufacturing and this will be achieved mainly by the development of tailored methodologies related to all strands of electron microscopy.

One of the key issues in additive manufacturing (AM) is the limited palette of materials. The overarching goal of my project is to deliver new polymeric materials with novel mechanical properties that are compatible with existing AM processes. The target method of AM, such as inkjet printing or selective laser sintering, will depend on the physical properties of the synthesised materials.This project will involve synthesises and characterisation of various functional low molecular weight polymers (oligomers) to identify ideal candidate materials to bring forward for use in AM. This will be achieved by using catalytic chain transfer polymerisation, as this has been shown to provide excellent control over polymerisations and produce end-functionalised polymers, which are compatible with current photoinitiated curing techniques in AM.

Understanding and optimising drug release kinetics by taking into account geometric considerations, initial drug concentrations to drug solubility ratio, diffusion etc. Empirical models will be used and modified, based on experimental data derived from NMR or fluorescence correlation spectroscopy; the models will be finite element based. 

The vast majority of methods for polymer additive manufacturing rely on thermal methods of bonding materials together. Therefore, this project will look into a new method of production known as Reactive Powder Bed Fusion whereby new materials are subject to high speed processing at room temperature, removing many of the bottlenecks facing the process and its uptake. For this project a new machine architecture will be explored with a focus on the optimisation of parameters and deposition techniques for Polyurethane materials commonly used in a range of sectors including automotive, sports and others.

This PhD project is in collaboration with BP Castrol and will apply both chemistry and engineering to develop novel polymeric lubricants for electric transportation. Polyurea based lubricating greases have attracted much interest due to its excellent oxidative and thermal stability, good load bearing character and promising material compatibility with elastomers and paints. Specifically, this project aims to develop a series of isocyanate free polyurea polymers that have the desired properties to fit with the intended end use application and continuous manufacturing techniques to manufacture high performance polyurea lubricants. Microwave technology and reactive extrusion in particular will be considered as new manufacturing options for polyurea based lubricating grease. 

This project aims to enhance the properties of SLM printed NdFeB magnet through parameter optimisation during processing and post-treatments including heat treatment and resin infiltration. The effect of energy density, laser power, scanning speed, point distance, exposure time, hatching distance, layer thickness and scan strategy to build near-net-shape NdFeB magnets for application. A better understanding of the microstructure of the NdFeB material from post-process heat treatment is beneficial to enhance the magnetic and mechanical properties. Through the investigation of the resin composition and practical infiltrating process. Resin infiltration on as-built NdFeB parts is potential to overcome the limitation of the mechanical performance due to metallurgy defects and the sensitivity of the magnetic property of the SLM processed NdFeB magnetic performance at high-temperature. 

This PhD research aims to optimise the performance of on-board solid-state hydrogen storage vessels using additively manufactured metallic lattice structures. Storage in this form involves the use of metallic powders - that store hydrogen in their microstructures - to fill the vessels, however the powders are characterised by poor thermal conductivities. The rate in which hydrogen is absorbed and desorbed in these systems is thermally limited hence the University of Nottingham’s FLatt Pack software will be used to select and generate lattice structures of high surface area to volume ratios to improve heat transfer. This project will involve mechanical design, numerical heat transfer analysis and experimental validation using lattices manufactured through Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) techniques.