Research
Energy Materials
Materials for higher efficiency power generation
High temperature materials
Lifetime extension of existing plant
Regeneration of aged components
Lifetime prediction modelling
Advanced Ceramics
New processing methods for nanostructured ceramics
Ultra high temperature ceramic (UHTC) composites
Carbon fibre reinforced ceramic composites
Interpenetrating caramic-metal composites
Surface Engineering
New anodising processes
Electrodeposition based on non-aqueous ionic liquid electrolytes
Mechanisms for mitigating tin and zinc whisker growth in electronics
Surface modifying processes for adhesive and abhesive property enhancement
Advanced Polymers
New Polymerisation processes and techniques
Polymers in fuel cell applications
Incorporation of nano-fillers and nanotechnology into polymers
Reycling of polymers and use of recycled materials in polymers
Surface polymerisation and thin films
Sustainability
Novel Materials with a Reduced Carbon Footprint
Replacement of Toxic Materials (such as Heavy Metals
Extending the Life-time of Materials
Materials reuse and recycling
Nanomaterials
Polymer and high temperature polymer nanocomposites
Nanostructured ceramics
Nanostructured material coatings
Fabrication of functionalised graphene
Microstructural Characterisation
Advanced 3D imaging using dual beam microscopy
Microstructural evolution in power plant materials
Corrosion and Degradation
Stress corrosion cracking
Electrodeposition of cadmium replacements
Biodegradable nanocomposites
Ageing studies
Systems for the protection of steel reinforcing bar (rebar) in concrete
Our department is a vibrant and active research environment with an annual research income in excess of £2m and approximately one third is from industry, with industrial involvement in almost all our research programmes.
The department is home to about 70 PhD students in a truly international community and offers outstanding opportunities to work on research of real-world significance within a supportive and friendly environment.
We have extensive facilities ranging from materials synthesis to processing and characterisation, the latter provided by the Loughborough Materials Characterisation Centre which houses state-of-the-art, world-class facilities which are available as a service to industry.
More about our research facilities »
A highlight of each year is our unique Research Day every July, which showcases all the research projects currently in progress.
Research in the Department is organised into 4 research groups
Also many inter-disciplinary projects and topics of particular emphasis are underpinned by the academic expertise of our staff across a number of research areas:
Key facts
- Annual research income ~£2.1m
- 18 Research-active academic staff
- 20 Research Fellows and Associates
- 70 PhD Students
- Ranked 7th in the UK 2008 RAE in both the Times Higher and The Guardian#
- 20% of the Department’s research is classed as ‘world-leading’ (rated the maximum 4*)#
- 95% of the Department’s research is of an international standard (rated 2*, 3* or 4*)#
# as classified under the Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering category