Department of Materials

The Department of Materials Research Day is the highlight of the year for our community of research students and a significant focus for the progression and presentation of their work.

Held in July each year it is a showcase for all PhD and EngD student research projects, as well as the work of our research associates.

Industrial partners and invited guests from industry and academia also attend to get an appreciation of the breadth and real-world significance of the research carried out in the department and network with our researchers and academic staff.

There are ~35 presentations, which are split between two auditoria, by research area, Metals and Ceramics research in one and Polymers and Rubbers in the other. A further 40 or so projects are showcased, each with their own poster, in the poster exhibition, meaning all research activity is represented in one way or another.

To stimulate our researchers creative skills, we also hold a Micrograph Competition, which challenges entrants to choose the most visually appealing and fascinating micrograph images from their research work and give them everyday titles linking them to the world around us.

Research Day 2012

Monday 11th June 2012  9am - 5pm
Sir Dennis Rooke Building
Hollywell Park
Loughborough University

We are always delighted to have visitors attend our research day especially those from industry.

If you would like to come to our 2012 event please contact June Lennie (details below). Places are limited and priority is always given to current and prospective research project sponsors, however we usually have approx 40 places available for additional attendees. If you register your interest to attend your details will be added to our list and you will be notified nearer to the time of the event if we are able to offer you a place/places.

To register your interest please contact:

Miss June Lennie
Department of Materials
Loughborough University
Loughborough
LE11 3TU
Tel: +44 (0)1509 223331
Fax: +44 (0)1509 223949
email: j.lennie@lboro.ac.uk

All Prizes are generously sponsored by ARTIS and are presented by their Chief Scientist Mr Martyn Bennett

Metals and Ceramics Research

Best presentation by a 3^rd year Research Student

1^st        Dan Child - Ni-based Superalloys
            Supervised by Prof. Rachel Thomson and Dr Geoff West

2^nd       Jing Liu - Processing and characterisation of metal-ceramic interpenetrating composites
             Supervised by Prof. Jon Binner and Dr Rebecca Higginson

Best presentation by a 1^st year Research Student

1^st        Yifei Zhang - Spray freeze granulation of nanozirconia powders
            Supervised by Prof. Jon Binner and Prof. Chris Rielly

2^nd       Yang Liu - Microstructural evolution in coated superalloy systems for industrial power generation
             Supervised by Prof. Rachel Thomson

Polymers and Rubbers Research

Best presentation by a 3^rd year Research Student

1^st        Rehman Rafiq - Nylon12 / functionalized graphene nanocomposites
            Supervised by Prof. Mo Song

2^nd       Bocheng Zhu - Surface-initiated polymerisation for applications in materials science
            Supervised by Dr Steve Edmondson

Best presentation by a 1^st year Research Student

1^st        Chee Chung - The influence of pigments and other additives on the crystallisation and properties of polyolefins
            Supervised by Dr Noreen Thomas and Prof. Marianne Gilbert

2^nd       Fan Zhang - Hybrid nanocomposite membranes for high temperature fuel cell applications
            Supervised by Dr Xujin Bao

Judging for presentations is performed by all attending members of academic staff

Research Poster Competition

Best Poster by a 2^nd year Research Student

1^st        Andrew Rowe - Microstructural evolution within mechanically and thermally degraded and rejuvenated nickel based superalloys
            Supervised by Prof. Rachel Thomson and Dr Geoff West

2^nd       Sebnem Pehlivan-Davis - Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell seals durability
            Supervised by Dr Jane Clarke

Best Poster by a Postdoctoral Researcher

1^st        Mark Jepson - Analysis of the MCrAIY / TGO interface in 3 dimensions
            Associate of Prof. Rachel Thomson

2^nd       Anish Paul - UHTC – carbon fibre composites for hypervelocity applications
            Associate of Prof. Jon Binner and Dr Bala Vaidhyanathan

Judging for posters is performed by all attending industrial partners and invited guests

All Prizes are generously sponsored by ARTIS and are presented by their Chief Scientist Mr Martyn Bennett
In Addition all Micrograph Competition winners are presented with a ceramic knife, generously donated by Precision Ceramics Limited.

Category 1: Black & White

1st       Zhiqi Yao      

2nd      David Gorman

[Special mention]     Yuan Wang

Category 2: Colour

1st       Evans Mogire

2nd      Abdul Shakoor

Category 3: Digitally Reconstructed

1st       Dan Child

2nd      Ali Abbas

Judges: Steve Edmondson, Scott Doak, Andrew Haggie (Jaguar Land Rover)