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School of Materials

Studentships and scholarships

Composite materials

Your Options

Full-time and part-time programmes are available for most of our research degrees. Split-site degrees are also available, subject to provision of an appropriate study plan, and local facilities and supervision. This allows you to conduct part of your study at a local site near your workplace with supervision from staff in our school. Please contact the School for further information about the Split-site option.

For a full list of qualifications available in the School please see

Projects currently available in this area are listed at below. Applicants are also invited to submit their own project proposal if they wish to work in a specific area for which a project is not currently listed.

Current Projects

For more details about all of these projects, you may download this document

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Current Project Details

Scale dependence of strength of cellulosic microfibrillar networks

According to the classic theory of Weibull, the specific strength of materials decreases as the volume of the material increases. This dependence arises because the likelihood of a specimen having weak points, where failure is initiated, increases with volume and is characterised by an exponential relationship where the exponent, called the 'Weibull modulus' is a characteristic property of the material. The Weibull moduli of heterogeneous sheet-like fibrous materials such as paper are interesting because they exhibit anisotropy, so the volume dependence of strength depends on the whether specimen volume is changed by changing sample area or sample thickness. This project will involve preparing cellulosic microfibrils from wood fibres and forming networks from these with varying thickness and density. The structure and mechanical properties of samples with different dimensions will be characterised in terms of their Weibull moduli and the manner in which these depend on network properties.

Supervisor: Dr Bill Sampson

Fundamentals of the tensile strength of paper

As a biodegradable and recyclable material manufactured from renewable raw materials, there is renewed interest in the use of paper for packaging uses. The mechanical properties of paper have been extensively researched, and useful theories exist to characterise the dependence of sheet strength on the properties of the fibres and the extent to which they are bonded to each other. Nevertheless, some fundamental aspects of sheet strength are not fully understood, including the nature of bond failure at the initiation of tensile failure and the influence of distributions of fibre properties, such as fibre length. This project will involve some fundamental investigations into tensile properties of paper with a view to informing the development of the next generation of lightweight packaging grades of paper.

Supervisor: Dr Bill Sampson

Influence of uniformity on the strength of cellulosic microfibrillar networks

It is well established that the mechanical failure of materials is influenced by their uniformity: highly non-uniform materials having more weak points that the corresponding uniform material. Networks of cellulosic microfibrils exhibit nonuniformity which depends on the fibril length and the processes used to make them. This project will involve preparing microfibrils from wood fibres and forming networks from these with varying levels of uniformity. The structure and mechanical properties of these will be characterised. The relationships observed will be interpreted by reference to models for the structure and properties of fibre networks.

Supervisor: Dr Bill Sampson

Continuity of reinforcing fabrics and ballistic helmet performance

Work is going on in engineering riot helmet for the police from a novel technique using single piece of fabric as reinforcement to the helmet shell. It has been proven numerically and experimentally that helmet shell reinforced with one piece of fabric performs better than cut fabric patterns, which is currently used in the industry. The advantage of helmet with continuous reinforcement include higher energy absorption, better force attenuation, and higher helmet strength against trauma impact. The propose research aims to extend the achievements into the design and engineering of ballistic helmet aimed for soldiers by using continuous reinforcement fabrics. FE analysis and ballistic test will be among the means for investigation.

Supervisor: Dr Xiaogang Chen

Micro-strain fields in textile composites

This project aims to study the influence of tow architecture on local strain gradients in textile composites, especially 3D fibre architectures. Detailed geometrical and micro-mechanics models will be developed and validated with experimental techniques including Raman Spectroscopy for surface strains and embedded sensors for internal strains. Predicted limit strengths of model composites will be validated experimentally.

Supervisor: Dr Prasad Potluri

Mechanistic understanding of the influence of fibre bridging in advanced 3D textile composites

With the rapid development of advanced composite airframes and aero-engine components, there is an urgent need to improve the damage tolerance. 3D woven composites have the potential to improve damage tolerance. However, the experimental evidence so far has been mixed, partly due to the sensitivity of 3D composite performance to processing artefacts. This project aims to study the influence of fibre bridging on crack/damage propagation in 3D woven composites. A computational mechanics model will be developed aided by impact, compression after impact tests and X-ray tomography.

Supervisor: Dr Prasad Potluri

Effects of Processing on Impact and Post-impact Properties of Epoxy-Woven Fibre Composites

The project will investigate the processing, structure and properties of epoxy - woven fibre composites.  The influence of processing parameters on the development of residual stresses and defects (such as voids, fibre displacements, micro-cracking) in woven composites will be studied using non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques (thermal imaging, C-scan, tomography), Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy. A range of NDE techniques will be used to study the role of such process-induced defects on the development of damage during impact, as well as the development of damage zones during post-impact compression testing.

Supervisor: Dr Arthur Wilkinson, Dr Prasad Potluri, Prof Paul Hogg, Prof Phil Withers, Dr Stephen Eichhorn

Biomimetic laminated composite materials based on seashell structures

A series of laminated composite materials will be generated using biomimetic approaches (multiple laminates) to generate a composite structure that will be resistant to impact damage. The materials will be tested for compression after impact and the damage zones also by non destructive evaluation techniques (thermal imaging, C-scan, tomography). The effect of modifying the interfaces between the laminations will also be investigated with a view to enhancing impact resistance. Novel geometries to the fibre laminates, including interveil technology that incorporate nanotechnology will also be investigated. The design process will be based on toughening mechanisms that are commonly observed in seashell structures.

Supervisor: Dr Steve I'Anson

Biomimetic laminated composite materials based on seashell structures

A series of laminated composite materials will be generated using biomimetic approaches (multiple laminates) to generate a composite structure that will be resistant to impact damage. The materials will be tested for compression after impact and the damage zones also by non destructive evaluation techniques (thermal imaging, C-scan, tomography). The effect of modifying the interfaces between the laminations will also be investigated with a view to enhancing impact resistance. Novel geometries to the fibre laminates, including interveil technology that incorporate nanotechnology will also be investigated. The design process will be based on toughening mechanisms that are commonly observed in seashell structures.

Supervisors: Dr Stephen Eichhorn/Prof Paul Hogg/Dr Prasad Potluri/Prof Phil Withers

Nano-Toughened Matrices for Woven Fibre Composites

The project will investigate the toughening of aerospace epoxy resin systems using nanoscale block copolymer particles, an example of which is shown right.

(Liu et al, Macromolecules, 43, 2010.)

The processing behaviour and structure development of these resins will be studied via chemo-rheology, spectroscopy, thermal analysis and microscopy. Damage development during testing of woven-fibre composites will be studied using non-destructive evaluation techniques (thermal imaging, C-scan, tomography) and electron microscopy.  Thus, the toughening mechanisms in both bulk and woven composite specimens will be determined and correlated with polymer and composite morphologies.

Supervisor: Dr Arthur Wilkinson

Graphene-Polyamide 6 Nanocomposites

Graphene has emerged as a subject of enormous scientific interest due to its exceptional electron transport, mechanical properties, and high surface area. When incorporated appropriately, these atomically thin carbon sheets can significantly improve physical properties of host polymers at extremely small loadings.

Kim et al, Macrolecules, 43, 2010
Graphene, can be wrapped to form 0-D buckyballs, rolled to form 1-D nanotubes, or stacked to form 3-D graphite.

The aim of this project is to develop a process to produce graphene – polyamide 6 nanocomposites, using a "top-down"strategy starting from graphite oxide (GO).  Thus, PA 6 will be produced by in situ anionic polymerization of caprolactam in the presence of graphene oxide (GO), leading to grafting of the polymer to the GO plates which will significantly aid dispersion.

Nanocomposites will be produced by both batch-reactor and reactive extrusion techniques to asses the state of GO dispersion obtained. The structure and properties of the resultant nanocomposites will be studied using a wide range of techniques, including electron microcopy, x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis (TGS, DSC, DMTA), and melt Rheology, as well as mechanical property and fracture testing.

Supervisors: Dr Arthur Wilkinson, Dr Ian Kinloch

Structure-property relationships in cellulose nanocrystal reinforced nanocomposites

Following on from very successful research carried out at Manchester into the deformation mechanisms in cellulose nanocrystal-based nanocomposites this work will attempt to elucidate the mechanisms of reinforcement at play in these interesting materials. Using Raman spectroscopy the project will probe the interactions between nanocrystals and polymeric resins, both in aligned and random composite materials. Different weight fractions, both below and above the percolation threshold will be used to ascertain the differences between matrix-fibre and fibre-fibre interactions. Careful control of the interface, by short chain modification of the nanocrystal surface will be used to investigate its effect on reinforcement. Combination with other nanomaterials, such as clays, will be investigated as a means to obtain synergistic effects.

Supervisors: Dr Steve Eichhorn/Dr Arthur Wilkinson

 

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