Biography:

David A Jackson has a PhD in Nuclear Physics from the University of London. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Applied Optics University of Kent UK. He is responsible for many important innovations in the field of optical sensing including laser Doppler velocimetry, non-contact vibration and displacement measurements and fibre optic sensors. His interests in fibre optic sensors include intrinsic and extrinsic single mode optic sensors based upon optical interferometers and fibre Bragg gratings He has researched optics for medical applications such as OCT, miniature temperature and pressure probes He has authored or co-authored over 300 journal and 300 conference papers.

Abstract:

A multichannel fibre laser Doppler vibrometer was demonstrated with the capability of making simultaneous non contact impacts at 4 different locations. The optical source was a single frequency laser diode at 1500 nm, where the output power was coupled into a single mode fibre and transferred to a specially designed power distribution unit that contained 4 independent heterodyned interferometers with transceiver fibre links with autocollimators. The targets were either aluminium or carbon composites. Two sets of measurements were performed the first using small ball bearings (1-5.5 mm) falling under gravity, the second with small projectiles (micron to 1 mm) fired from an extremely high velocity light gas gun at speeds in the range 1-8 km/s, digital processing was used to recover and process the data. In addition the results of a previous experiment where fibre Bragg gratings strain sensors attached to the target are compared. Determination of impact damage is important for industries such as aerospace, military, auto, where the effect of an impact on the structure can result in a major structural damage. To our knowledge the research reported here demonstrates the first trials of a multichannel fibre laser Doppler vibrometer being used to detect hypervelocity impacts.

Biography:

Dr. María Teresa Pérez Prior received her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Salamanca. She did a stage at the Fakultät für Chemie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany and a Postdoctoral stage at the Polytechnic School of Albacete, University of Castilla-La Mancha. Dr. Pérez-Prior currently serves as Lecturer in the department of Materials Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering at the University Carlos III of Madrid. In recent years, her main research is focused in the synthesis and characterization of polymeric materials for Energy applications.

Abstract:

In the near past decades, there has been increasing interest in the development of anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) because of their advantages such as faster oxygen reduction reaction kinetics or desirable applicability of non-precious metals as catalyst compared to proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Anion-exchange membranes (AEM) are one of the key components in a fuel cell. Polysulfone derivatives are considered as good candidates for the preparacion of this type of materials. The efficiency of the AEM can be discussed in terms of polymeric backbone, responsible for the mechanical properties, and also the anion-exchangeable group. In this work, 1,4-diazabicyclo octane (DABCO) was used as quaternization agent and a series of DABCO-functionalized polysulfones were prepared. In the DABCO structure the imposibility to reach an antiperiplanar conformation minimizes the Hofmann elimination. In addition, the presence of two nitrogen atoms in the rings can stabilize the positive charge, preventing the polymer degradation. Thus, the resulting membranes showed high thermal stability for typical fuel cell operation temperatures below 100 ºC and good alkaline stability after being treated in a 1M KOH solution for 96 h. When DABCO groups were inserted into the polymer backbone, the glass transition temperature of the functionalized membranes increased due to the incorporation of bulky substituents which decreases the mobility of the polymer chain. The ionic conductivity of these membranes is the same order of magnitude that of AEMs commonly used for this purpose. Therefore this material could be used as solid electrolyte in low temperature fuel cells.

Biography:

J J Vegas Olmos received his BSc and the MSc in Telecommunications and Electronic Engineering, respectively, in 2001 and 2003. He obtained the PhD degree from the Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, in 2006. He also holds a MA in East Asian Studies, a BEc in Business Administration, and an MBA. He was a Research Fellow at Osaka University, Japan, from 2006 to 2008, and a Research Associate at the Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd. Since 2011, he is with the Technical University of Denmark, where he is an Associate Professor at the Department of Photonics Engineering.

Abstract:

Optical links using traditional modulation formats are reaching a plateau in terms of capacity, mainly due to bandwidth limitations in the devices employed at the transmitter and receivers. Advanced modulation formats, which boost the spectral efficiency, provide a smooth migration path towards effectively increase the available capacity. Advanced modulation formats however require digitalization of the signals and digital signal processing blocks to both generate and recover the data. There is therefore a trade-off in terms of efficiency gain vs complexity. Polybinary modulation, a generalized form of partial response modulation, employs simple codification and filtering at the transmitter to drastically increase the spectral efficiency. At the receiver side, polybinary modulation requires low complexity direct detection and very little digital signal processing. This talk will review the recent results on polybinary modulation, comprising both binary and multilevel signals as seed signals. The results will show how polybinary modulation effectively reduces the bandwidth requirements on optical links while providing high spectral efficiency.

Biography:

Estíbaliz Aranzabe received a degree in Chemical Sciences in 1999 by University of the Basque Country. In 2000 she started working in IK4-TEKNIKER mainly involved in advanced fluids development and monitoring. From 2002 she worked in developing new sol-gel coatings and materials. Since 2012 she is the Head of Surface Chemistry Unit at Tekniker. She has broad international background and a large experience in being in-house Director of EU-FP7 Projects. Among others, she is in charge of the scientific coordination of the NANOPIGMY project.

Abstract:

Buildings are responsible for 40% of the total energy use and 36% of total GHG emissions within the EU. One of the ways of improving energy sustainability is increasing energy efficiency in existing buildings as annually just about 1% of the existing building stock is added as new buildings. Materials science offers solutions that when combined can offer energy savings in building sector. In this study, high reflectance coatings are combined with phase change materials with the aim of improving energy efficiency in buildings at an affordable cost. To solve this issue, a multifunctional pigment having a high total solar reflectance and a thermal storage capability has been manufactured. The high reflective property of the paint would reduce the amount of absorbed radiation while the thermal storage capability makes it possible to use the roof as an energy storage media. The thermal performance of the coating containing the multifunctional pigment was estimated an compared with a coating containing the unmodified pigment. For this issue a simulated experiment in which two boxes were covered with the coatings on their tops and heated with an infrared lamp was performed. The indoor air temperature and the interior temperature of the roof were monitorized obtaining differences of 4ºC.

Biography:

Fabien Sorin obtained his PhD from the department of Materials Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge USA. After a three-year Post-doc at the Research Laboratory of Electronics still at MIT, he joined the company Saint-Gobain and work as a research scientist at the Saint-Gobain Research center in Aubervillers, France. In 2013, he joined the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérlae de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland) as an Assistant Professor in the Institute of Materials, where he leads the Photonic Materials and Fiber devices laboratory.

Abstract:

The recent development of thermally drawn fibers that combine prescribed structures of materials with different optical and optoelectronic properties has enabled a novel path towards large area and flexible photonic systems. Complex optoelectronic functionalities can be achieved by combining all of the required materials into a macroscopic preform and using the thermal drawing process to stretch this preform into very long, thin and flexible functional fiber devices. Micro- and nano-structured devices with widely different optical and electronical properties, in prescribed position and with intimate interfaces, have been demonstrated with this approach. These include sub-hundred nanometers electrically connected semiconducting thinfilms that can act as light, heat, or chemical sensors, field effect structures, piezoelectric micro-domains and even extremely long nanowires and complex nano-spheres. In that regard, the thermal drawing technique represents a unique ability to tailor materials, structures and properties spanning the nanometer to kilometer length scales, making these fibers compelling candidates for applications such as remote and distributed sensing, large-area optical-detection arrays, energy harvesting and storage, innovative health care solutions, and functional fabrics. In this talk, we will present the materials and fabrication approach, and discuss various opportunities and fiber structure examples that has been achieved. We will also highlight some directions that the field may take in terms of new materials, structures and functionalities.

Biography:

N A Timofeeva has received the degree of MSc at R.E. Alekseev Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University, Russia. She is currently doing her PhD program at G.G. Devyatykh Institute of Chemistry of High-Purity Substances, Russian Academy of Sciences. The PhD focuses on the synthesis of polycrystalline zinc chalcogenides ZnSe and ZnS doped by iron for active medium of solid-state lasers. She has 7 publications in this field

Abstract:

ZnSe crystals doped by Fe2+ are used as an active medium of lasers operated in the 3.5-5 μm spectral range. The characteristics of the medium important for laser applications depend not only on the nature and concentration of the doping component, but to a great extent on the type of the intrinsic or impurity defects of material. Such defects are defined by the conditions of crystal growth and also by the subsequent high temperature treatment, employed for matrix doping by active impurities. In this work, the unique technique of doping was developed and CVD-ZnSe samples with different Fe2+ concentration profiles were manufactured. The effective concentration of Fe2+ ions was at the 1019 at/cm3 level. The two-photon confocal microscopy method was used for investigating the nature and character of changes in the distribution of band-to-band and defect-impurity photoluminescence (PL) centers directly in the bulk of Fe2+: ZnSe polycrystals. The two-photon excitation was realized by a laser operated in the 0.75-1 μm range at room temperature, the PL spectra were registered in the 425-725 nm range. As a result, the PL “volume” maps of Fe2+: ZnSe polycrystalline samples were recorded reaching a depth up to 1 mm with a step 25 μm and a size of plane area 1Ñ…1 mm. The investigation of the maps reveals the regularities of PL centers formation in the bulk and at grain boundaries in the polycrystalline CVD-ZnSe due to the concentration of Fe2+ ions. The work was supported by the RSF grant â„–15-13-10028.

Biography:

Mario Culebras obtained a degree in Chemestry from the University of Valencia in 2011. After he obtained a Master in Science and Technology in Colloids and Interfaces. He started his PhD studies in 2012 under direction of Andres Cantarero, about “Organic thermoelectric materials” in the University of Valencia. Currently, he has published several papers about thermoelectricity in polymeric and carbonaceous materials.

Abstract:

More than two thirds parts of the energy that is produced is lost as heat losses. In consideration of that, it is crucial to find effective ways to recover all this loss energy. The use of thermoelectric materials make possible to recover all this energy due to the Seebeck effect. In the last few years, several intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) have been successfully used in the field of thermoelectricity. The dimensionless figure of merit ZT (ZT=S2σT/κ) where S, σ and κ are the Seebeck coefficient, the electrical and thermal conductivities, respectively, has been improved several orders of magnitude, until values very close to those of inorganic materials. Polymers show, in addition, many advantages over inorganic materials, such as: non scarcity of raw materials, lack of toxicity, lower cost of production and many others. In this work, the focus is to provide several routes to increase the thermoelectric efficiency of conducting polymers such as: chemical and electrochemical de/doping or the incorporation of nanofillers to the polymer matrix. Using these methods it is possible to achieve a ZT > 0.2 for ICPs. In addition, a new method for the fabrication of thermoelectric modules (TEG) has been developed using only one type of ICP. As a proof of concept, we have developed a thermal sensor based on poly(3,4 ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanofilms as thermoelectric material.

Biography:

M Pourkashanian is the Head of the Energy research, Energ-2050, The University of Sheffield, and is the Director of PACT pilot scale UK national facilities. He holds a chair in Energy Engineering and has completed numerous major research projects on clean energy technology and received a substantial sum of grants from EPSRC, EU, NATO, and industry. His active research grants in 2015 relating to clean energy projects are in excess of £10M. He led a team of 11 research fellows and 34 PhD students. He has published over 460 refereed research papers. He is a member of numerous international and national scientific bodies including an invited member of the All Party Parliamentary Renewable Transport Fuels Group and Expert-Member in EU-GCC Clean Gas Energy Network. His research is in the field of future clean and sustainable energy technology with a focus on energy efficient materials, multi-scale energy process computational and CFD modelling. His active research areas include wind turbine aerodynamics and wind resources prediction, carbon capture and storage from power generation processes, pollutants formation prediction, and future power plant multi-scale and dynamic simulation.

Abstract:

Ash deposition, slagging and fouling on boiler tube surfaces is an inevitable, though undesirable, consequence of burning coal and biomass in power station boilers. The role of fuel characteristics in affecting the form and severity of the problem is significant. In recent years, biomass fuels have gained increasing popularity as an environmentally friendly source of energy in power plants all over the world. This study is based on experimental corrosion tests under controlled atmospheres and characterising the behaviour of four biomass fuels (pine wood, peanut shells, sunflower stalk and miscanthus) using ash fusion temperature (AFT) tests, simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) of fuel ashes, calculation of empirical indices and predicting ash melting behaviour with the help of thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. Corrosion test results indicated increased metal loss but the AFT results failed to show any clear trend between fusion temperature and high alkali content of biomass. STA proved useful in predicting the different changes occurring in the ash. Empirical indices predicted high slagging and fouling hazards for nearly all the biomass samples and this was supported by the possible existence of a melt phase at low temperatures as predicted by thermodynamic calculations.

Biography:

Axel Enders has completed his PhD in 1999 from the Martin Luther University and the Max Planck Institute for Microstructure Physics in Halle, Germany. After collecting research experience at the Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada and the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Reserach in Stuttgart, Germany, he has become an associate professor at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and the associate director of the Nebraska MRSEC. He has published about 100 papers in reputed journals.

Abstract:

Low-dimensional functional organic materials are currently the subject of intensive research, due to their unusual, unique or superior electronic properties, and due to their potential applicability in all-organic electronics. Graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, molybdenum sulphide and other transition metal dichalcogenides are popular examples of atomically thin materials that show great promise for various applications. Interestingly, another class of materials, organic ferroelectrics, can also be synthesized as two-dimensional layers and even as one-dimensional chains, retaining their ferroelectric properties while being amenable to great level of structural and properties design, as will be shown in this talk. It is discussed how atomically thin structures of molecules from known hydrogen-bonded room-temperature ferroelectrics can be synthesized on crystalline surfaces through selfassembly. Those structures include 1D molecular chains, 2D homogeneous networks, and 2D cocrystals. Properly designed, cocrystals allow for asymmetric hydrogen bonds, to build materials with a hierarchy of barriers to proton transfer that could in principle exhibit multiple and complex polarization states. First principlses calculations were employed to study polarization behavior at the molecular level. Calculations based on density functional theory predict that polarization reversal in such chains can occur through proton tautomerization, where the substrate appears to determine the height of the barrier to intermolecular transfer of hydrogens along the hydrogen bonds. It is predicted that hydrogen-bonded organic ferroelectrics can be engineered into 2D and 1D structures while not only retaining their ferroelectric functionality, moreover, the substrate can act as an additional control parameter to control the ferroelectric properties.

Biography:

Aleksey Vasiliev has completed his PhD from the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry & Petrochemistry in Ukraine. His main field of expertise is materials chemistry, in particular, chemistry of mesoporous and microporous materials. He continued his professional career in the National Technological University in Argentina, and further moved to Rutgers University. Currently, he is working as an Associate Professor in East Tennessee State University.

Abstract:

The objective of this work is the synthesis of a novel superacidic mesoporous adsorbent for immobilization of radioactive caesium-137 in contaminated waters and soils. The project is based on the hypothesis that heteropolyacid-containing porous materials can selectively adsorb caesium due to the presence of highly acidic adsorption sites in their structure. Silica gel containing embedded phosphotungstic acid was synthesized by co-condensation with tetraethoxysilane in acidic media using the sol-gel technique. Pluronic 123 was added as a pore-forming agent. Content of tungsten in the obtained sample was 7.7%. The material was mesoporous with BET surface area above 1000 m2/g, however, it also contained micropores. Presence of bands of Keggin’s structure in the FT-IR spectra at absence of XRD patterns of crystalline HPAs confirmed their fine incorporation into silica network. SAXS study and TEM imaging showed highly agglomerated particles with disordered porous structure at the average pore size of 16 nm. This material was studied in the adsorption of caesium ions from aqueous solutions. Isotherms of caesium adsorption were obtained at various temperatures. These data demonstrated a possibility to use the adsorbent in different climatic conditions. The selectivity of the adsorbent was studied at the competitive adsorption of caesium in the presence of potassium ions. High effectiveness of this material makes it potentially applicable for cleanup of contaminated areas after a nuclear incident.

Biography:

Suresh S Narine, named in 2011 as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Leaders, is Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Chemistry at Trent University; he also is the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Chair in Lipid Derived Biomaterials, the Ontario Research Chair in Green Chemistry and Engineering and the Director of the Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research. His work focuses on the creation of petrochemical replacements for pharmaceuticals, lubricants, polymers, adhesives, and high-value materials from vegetable oils. He is the author of nearly 200 peer reviewed publications and more than 30 patents.

Abstract:

The replacement of petrochemical feedstock with renewable carbon is a pivotally important aspect of the transformation to a climate-neutral, environmentally sound economy. In this effort, the use of vegetable oils such as canola, soy, palm and others as chemical substrates which are abundant and offer facile means for chemical transformation to produce monomers for polymers, lubricants, waxes, phase change materials and other high values chemicals has gained prominence. This talk will dicuss chemical transformation strategies, structure-funtion relationships, and a biorefinery approach to the utilization of lipids from vegetable oils as petrochemical replacements. The importantce of fundamental understanding of the physico-chemical functionality of specific structures and the use of cross and self metathesis as disruptive technology for the creation of a variety of useful structures will be discussed. Specific examples of commercially relevant phase change materials, polymers, waxes, lubricants and high value food feedstock will be examined.

Biography:

Marzieh Kishan has completed her master degree from Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway. She works as work trainer at steel production company, NOMAC, in Norway. She has done many project concerned with corrosion.

Abstract:

In this study, the corrosion behaviour of alloys was explored as a function of time using the salt. Samples from two aluminium alloys from series 5xxx and 6xxx were prepared and tested in a salt spray chamber in the duration of 49 days. At speciffed intervals, two samples of each alloy were taken out from the chamber. The type of corrosion and the corrosion rate were investigated through this test. As pitting is the main corrosion process, the depth of ten deepest pits was measured using optical microscopy. Also, the cross section of the deepest pit was analysed to see if the alloy is susceptible to intergranular corrosion. Statistical analysis was carried out in order to investigate the variation of corrosion rate during exposure and to predict the lifetime of a component. In particular, the Extreme Value theory, the Gumbel distribution, was employed to plot the probability paper of the extreme pit depth occurrence. In addition, the open circuit potential transient technique was utilized to investigate the corrosion potential of alloys under study. The ability of alloys to form the passive layer and the corrosion parameters such as corrosion potential were determined using potentiodynamic polarization measurement. The corrosion behaviour of alloys was found to be linked to the chemical composition and microstructure. The Gumbel extreme value distribution fitted successfully to the data obtained for alloys exposed to acidified seawater solution.

Biography:

Zhong-Ting Hu is a PhD student from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore). He holds BSc in Applied Chemistry and an MSc in Environmental Engineering. He was a R&D researcher of NanoMaterials Technology Pte Ltd in Singapore (2007-2012). He has experiences in nanoparticle synthesis, surface modification, wet coating and nanomaterial production in pilot plant. He was a team leader of a research project for undergraduate students (chemical plating & H2 energy) and their paper won the 1st Prize of the 1st ZJNU Natural Science’s Academic Paper Competition. His current research interests are material and environment including advanced nanomaterials fabrication/optimization (morphology, self-assembly, nanocomposite, doping, synthesis), environmental photochemistry, heterogeneous catalysis, water treatment, solar energy, magnetic separation.

Abstract:

Nanoscaled material design is an efficient method to improve the drawback of the pristine material or fabricate a multifunctional material combining their individual functions. As many investigations have proved that semiconductor/metal composite can exhibit enhanced photocatalysis because of the plasmonic (enhance light harvesting) and electrical conduction (charge separation) properties of noble metal NPs. However, the efficiency of a photocatalyst is determined not only by the charge separation of photogenerated electron/hole pairs but also by that of the recombination effect. Herein, a novel ternary oxide (bismuth ferrite) is selected as the research subject and the corresponding cuboid-like Bi2Fe4O9/AgNP with graphene-wrapping tribrid nanoarchitecture was fabricated using a delicate multi-step synthesis process. It is designed to effectively enhance the performance of the pristine Bi2Fe4O9 in organic pollutants removal (up to 97% of methylene blue (MB) removal in 30 min under visible-light irradiation) through ternary collaboration among Bi2Fe4O9, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The challenges, such as mass transfer of pollutants in water treatment, recombination of electrons/holes and interconversion between Fe(III) and Fe(II) states within Bi2Fe4O9, could be addressed effectively. The resulting samples (i.e., Bi2Fe4O9/Ag/rGO, Bi2Fe4O9/Ag and Bi2Fe4O9) were characterized by various techniques and their differences in physical and chemical properties were investigated. Meanwhile, their applications in organic pollutants removal were assessed via photo-Fenton oxidation and photocatalysis under visible-light irradiation. The findings demonstrate the individual functions of AgNP (i.e., electrical conduction, enhanced interconversion of Fe(III)/Fe(II)) and rGO (i.e., anti-recombination of electrons/holes, enhanced mass transfer of organic pollutants) within the Bi2Fe4O9/Ag/rGO composite. The schematic illustration of the mechanism of organic pollutants removal using the multi-functional Bi2Fe4O9/Ag/rGO is proposed.

Biography:

E Igumbor is a PhD student at the department of Physics, University of Pretoria, South Africa. By 2016, he will be in his final year. He is a young scinetist and has published 2 articles in the course of his PhD.

Abstract:

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of XGe (X = Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba) defects in germanium using the Heyd, Scuseria, and Ernzerhof hybrid functional were performed. The band structures and density of states calculations of the pristine Ge and XGe were presented. The formation energy of charges states −2, −1, 0, +1, and +2 and thermodynamic transition levels were calculated for the XGe . Among the XGe, the MgGe has the lowest formation energy. The XGe introduced deep transition levels in the band gap of Ge. Except the BaGe without double donor level, other XGe displayed the properties of both the double donor and acceptor levels. XGe exhibit the properties of negative−U.

Biography:

Dr. Xiang Zhang, the Royal Society Industry Fellow at University of Cambridge, is one of the leading biomaterials and medical devices experts in the world with combined academia (for 17 years) and industry (for 15 years) experiences. He constantly carries out fundamental but applied research and believes that fundamental research and understanding on scientific issues is the key to develop successful product for industry to benefit the society. Dr. Zhang undertook his PhD and postdoctoral research at Cranfield University where he studied materials physics of hybrid (organic and inorganic) materials. After spending a further four years on research for industrial applications, he was awarded an industrial fellowship at the University of Cambridge in 1995. Dr. Zhang’s industry experience was gained at Abbott in 1999, where, as Principal Scientist, his work covered almost all aspects of medical materials and devices from R&D and manufacturing. Further industrial experiences were gained with Cambridge NanoTech and Lucideon as Consultant Director and Principal Consultant.

Abstract:

Bare Metal Stents (BMS) and Drug Eluting Stents (DES) are the established technologies in cardiovascular therapy. There are, however, clinical complications associated with these technologies, such as, early stage restenosis, very late thrombosis and risk associated with revision surgery. In light of these challenges research focus has turned to the development of bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) technologies. Abbott has developed one PLLA biodegradable polymeric stent that is made from PLLA. One drawback of the PLLA is brittle because its glass transition is about 65 C. To overcome the problem, we firstly toughened PLLA then reinforce the materials by employing resorbable bioglass. Through a systematic study involving 14 organisations, we have successfully developed a family of toughened and reinforced polyesters with controlled degradation rate. This presentation will report the development of a reinforced resorbable therapeutic cardiovascular stent application to address the known limitations of cardiovascular technologies. We aim to deliver a bioresorbable stent with intrinsic toughness for handling and deployment via balloon angioplasty, radial strength, controlled drug-release technology to suppress restenosis and surface functionalisation to promote endothelialisation to reduce risk of thrombosis. We present the novel synthetic polymer-glass composites developed as candidate stent-core materials and describe both their preparation and the characterisation of their mechanical behaviour, in vitro degradation and cytocompatibility.

Biography:

Ignacio Martin-Gullon received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alicante in 1995, involved with adsorbent carbons. He worked thereafter as a Research Postdoc Associate in the University of Kentucky in the carbon fiber topic. In 1998, he moved to industry position as a R&D product development engineer in NORIT NV (now Cabot Corp), in Amersfoort (Netherlands). Finally, he came back to the University Alicante as a Professor in the Chemical Engineering Department. He has written over 70 scientific papers in high-impact journals, in nanotechnology, material science, environmental and energy engineering. He was de advisor of 8 PhD students. He did a recent sabbatical period in the Pennsylvania State University. He is project evaluator in different programs, related to material science and technology. Very recently, he co-founded the spin-off company Applynano Solutions, to develop customized solutions to specialized SME based on nanomaterials on polymers.

Abstract:

This contribution analyzes the influence of functional groups on the surface of graphene oxide surface chemistry on its ability to reinforce an epoxy-carbon fiber system. We have reported a simple method to remove most of the oxidative debris from the as produced graphene oxide (aGO) sample, through an alkaline post-treatment, which yields sheets of higher size and lower oxygen content than parent graphene oxide, hence high size and partially reduced GO (prGO). Both GO and prGO fillers were incorporated in an epoxy matrix, and the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites and vaccumm infused carbon fiber laminates were studied. Nanocomposite results indicated that prGO offered better increases in flexural stiffness and flexural strength than aGO, but same results in mode I fracture toughness. On the other hand, prGO performed considerably better in both tensile and mode-I interlaminar fracture toughness. The fracture energy required for the onset of mode I interlaminar delamination was enhanced by 31% and 60% by adding 0.2wt.% of aGO and prGO, respectively, covering positively the entire range of crack growth. The effect of adding graphene oxide of larger average sheet size and lower oxygen surface chemistry, i.e. with partial elimination of the oxidative debris, allows a direct chemical bonding when curing step between oxygen complexes of clean and large sheets and the resin, improving the reinforcement efficiency.

Biography:

Thaddeus Strusinski has completed his Masters in Materials Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute In Troy NY. He is a Welding Materials and Process Expert for gas turbine components. He has worked as a Journeyman Welder for 6 years prior to college, and is capable of performing his own weld trials. With 30 years as an Engineer he has experiences at GE, Mitsubishi, Liburdi and Siemens, solving gas turbine alloy welding challenges.

Abstract:

Gas Turbine hot gas path components use highly alloyed Nickle and Cobalt castings (i.e. CM-247, IN-738, IN-939, Rene-80, GTD-111, MGA-1400, ECY-768, MAR-M 509, etc). The alloying elements such as Al, W, C, Ti, & Ta used in these alloys increase the difficulty of achieving good castings and good welds. Siemens has been improving the gas tubine by incorporating ALLOY- 247LC into the blade design. ALLOY-247LC, a gamma prime strengthened nickle based superalloy, has been quite a challenge with which to qualify welding processes. High strength nickle based superalloys can be very expensive to produce into weld fillers. Typically, with minimum lot sizes, these weld filler alloy costs can approach $200,000 USD. And the final mechanical properties studies verifying appropriateness of alloy systems can approach $1,000,000 USD. An upfront selection process is needed to reduce these developmental investments. This presentation uses a Six Sigma Tool to compare and down select 15 potential candidates of weld filler alloys specifically for Alloy-247LC. This is a novel way of looking at the mechanical and physical properties of superalloys from a “survive the weld and post weld heat treatment” strategy. This technique reduces the number of experiments and focuses on the top two down selected weld filler candidates.

Biography:

Micó-Vicent B has completed her PhD from Politecnic University of Valencia. She has been working as Statistical Professor in the Politecnic University of Valencia since 2012, and as Investigator Personal in the Colour and Vision Gropup in the synthesis of hybrid nanopigments. She has published two patents on the performance of optimal nanopigments.

Abstract:

Biopolymers do not have competitive prices, which has prevented their industrial exploitation on a global scale so far. In this context, using nanoclays, improvements in certain biopolymer properties, mainly mechanical and thermal, have been achieved. However, research has been much less focused on changing optical properties through the incorporation of nanoclays. At the same time, current research has focused on obtaining nanopigments, by organic dyes adsoptions into different nanoclays in order to achieve sustainable colouring and high performance materials. By combining advances in these lines of research, biodegradable composites with optimal mechanical and optical properties can be obtained. The aim of this work is to find the optimal formulation of naturally sourced nanopigments, incorporate them into a biological origin epoxy resin, and obtain a significant improvement in their mechanical, and optical properties. We combine three structural modifiers in the nanopigment synthesis: surfactant, silane and mordant salt. The latter was selected in order to replicate the mordant textile dyeing with natural dyes. Using a Taguchi’s desing L8, we look for the effect of the presence of the modifiers, the pH acidification, and the interactions effect between the synthesis factors. Three natural dyes were selected: chlorophyll, beta-carotene, and beetroot extract. Furthermore we use two kinds of laminar nanoclays, differentiated by the ion exchange charge: montmorillonite, and hydrotalcite. Then the thermal, mechanical and colorimetric characterization of the bionanocomposite materials was carried out. The optimal conditions to obtain the best bionanocomposite materials are using acid pH, and modifying the nanoclays with mordant and surfactant.

Biography:

Harshal D Santan completed his PhD in 2014 from a joint program of Berlin Brandenburg School of Regenerative Therapies and Institute of Biomaterial Science (HZG) Berlin. The work of PhD was mainly related to the functionalization of biopolymers, preparation of thermosensitive hydrogels and 3D-scaffolds, and investigation of effect of hydrogel network structure on the mechanical properties and degradation. From November 2014, he is working as a Marie Curie Postdoc at the University of Huelva, Spain, (ISSFLOW project) on synthesis and characterization of adhesives based on renewable sources and preparation of hydrophobic rheology modifiers for industrial applications.

Abstract:

In this work, we studied the effect of chemical modification of castor oil (CO) based polyurethane (PU) adhesives, once included bio and synthetic polymer on the adhesiveness. In detail, two different adhesives were prepared by chemical functionalization of castor oil by adding gelatin (0.5-1.5 wt%) and poly(ethylene oxide-b-propylene oxide-b-ethylene oxide) (PEPE) (5 and 10 wt%) using hexamenthylene diisocyanate (HMDI) as a crosslinker. These adhesives were cured at room temperature and the curing process was followed by using ATR-FT IR spectroscopy to check the presence of –NCO groups during the curing. In addition, the mechanical properties were anlalyzed by performing rheological measurements before and after curing of these adhesives. The adhesiveness of the system was measured by performing tack tests by using smooth plateplate geometries with different initial gap (0.1 and 0.5 mm) and by applying different debonding velocities (1 to 5 mm/sec) and then the adhesion energies were calculated. The chemical functionalization of CO-based adhesives by gelatin and PEPE has induced a dramatic enhancement in adhesivesness. Moreover, the gelatin based CO adhesives have shown highest adhesiveness due to the ability of gelatin to form triple helices, which can also contribute to enhance the adhesiveness. However, an excessive increase in the amount of geltin (>1.5 wt%) and PEPE (>10 wt%) in the composition, yields a decrease in adhesiveness. Thus, the adhesiveness of the system was tunable by varying the amount of gelatin and PEPE in the composition. Moreover, these adhesives were found to be degradable in presence of emzyme.

Biography:

Abeer Salah has completed her PhD from Cairo University. her PhD is concered with nonlinear characterization of different nanomaterials nia Z scan technique,we are intersted in optical characterization of materials through studying thier transmission, photoluminescence, absorption,etc.

Abstract:

Thermo optical switching (TOS) transmission of paraffin wax hosting different concentration of powder Graphite or Graphene was examined. Two series of graphite/paraffin wax and graphene/paraffin wax were studied. In the composite, paraffin wax was used as a Phase Change Material (PCM) while Graphite or Graphene used to enhance thermal properties of paraffin wax. Due to large particle size of graphite, dispersing toluene into paraffin wax graphite composites was done. Optical mimcroscopy were used in characterize the microstructure of the composite. It is found that graphene/paraffin wax and graphite/paraffin wax dispersed in toluene have a homogenous distribution while samples without toluene have agglomeration and precipitation at the bottom of the tube. TOS transmission versus time and temperature are measured by using test tube with inner diameter 11 mm for bulk composites. Differential Scanning Calorimetric (DSC) was measured for the prepared samples. The melting temperature, latent heat of fusion, heat gained and heat lost of paraffin wax-graphite or graphene composites were determined. The melting temperature of Paraffin wax hosting graphite without toluene is close to those of pure paraffin wax. The melting temperature, latent heat, heat gained and heat loss of two phase transitions measured from DSC for paraffin wax-graphite composite dispersed in toluene decrease as graphite to paraffin wax ratios increase. DSC for paraffin wax-graphene composite shows that, the temperature is affected gradually as the graphene content increase, the sample of high graphene concentration (0.007) shows strongly decrease of the melting temperature, latent heat, and heat gained and heat lost. TOS transmission of paraffin wax hosting graphite or graphene is studied under electric heating, lowering the switching temperature (Ti), saturation temperature (Tf) and the corresponding time for these transitions are observed for graphene. theses are due to the high thermal conductivity of graphene over that of graphite. The sharp enhancement of lowering the time needed for switching for paraffin wax-graphene composites is due to high thermal conductivity 5000 W/m°C while the thermal conductivity of graphite 440 W/m°C. This measurement supports the using of paraffin wax (PCM) hosting carbon fillers as Thermo Optical sensing material for Thermo Optical Switching (TOS) device applications.

Biography:

Deepalekshmi Ponnamma has completed her PhD from Deakin University, Australia and at present working as a Postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University. Her research in the field of polymer nanocomposites (among other topics) has been published in international journals and book contributions, and has been awarded at several international conferences with best poster and oral presentation awards. She has published more than 15 papers in reputed journals and 13 book chapters in different books. She has also edited 6 books.

Abstract:

Electronic industry has been moving to a new phase with the invention of polymer nanocomposites. Large number of polymers and their composites containing nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, reduced graphene oxide, metal nanoparticles as well as their hybrid and functionalized derivatives are being used in manufacturing sensors, actuators, piezoelectric devices, capacitors and so on. Here in this work, sensors made of polyvinylidene flouride (PVDF) and its nanocomposites containing metal nanoparticles and its hybrid cobinations with nanocarbon materials are investigated. The metal nanoparticles are synthesized by followith hydrothermal method and the final composites are made by simple solution casting. The use of polymers in fabricating light weight and flexible electronic parts will be mainly focussed; and this piece of work aims to have tremendous applications in technology and engineering.

Biography:

Murtaza Najabat Ali is a Biomedical Engineer by profession and completed his BSc in Biomedical Engineering from University of Engineering & Technology (UET) Taxila Pakistan. He completed his MSc in Biomedical engineering from Brunel University. As part of his MSc academic program, he completed a research project entitled “Appraisal of the efficacy and effectiveness of Auxetic structures configured as endovascular implant relevant to the palliative treatment of oesophageal cancer”. After completing his MSc, he worked as a Project Director at National Engineering & Scientific Commission (NESCOM) Pakistan, and setup a dedicated coronary stent manufacturing unit for coronary heart disease application which entailed design, manufacturing, mechanical testing (in vitro pulsatile fatigue testing and in vivo animal study), standardization of the production unit and CE Marking. He did his PhD from the University of Sheffield. He worked for Kroto Research Institute University of Sheffield in the position of Post-Doctorate Research Assistant for the pilot project which has been funded by the Research and Innovation Department University of Sheffield.

Abstract:

For achieving additional benefits and improving the material characteristics two or more materials are often combined together in the form of composites. Composites are important because of their light weight, high strength and flexibility of design. Composite materials provide various advantages based on their particulate or fibrous nature and on the basis of individual qualities of the constituting elements of the composites. Besides the multiplied benefits achieved with the composite materials, they being composed of two different materials exhibit greater challenges and biocompatibility threats which need to be addressed while developing a composite material. A structural composite of bio-absorbable nature is developed using a polymeric material and metal particles. The composite material so developed would provide altered strength and flexibility, better than the individual constituting materials for use in various biomedical devices and would eventually degrade on subject to exposure to the physiological environment. The two different varieties of the composite have been developed using metal particles and metal salt and they have been tested for their tensile, degradation and drug release properties, which have been found satisfactory for use of the composite in various biomedical devices and drug release applications.

Biography:

Alfonso Jiménez completed his PhD in Chemistry (1996) and is working as a Full Professor in Analytical Chemistry and Food Science and Technology in the University of Alicante (Spain) from 2001. He is the Head of the Polymer and Nanomaterials Analysis Group. He is the editor of 17 books on polymer degradation, stabilization and more recently on biodegradable and sustainable composites. He is the author of 125 research papers published in journals of analytical chemistry, food technology and polymer science. The main research areas are, environmentally-friendly additives in polymers, characterization of biodegradable polymers and sustainable composites, modification of PLA for flexible films manufacturing, and valorization of agro-food waste.

Abstract:

The need to both avoid waste and find new renewable resources has led to a new and promising research avenue: The use of food supply chain waste (FSC) as a renewable biorefinery feedstock. Residues produced by the FSC contain valuable functionalised molecules, such as flavonoids, waxes, biopolymers, fatty acids or lignocellulosic materials with potential to be used as chemicals to be used as bioadditives and building blocks for biopolymers. The main current uses of the food supply chain, agricultural and forestry residues are low value-added, mainly meeting needs that concern farming activities (bed and feed for livestocks), soil fertilization and compensation (composting) or energetic requirements (pellets for combustion). These uses do not cover the real potential of this feedstock from technologic and profitability points of view. The incorporation of natural additives in a variety of commercialized products depicts the current trend for the limitation of the use of synthetic substances. Many industrial sectors are currently focused on the utilization of functional biomolecules in order to offer advance, more economic and more eco-friendly products. Due to their abundance and renewability, there has been a great deal of interest in utilizing lignocellulosic wastes for the production and recovery of many value-added products such as nanocellulose. This presentation will give a general overview of the current situation of the valorization of FSC to yield high value biomaterials with potential in key industrial sectors, such as food packaging, biomedical, nutraceutical food, cosmetics and many others.

Biography:

Eduardo Favret is currently a research scientist at the Institute of Soils, National Institute for Agricultural Technology (INTA) and a scientist of the National Council on Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET). He obtained his PhD in Physics from the University of Buenos Aires and did a postdoctoral training in laser structuring of materials at the University of Saarbrücken, Germany. He edited the book “Functional Properties of Bio-inspired Surfaces: Characterization and Technological Applications”, World Scientific Publishing Co, 2010. His research interests are in the field of nanotechnology, biomimetics, soil physics, metallography and archaeology

Abstract:

Recently, biomimetics has opened a fruitful field of investigation for engineering solutions. It is known that the phenomenon of adherence of soil to solid surfaces of the components of agricultural machinery increases the required drawing force as well as energy consumption of machinery, decreasing the quality of work. To overcome the adhesion of soil to solid surfaces of the components of agricultural machinery, scientists propose to apply biomimetic principles and characteristics of soil fauna for designing such surfaces. The animals that inhabit the soil move without the soil sticking to them, because of their geometric shapes, hydrophobicity, micro-electro-osmotic systems, lubrication and flexibility of the cuticle surface. The physicochemical, mechanical and geometric features of those species can be used for the design of materials and structures of agricultural tools. The present research work addresses this problem by modifying the surface topography of the body involved in an agricultural tool based on the micro-topography of the cuticle of the Diloboderus abderus beetle (female), as well as discussing new topographic patterns based on the self-cleaning cuticle of springtails (Collembola). The macro and micro surface topography proposed for the tool is effective to decrease the adherence of soil to the surface of the agricultural tools with a noticeable and significant reduction in the traction force and an increased capacity of penetration of the tool, due to replacement of soil-soil friction with soil-metal friction. This has a deep ecological and economic impact resulting from saving fuel and labor time.

Biography:

Radames J B Cordero has completed his MS in Biochemistry and PhD in Biophysics from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. As a Young Talent Attraction Scholar at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, he continued his doctorate work on the physicochemical properties of microbial capsules and extraceullar vesicles. Currently, he studies fungal melanin in the laboratory of Dr. Arturo Casadevall at the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. He has published more than 27 papers in reputed.

Abstract:

Melanins are pigments found in most, if not all, life forms. In biology, melanins are related to function in photoprotection, camouflage, antioxidant, metal chelators, drug resistance, and virulence. These insoluble and amorphous substances are also attractive because of their unique physicochemical properties, including a broad-band UV-Visible optical absorption and the ability to conduct/store electrical charge depending on the water content. Studies from our laboratory demonstrated that melanized fungi can harness chemical energy by capturing high-energy electromagnetic radiation and act as a thermal insulator, protecting cells against heat and cold stress. This research project began evaluating the role of melanin on thermoregulation in the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans; an ideal model since it can generate different pigments depending on exogenous precursor (ie. L-Dopa, dopamine, epinephrine). We initiate our studies by monitoring the apparent temperature differences of L-Dopa pigmented versus non-pigmented C. neoformans communities using infrared imaging. Our data shows that melanized fungal material exhibit slower dissipation of heat when switch from a hot to a cold environment and different apparent temperatures following irradiation with microwave or infrared frequencies, even in the absence of water. These results suggest that melanin alters the heat absorbtion/release of fungal material, and, consistent with the theory of thermal melanism in ectotherms, melanization can provide a mechanism by which microorganisms can regulate their absolute temperatures in response to thermal and/or radiation changes in their environment.

Biography:

Abstract:

A buccal delivery system provides a much milder environment for drug delivery compared to an oral delivery which presents a hostile environment for drugs, especially proteins and polypeptides, owing to acid hydrolysis. Local delivery in an oral cavity has particular applications in the treatment of toothaches, periodontal disease, and bacterial infections. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)-based hydrogels prepared using a chemical initiator have been attempted for a mucoadhesive system owing to their flexibility and excellent bioadhesion. In this experiment, PAA and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were selected to prepare using a radiation process a bioadhesive hydrogel for adhesion to mucosal surfaces. PAA and PEG were dissolved in purified water to prepare a homogeneous PAA/PEG solution, and the solution was then irradiated using an electron beam at dose up to 70 kGy to make the hydrogels. Their physical properties, such as gel percent, swelling percent, and adhesive strength to mucosal surfaces, were investigated. In this experiment, various amounts of PEG were incorporated into the PAA to enhance the mucoadhesive property of the hydrogels. The effect of the molecular weight of PEG on the mucoadhesion was also examined.

Biography:

GeXia Wang has completed her PhD from Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (TIPC), The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Jan. 2012. She is now assistant research fellow of National Engineering Research Center of engineering plastics in TIPC. She is chiefly engaged in the research on engineering plastics, particularly on polymer powder used in Selective Lase Sintering. She has published more than 9 papers in reputed journals.

Abstract:

Materials technology is currently a great challenge in selective laser sintering (SLS). Because of the lack of new types of material and the high cost of the present polyamide 12(PA12) powder, the development of new method for the preparation of a variety of materials has drawn great attention from both industrial and academic organizations. In this work, we developed a simple strategy to prepare polyamide 12 (PA12) microspheres through a modified phase-separation process. The phase separation was conducted by adding ethanol as a poor solvent into a formic acid solution of PA12 pellets with polyvinyl pyrrolidone as a dispersant. The mean diameters of the obtained PA12 microspheres, ranging from tens to hundreds of micrometers, were well controlled by adjusting the amount of ethanol and the phase separation temperature. Further investigation by differential scanning calorimetry demonstrated that the sintering window for PA12, between the onset temperatures of crystallization and melting, was drastically stretched during the microsphere formation process. Encouragingly, this microsphere preparation method has demonstrated some extent of universality for the preparation of other polymer powders. Microspheres of PA 6 and polystyrene can also be preared using the same strategy when the solvent systems was changed to be acetic acid/ethanol and chloroform/ ethanol, respectively. Therefore, this approach provided an effective method to prepare a large amount of polymer powder and showed significant advantages for commercialization.

Biography:

Víctor Valcarcel has worked for over 20 years in the field of advanced composite materials, being his main focus production of single crystal alumina fibers. He has more than 20 papers in the best journals, with more than 160 citations, and more than 10 patents already commercialized. He has co-invented (together with Dr C. Cerecedo) the innovative VLS deposition of alfa-alumina whiskers. He and Ms Cerecedo have founded Neoker, S.L., the first company introducing this material in the market. Since 2014, he simultaneously work as CTO at Neoker Spain and is the Research Group Leader & Director of the Adv Composites Research Center, Dongguan Tsinghua Innovation Center. His project for scale up of single crystal aluimina fibers was selected in 2013 Pearl River Talent Plan, Guandong Province. The Pearl River Talent Plan was launched in 2009 to provide funding over a period of 10 years for leading international and domestic entrepreneurial innovation teams and individuals to establish innovation platforms in Guangdong Province. The program is open to all outstanding researchers of all nationalities.

Abstract:

High performance advanced composites are mainly used in structural applications, where the main concerns are mechanical performance (stiffness, strength, creep and fatigue resistance), although many other properties can dominate the selection procedure (electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, dielectric properties, etc.). The most suitable variant has to be chosen on the basis of this application-driven “wish list”. Of course, the final properties of a composite will always be determined both by their composition (the matrix and the reinforcing phase) and by their fabrication procedure. When a novel material is employed as a reinforcing phase, conventional fabrication routes will often offer limited possibilities and limited performance, and therefore disruptive sintering strategies are needed to achieve the best potential from such a new composite. The novel single crystal alumina fibers, produced by Neoker, possess a huge potential to be used as a reinforcing phase in high performance composite materials. As an oxide, alumina can offer chemical stability where non-oxides (carbon, carbides, nitrides etc.) are likely to fail. As single crystals, they are defect-free, and as fibers, NKR® big aspect ratio (length/diameter) allows a big increase in the mechanical performance of the composite compared to the bulk material. Here we are presenting our preliminary results, where we have demonstrated that Spark Plasma Sintering is able to overcome the main difficulties of incorporating NKR® fibers in composites, so it can be considered one of the most promising sintering routes for this new family of materials. In this work, different matrix compositions have been combined with different NKR® fiber percentages using SPS route. The use of different coatings has been explored, trying to improve the matrix-fiber interface, thus activating fiber strengthening. Most relevant features of the final composite have been analyzed, focused on density, porosity and mechanical performance (bending strength, toughness etc.). In this work, we have been able to demonstrate that NKR® fibers combined with the SPS route gave rise to composite materials with high densities and homogeneous microstructures, allowing good control of interface properties, and therefore achieving high mechanical performances. This combination of NKR® fibers and SPS route will bring unique opportunities to create new high added value composite materials.

Biography:

Abstract:

For the last two decade, composite materials are increasingly preferred due to the specific modulus and specific strengths at body parts, structural part of aircraft and military systems. Composite materials are sometimes exposed to invisible or visible deformation due to impact loading during service. In this study, the effect of impactors with four different contact surfaces and geometry on carbon fiber reinforced composite plates having three different thicknesses are investigated. At the first stage, for low velocity impact test, FE analysis has been performed in order to determine optimum ply orientations which will give high resistance to full penetration. Later, composite plates were manufactured with the ply orientations of [45/-45/0/90/45/-45]2s, [45/-45/0/90/45/-45]3s, [45/-45/0/90/45/-45]4s based on FE analysis. At the second stage, carbon reinforced composite test panels were exposed to low velocity impact tests to get force-time, energy-time and force-displacement curves. Finally, ballistic limits which give impact energy levels for semi and full penetration of composite panels were determined and verified with numerical analysis.

Biography:

Caterina Lesaint Rusu has completed her Master degree in Chemical Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 2012. She has started working as a PhD candidate in March 2014 at the same University, under the supervision of Associate Professor Hilde Lea Lein.

Abstract:

This work aims at improving the resistance of coatings to scratch, impact, wear and chemicals by changing the composition of the composite layer. The latter is currently comprised of a melamine-impregnated layer and ceramic particles. Finding the optimum composition for highest possible scratch resistance is one of the main activities of this study. An important part has been the functionalization of the ceramic particles for securing an optimal adhesion between the particles and the resin matrix. Since mechanical performance of a composite material strongly depends on the properties of the filler–matrix interface and, in particular, on the level of adhesion between the matrix and the reinforcing filler, coupling agents have been added to promote interfacial adhesion and improve the properties of the composites. In addition, the position of the particles in the coating layer has been varied. Coatings have been manufactured and tested. It was expected that an optimal particle distribution and adhesion will increase the scratch resistance of the structure. The analyses have shown that the chemical wear of the coating was better with small ceramic particles and high amount of hardener. Additionally, the impact resistance was significantly improved with small particles and high amount of hardener. The correct thickness and curing state of the coating, considering the best parameters for the different layers in the structure, is assessed.

Biography:

P Cerchier has completed his Master’s degree in Material Engineering from Padova University and he is now in his second year of PhD in Material Engineering at Padova University.

Abstract:

Among the different applications of aluminum alloys, a very particular one is in medical field, as they can be used in external prosthetic devices, surgical try-ins, instruments and other tools. For this kind of application it is necessary the simultaneous presence of both corrosion resistance and antibacterial activity. PEO is a relatively new treatment derived from conventional anodizing that uses more environmental friendly solutions and produces a thick, dense and hard oxide ceramic coating which improves wear and corrosion properties of lightweight metals. Furthermore, silver micrometric particles can be incorporated in the PEO coating to provide a bactericide effect. Several mechanisms of interaction between silver and bacteria have been proposed: probably the bacterial cells in contact with silver take in silver ions, which inhibit several functions in the cell and eventually cause cell death. In this work, PEO coatings were produced on AA7075 using basic solution containing silicates compounds, with different operative conditions. The particles of silver, previous synthesized from silver chloride solution using glucose syrup as reducing agent, were both added to the PEO solution and used for sealing treatment. In an optic of cycle economy, the silver chloride used derived from an acid pre-treatment of electronic scraps. The coatings obtained were characterized by SEM, EDS, XRD, potentiodynamic anodic polarization test and antimicrobial tests. The results showed that the coatings formed were homogenous with higher corrosion resistance than untreated alloy and with biocide effect.

Biography:

Catarina Pinho graduated from the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra, Portugal, in Materials Engineering with focus on Biomaterials, in 2012. Currently, she is doing her PhD in Advanced Materials and Processing – AdvaMTech- between the University of Coimbra and the Univeristy of Oporto, Portugal. Her research work deals with the development of new polymers to be used in peripheral nerve regeneration.

Abstract:

Since the end of the XIX century, different strategies concerning peripheral nerve regeneration have been reported. As this pathology is very common, several techniques have been used to achieve functional recovery of the nerve. The use of guidance tubes or nerve conduits which are sutured to both extremities of the injured nerve has been the approach showing the most promising results. The aim of this work is to prepare a polymeric guide-tube able to solve, or mitigate, the problems presented by some commercial products with FDA clearance. In this work, dextran was chosen as the polymeric material to prepare the guide-tube. Dextran is widely used in biomedical applications due to its inherent biocompatibility and due to the easiness in tailoring its properties by chemical modifications. For the purpose of this work, different formulations based on dextran were prepared and the materials were submitted to in vitro and in vivo tests to access their biocompatibility (NP EN ISO 10993- Biologic evaluation of biomedical devices). Preliminary results indicate that these materials are non-cytotoxic and do not elicit any acute inflammatory response when implanted in vivo, meaning that the dextran based materials can be safely used in biomedical applications, namely in peripheral nerve regeneration.

Biography:

Muhammad Farhan Khan is a KTP research associate at IISE University of Derby. He has a background in mechanical engineering. Before joining Derby University he has worked on structural design optimisation of a medical device at the Universit of Nottingham where he was a member of the additive manufacturing and 3D printing research group (AM3DPRG). He holds a masters degree in engineering from Loughborough University.

Abstract:

The performance of polyamide lattices with electro-depositied metal is evaluated. This is achieved by irreversable compaction of the structures involved in the investigation. The versatility of additive manufacturing is utilised in order to fabricate the lattices. It is demonstrated that metal coating of polymer lattices could significantly improve their compression properties. This methodology could provide new opportunities in terms of light weight energy absorbing structures in a wide variety of applications.

Biography:

Somen K Bhudolia received his MSc in Aerospace Engineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, and Technical University of Munich, Germany (Joint Degree Program). He is currently pursuing a joint industrial PhD at NTU on Thin Ply thermoplastic Composites for Sports Applications. To date he has presented 8 conference papers and has 3 journal publications. His research interests are – design, fabrication and testing of advance composite materials, thermoplastics, thin ply NCFs, microwave curing of composites, NDT and fatigue analysis.

Abstract:

In the ever-growing world of material innovation, carbon composites are fast becoming a tremendous solution for aerospace, automotive, marine and offshore, sports and many other applications seeking high specific properties. An ample amount of attention is being given in choosing the right mix of fibres and matrix system to achieve an optimal composite system in terms of quality, mechanical properties as well as long term durability. In current research, a novel thin Ply thermoplastic composite system has been developed. Thin bi -angle C-Ply (<150 g/m2) has been used as a reinforcement while a reactive processing liquid thermoplastic Elium rein was a chosen matrix material. The manufacturing of composite system was carried out using cost effective Vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI) and light resin transfer moulding process. The manufacturing process has been optimised and the mechanical properties (in and out of plane) were characterised. Mechanical tests are followed by detailed failure mode studies to understand the fner nuiances of the difference in varuious laminate configurations. The Elium resin was found to be an competitive solution to epoxy resin in tensile and flexure properties while it offers significant improvement in out of plane properties like fracture toughness. The results of developed Thin-Ply thermoplastic composite system composite are indeed promising and has a potential to be a perfect material for mass production processes utilizing cost effective liquid injection techniques.

Biography:

Hybrid composites typically have a fiber or particle phase that is stiffer and stronger than the continuous matrix phase and serve as the principal load carrying members. The matrix acts as a load transfer medium between fibers, and in less ideal cases where the loads are complex, the matrix may even have to bear loads transversed to the fiber axis. In this research, the comparative synthesis and analysis of kenaf fiber and polymer fibers are treated with NaOH solution and the fibers are properly reinforced with polypropylene resin and epoxy resin respectively in a matrix form to prepare hybrid composite laminates of 6 mm thicknesses. Thereafter work is done to determine the mechanical properties like flexural strength or flexural modulus, tensile strength, tensile modulus and compressive strength with suitable specimens with ASTM standards. The anylysis is done in the Ansys 10.0 for various load and result factors. So the matrix also serves to protect the fibers from environmental damage before, during and after composite processing. When designed properly, the new combined material exhibits better strength than each individual material. Composites are used not only for their structural properties, but also for electrical, thermal, and eco-friendly environmental applications.

Abstract:

Kranthi Kumar Guduru, Assistant Professor in Mechanical engineering department at Chtistu Jyothi Intitute of Technology and Science-Warangal, India. He has a PhD degree along with a Master of Technology in CAD/CAM. He also has 5 years of teaching experiance, is life member of Indian society for technical education, published 10 papers in international conferences and journals including IIT-Roorkee and IIT-Madaras in the area of materials and metallurgy, designed one experiment in thermal engineering and has the knowledge of computer programming used in his research work. His research work is mostly on natural fiber composite which are eco friendly and easily biodegradable in manufacturing.

Biography:

This research was completed in the lab of Dr. Miriam H. Rafailovich. Dr. Rafailovich completed her Ph.D. at SUNY Stony Brook in 1980. Since then, Dr. Rafailovich has co-authored over 150 publications, filed several patents, and received numerous awards and recognition. She is currently the director of the Garcia Center for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces, SUNY Stony Brook. Arvind Sridhar, a high school Junior from California, and Kevin Sadhu, a high school Senior from New York, will be presenting this work on behalf of the entire team.

Abstract:

As the fields of tissue engineering and drug delivery move closer to clinical applications, challenges of engineering inexpensive scaffolds with biomimetic properties persist. To address these issues, previous studies have synthesized water-swollen, cross-linked hydrogels; however, the gels’ weak mechanical properties limited their viability. The discovery of versatile nanoscale graphene oxide (nGO) has opened up avenues for hydrogels to overcome these limitations and demonstrate enhanced structural stability, biocompatibility and physiological viability. This study engineered cross-linked, nGO-doped gelatin hydrogels and characterized them through rheology, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle and thermogravimetric analysis. The nGO-doped hydrogels exhibited a stiffer structure (~17.9 kPa elastic modulus) with increased biocompatibility and water retention capacity. Then, nGO was observed to selectively suppress the growth of cancerous (Squamous Cell Carcinoma) keratinocytes, and the nGO-doped hydrogels showed potential as drug delivery vehicles for selective and localized cancer therapy. Additionally, the gels both supported the growth and proliferation of normal keratinocytes and prevented dermal fibroblasts from adhering, indicating their ability to serve as anti-fibrotic tissue engineering scaffolds. Finally, the gels were applied as drug delivery vehicles and exhibited enhanced loading and sustained release of curcumin, a potent therapeutic known to combat a range of cancers, infections, and inflammation. Ultimately, this study proposed nGO-doped gelatin hydrogels as easy-to-synthesize and cost-effective vectors for novel scaffold-based disease therapy, with the potential to overcome the issues faced by current treatment practices.