The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3) celebrated its 2024 Awards Day on Thursday 5 December at its London office.

IOM3 recognises excellence through a range of awards, medals, and prizes, honouring achievements, published work, and contributions to the Institute and profession. Awards span various categories, recognising individuals at all career stages, organisations, members, and non-members.

The IOM3 Composite Award, a prestigious recognition for significant contributions to composite materials, was awarded this year to the publication 'Energy efficient out-of-oven manufacturing of natural fibre composites with integrated sensing capabilities and improved water barrier properties.' The research, authored by Yushen Wang, Dr Han Zhang, and collaborators from School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, highlights advancements in sustainable and multifunctional composites.

The award-winning work introduces an innovative approach to natural fibre composites, focusing on energy-efficient manufacturing processes and integrating functionalities such as sensing capabilities. This pioneering research, funded by the EPSRC ESTEEM project, not only enhances material sustainability but also broadens their application potential. It represents another milestone in the group’s efforts to advance sustainable and multifunctional composite technologies.

Dr Han Zhang, the corresponding author, shared his thoughts during the award presentation:
"This is a great reflection of a team effort, with my fantastic colleagues, collaborators, and most importantly, my PhD student who led this work and developed such exciting research. I am truly honoured and inspired to continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible in materials science."

The first author, Yushen Wang, in the final year of her PhD under the supervision of Han Zhang at SEMS, played a central role in leading this research. Dr Dimitrios Papageorgiou from SEMS, a co-author of this work, also contributed significantly. Co-authors Dr Emiliano Bilotti, now at Imperial College London, and Dr Yi Liu, currently at Loughborough University, joined the award ceremony to celebrate this achievement, reflecting on their past connections with SEMS.

This recognition highlights the impact of their research and reinforces SEMS’s leadership in driving innovation and sustainability in composite materials.

About IOM3
IOM3 is a global professional membership organisation and registered charity, supporting materials science, engineering, and technology across the lifecycle from extraction to recycling. With roots dating back to 1869, IOM3 offers chartered status, technical resources, networking, and professional development through events, digital content, and its 22 Technical Communities.