Centre for Sustainable Engineering

People

On this page:

• Academic Members
• Postdoc Research Assistants
• Professional Services
• Current PhD Projects
• Past PhD Projects

Academic Members

Dr Paul Balcombe MEng, PhD, CEng, MIChemE, FHEA Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering and Renewable Energy Specialises in developing unique technology-specific, probabilistic emissions/cost modelling of energy supply chains, particularly relating to methane emissions from natural gas, as well as hydrogen and ammonia supply chains.  p.balcombe@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Sir Harry Bhadeshia FRS FREng FIMMM Professor of Metallurgy I work on the theory of solid-state phase transformations with emphasis on the prediction and verification of structural development in complex metallic alloys, particularly multicomponent steels. Theory for the interaction of hydrogen with iron and its compounds. Subjects covered: physical and chemical metallurgy, steels, phase transformations, mathematical modelling, design of alloys, materials algorithms. Development of freely available teaching resources in metallurgy.  h.bhadeshia@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Edo Boek PhD Reader in Chemical Engineering Research in the group of Dr Edo Boek focuses on sustainable energy and earth resources engineering. Our group investigates novel technologies to help solve the Energy Trilemma, including 1) sustainable drinking water treatment, e.g. PFAS ("forever chemicals") remediation, using fluidised / granular bed reactors and image analysis; 2) separation and harvesting of nutritionals, biofuels and pharmaceuticals from cultivated micro-algal suspensions; 3) Geothermal Energy Engineering, incl. development of sustainable and HTHP stable colloidal drilling fluids; 4) smart design of carbon materials for electrochemical devices, including Redox Flow Batteries, using Molecular Dynamics simulations, pore-scale imaging and reactive multi-phase flow modelling.  +44 (0)20 7882 2964      e.boek@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Joe Briscoe MSci (Hons), PhD, FHEA, CSci, MIMMM, MInstP Professor of Energy Materials and Devices My group's research is focused on the use of thin films and nanostructured materials for renewable energy applications, including: semiconductor photocatalysts, photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) & solar fuels; photovoltaic devices; ferroelectrics for solar energy conversion; piezoelectric energy harvesting. We have a particular interest in the use of polar (ferroelectric & piezoelectric) materials and nanomaterials in these devices with expertise in solution-based synthesis of materials, material characterisation and device fabrication and testing, including flexible devices.  +44 (0)20 7882 3552      j.briscoe@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Annalisa Bruno Visiting Professor  a.bruno@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Andrew Buchan BSc MSc PhD Senior Lecturer in Engineering Science I design numerical models for predicting the behaviour and understanding the uncertainties in the operation of nuclear reactor cores and other nuclear processing facilities. In particular I develop mathematical models to accurately predict neutron and gamma transport within nuclear reactors, and couple these to thermal hydraulic codes that model coolant flows and heat transfer within a core. I am particularly interested in analysing both current nuclear reactors as well as those due to be built within the UK in the coming years, in particular the boiling water reactors, small water reactors. I am also heavily involved in the design of new mathematical models that predict the progression/state of a nuclear reactor's core in the event of severe accident scenarios.  +44 (0)20 7882 6087      a.buchan@qmul.ac.uk

Prof James Busfield FREng, MA, PhD, CEng, FIMMM, FHEA Professor of Materials Examining the physical behaviour by experiment and modelling techniques of soft matter such as elastomers and rubber materials. Properties of interest include abrasion, friction, fracture, creep, fatigue, viscoelastic behaviour, modulus enhancement, self healing, recycling, ageing and composite filler reinforcement. Developing smart soft materials that can sense their environment and soft actuating materials that can change shape in response to a physical stimulus.  +44 (0)20 7882 8866      j.busfield@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Andy Bushby BSc(Eng), PhD, FIMMM, FRMS, MInstPhys Professor of Materials Science Understanding how materials are stronger when at small size scales: This behaviour is being commercialised in the spin-out company 'Ultima Forma' in advanced engineering applications such as the protection of composites from harsh environments such as heat and erosion damage, and containment of hydrogen for clean energy and zero carbon transport. Materials characterisation: such as micromechanical testing and 3D electron microscopy.  a.j.bushby@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Maria Crespo-Ribadeneyra PhD, MSc, MEng, MRSC, MMRS Lecturer in Green Energy The overarching aim of my research is to make the manufacture of energy materials sustainable; from using renewable feedstocks to introducing compliance and self-regenerating properties to the materials and architectures to enhance their lifespan. My vision encompasses a material-agnostic, multi-length scale redesign (material, cell and device) to enable long-lasting battery components for the transition to a net-zero energy economy.  +44 (0)20 7882 3119      m.ribadeneyra@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Colin Crick PhD Senior Lecturer in Materials Science Research group leader in the development of Novel Functional Materials, focusing on the engineering of surface chemistry and morphology for targeted applications. This includes; water repellent materials, water purification, anti-biofouling and self-cleaning surfaces. Expertise encompasses a wide range of materials and coatings synthesis methodologies, advanced characterisation techniques, and performance benchmarking. Dr Crick works closely with a range of commercial and academic partners to target real-world impact.  +44 (0)20 7882 6886      c.crick@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Patrick Cullen MChem, PhD, FHEA Senior Lecturer in Renewable Energy My expertise is in synthesising scalably made nanomaterials and embedding them into energy devices for increased performance. These include devices such as Li-ion batteries, Na-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. I also develop novel operando techniques for probe the materials in energy devices as they work. My work takes place in the lab at Queen Mary or at neutron or synchrotron X-ray sources such as ISIS and Diamond.  +44(0)20 7882 6596      p.cullen@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Oliver Fenwick MA MSci PhD FHEA MIMMM MIOP Reader in Materials Science Developing materials for electronic devices such as LEDs, transistors and thermoelectric generators. The materials include organic semiconductors, carbon materials and halide perovskites, as well as self-assembled monolayers for the control of interfaces in devices. I have a particular interest in thermal measurements, controlling nanoscale morphology and self-assembly to tune functional properties.  +44 (0)20 7882 3150      o.fenwick@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Salvatore Grasso PhD, MSc, FHEA, MIMMM Senior Lecturer in Ceramics His current research is around the use of intense Electric (voltages up to 10kV and current up to 0.6 MA) and Magnetic fields (15 Tesla) to develop novel processing techniques to design unprecedented materials properties. Multi fields assisted processing is a key component of his current research vision. The focus is on ceramic materials, including textured ceramics, battery materials, thermoelectrics and transparent oxides. Low energy processing and sustainability are key aspects of his research vision. He is currently Editor of the European Ceramic Society, Associate Editor of both the American ceramic society and International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology. Keywords: Functional ceramics for energy: Fuel cells and solid state batteries Sustainable manufacturing: Ultra-fast high temperature sintering and Cold sintering Advanced material processing: Strong magnetic field alignment, Field Assisted Processing, Thermal shock synthesis  +44 (0)20 7882 2773      s.grasso@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Sir Colin Humphreys CBE, FREng, FRS, BSc, MA, PhD, Hon DSc, FIMMM, FInstP, FCGI, Hon FRMS Professor of Materials Science Graphene and graphene electronic devices, from basic science through to manufacturable graphene devices. Advanced electron microscopy. Gallium nitride materials and devices, for example LEDs.  +44 (0)20 7882 3450      c.humphreys@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Ahmed Ismail BSc, MSc, PhD, FHEA Lecturer in Fluid Dynamics My work focuses mainly on multiphase flow in micro-scale. This includes capillary jets, microdroplets and also electrohydrodynamics. The main objective of my research is to understand the physics in such small scale and then use this knowledge to develop different technologies . I use experimental tools such as high speed imaging, theoretical approaches such as dimensionless analysis and development of scaling laws, and numerical methods to tackle challenges that arise from industry in areas such as 2D printing, additive manufacturing and micro-encapsulation. Keywords: Electrospray, Direct Printing, Microfluidics, Drops & Bubbles, Microencapsulation, Capillary jet.  +44 (0)20 7882 6272      a.ismail@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Xi Jiang PhD, CEng, FIMechE, AFIChemE Professor of Mechanical Engineering The expertise of Prof Jiang is primarily in Energy/Environmental Engineering Applications, using Advanced Modelling/Simulation. The Applications include: Cleaner combustion utilisation of alternative and sustainable fuels; Combustion under extreme conditions; Geological carbon storage; Internal combustion engines and gas turbine combustors; Thermal management of batteries and computers/servers; Waste utilisation and management. The Modelling/Simulation techniques include: Big data analytics for energy utilisation applications; Digital Twin for marine engine decarbonisation / digitalisation; High-performance computing (HPC) for thermofluid applications; Large-eddy simulation / direct numerical simulation for fluid flow, heat transfer and combustion; Machine learning (with applications to fuel property and combustion emission predictions); Molecular dynamics simulation; (Multi-scale) modelling of flow in porous media; (Simplified) engineering modelling approach: 1D modelling of heat transfer applications.  +44 (0)20 7882 5009      xi.jiang@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Ana Jorge Sobrido PhD, MIMMM, FHEA Professor of Sustainable Energy Materials Dr Sobrido's research focuses in the development of new sustainable materials for energy storage and conversion applications. Her group develops new materials, mostly in the freestanding form, for devices including redox flow batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells and water electrolysers. Some of the synthesis and processing techniques include electrospinning and 3D printing. Her group is also interested in developing materials for CO2 conversion and photoelectrochemical water splitting.  +44(0)20 7882 6782      a.sobrido@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Nader Karimi BSc, MSc, PhD, FHEA Reader in Mechanical Engineering My research is in the general area of thermofluids with an emphasis on Sustainable Energy and Fuels. This broadly includes investigations on climate-neutral fuels and thermal management of energy storage systems. Examples of the former involve a series of ongoing works on production and utilisation of hydrogen, biosyngas, ammonia and other e-fuels. The latter includes projects on thermal management of batteries and electrolysers with the aim of improving their performance. I also work on the optimisation of hybridised energy systems. Members of my research group conduct computational modelling (including data-driven approaches) and experimental studies at both fundamental and applied levels.  n.karimi@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Zhe Li MPhys, PhD, FHEA Senior Lecturer The research of my group is focused on the development of high performnce, high stabiltiy and environmentally friendly solution processed semiconductors and devices for photovoltaic applications and beyond. We have a particular interest in understanding the materials structure-function-stability-exotoxicity relationships of solution processed organic, perovskite and quantum dot semiconductors and utilise such relationship to develop sustainable solar cells and other types of optoelectronic devices.  020 7882 6887      zhe.li@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Haibao Liu BEng, MEng, PhD, AFHEA, MRAeS Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering Dr Haibao Liu specialises in experimental characterisation and numerical modeling of composite materials. He is currently focused on developing high-fidelity approaches for assessing the performance of composite structures and exploring the use of recycled fibres to create high-performance fabrics and composites.  +44 (0)20 7882 8732      haibao.liu@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Andrew Livingston BEng(Hons) MSc(Economics) PhD CEng FIChemE FREng FRS Vice-Principal (Research) and Professor of Chemical Engineering Molecular Separations. Membrane fabrication, membrane characterisation, membrane transport processes, membrane process simulation. Chemical and biochemical processes. Synthesis of exact polymers, including oligonucleotide therapeutics, peptides, PEGs and Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC). Membrane processes in organic systems. Organic Solvent Nanofiltration (OSN). Defined monomer sequence synthetic polymers. Polymer therapeutics. Scale up of chemical processes. Scale up of membrane fabrication processes. Creation of new technology platforms for oligo synthesis, peptide synthesis, advanced ADC, PEGylation of biopharmaceuticals.  +44 (0)20 7882 3006      a.livingston@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Xuekun Lu BSc, PhD, AFHEA Lecturer in Green Energy My research group focuses on (1) revealing the interplay between 3D microstructure and the performance/failure mechanisms of the electrochemical energy devices (e.g., lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells etc) across multiple spatial and temporal domains using correlative (in operando) characterisation techniques; (2) multiscale multiphysics modelling (continuum and 3D microstructure-resolved) of the mass transport and electrochemical performance at the electrode, device and system level; (3) developing scalable and sustainable engineering solutions to fabricate advanced electrodes with tunable microstructure to unlock the full potential of the energy, power density and cycle life of next-generation lithium-ion batteries.  xuekun.lu@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Tom Macdonald BTech, BSc (Hons), PhD Senior Lecturer in Materials Science Synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials for application in photovoltaics.  t.j.macdonald@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Jens-Dominik Mueller Dipl-Ing, MSc, PhD Reader in Computational Fluid Dynamics and Optimisation Computational Fluid Dynamics, Fluid-Structure Interaction, Biofluids, Shape Optimisation, Adjoint methods, Mesh adaptation, Sensitivity Analysis, Systems Engineering, Data-driven modelling  +44 (0)20 7882 5421      j.mueller@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Dimitrios Papageorgiou MSc, PhD, MIMMM Senior Lecturer in Materials Science My research interests lie in all aspects of the relationships between structure and multifunctional properties of polymers and composites. My work also explores the application of strain on nanomaterials and nanocomposites for the understanding of their deformation mechanisms, their intrinsic mechanical properties and their phase changes under strain. By incorporating concepts of materials science, physics, chemistry and biology, my research targets several technologies that will impact our society in the future such as high-performance nanocomposites, bio-based polymers and composites, energy generation and storage, sensitive sensors and actuators.  +44 (0)20 7882 2650      d.papageorgiou@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Jae-Hwan Park PhD, FHEA Senior Lecturer in Engineering Management National Strategy on Sustainable Development, Economic and Industry Strategy, Data Sharing Systems, Systems Innovation, Industry Transition, Regional Development, Technological Innovation, Digitalisation, Ecological Governance  jae-hwan.park@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Amin Paykani PhD, FHEA, CEng, MIMechE Lecturer in Sustainable Propulsion Systems Thermal propsulsion systems; zero/low-carbon Fuels; computational multiphysics; reduced order modelling; thermal management  a.paykani@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Nicola Pugno MSc PhD Professor of Materials Science Bio-inspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials and Mechanics (including Fracture Mechanics, Solid Mechanics, Structural Mechanics, Tribology, Wettability, Adhesion, Scaling laws, etc.)  +44 (0)20 7882 6310      n.pugno@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Michael Reece BSc, PhD, PGCE, MIMMM, FECerS Professor of Functional Ceramics Processing and electromechanical properties of functional materials, including ferroelectrics, thermoelectrics and high entropy ceramics  m.j.reece@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Hasan Shaheed PhD (Sheffield), PGCAP (London), SFHEA, MIEEE, CEng, MIET, NTF Reader in Robotics and Renewable Energy (a) Systems/Applications: Aerial Robotics, Solarcopter, Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems, Osmotic Power, Blue Energy, Medical Robotics including Miniature Robots for Extreme Environment, Endoscopic Capsule Robots, Leader-follower Robots, Medical / Surgical devices, Prosthetics, Water Desalination and Cancer. (b) Approaches: System Design, Modelling, Identification, Control, Optimisation, Artificial Intelligence (Deep Learning Neural Networks, Fuzzy Logic), Machine Learning (Whale Optimisation, Grey Wolf Optimisation, Ant Colony etc.) Biomedical Signal Processing, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology with application to Cancer Prognosis and Classification.  +44 (0)20 7882 3319      m.h.shaheed@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Radomir Slavchov BSc, MSc, PhD Lecturer in Chemical Engineering (i) Adsorption of surfactants and electrolytes; (ii) capillary shapes, capillary flows, wetting, biomechanics; (iii) theory of surface electric phenomena; (iv) chemical physics of mixtures, quadrupolar solvents, fuel chemistry; (v) combustion engines.  +44 (0)20 7882 8938      r.slavchov@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Stoyan Smoukov Professor of Chemical Engineering My interests and expertise are in growing material robotics - programming matter as inspired by nature, to produce microscopic micro-robots that are both multifunctional and autonomous. We are developing sustainable manufacturing methods for bottom-up assembly from molecules, using phase transitions in confined geometries, the artificial morphogenesis process we have discovered for producing regular geometric shapes. Our work spans experiments in colloids and interfaces, molecular dynamics simulation of phase transitions, drug delivery platforms, as well as studying the fundamentals of the origin of life.  +44 (0)20 7882 5305      s.smoukov@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Elizabeth Tanner OBE, FREng, FRSE, PhD (Hon Caus), MA, DPhil, FIMMM, FIMechE, FIPEM, CEng, CSci Bonfield Professor of Biomedical Materials My research interests are in the development, testing and use of biomaterials for bone and joint replacement. In particular composites of bioactive ceramics and polymers which can encourage bone ongrowth yet have sufficient mechanical properties to be used for load bearing applications. These are based on either non-degradable or degradable artificial or natural polymers depending on application. In parallel I have interests in the mechanical properties of bone and the effects of pathology on these properties.  +44 (0)20 7882 6785      k.e.tanner@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Roberto Volpe PhD Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering I design pyrolysis and gasification experiments to study the fundamental aspects of biomass thermal decomposition. My expertise ranges from the investigation of the pathways to thermo-chemical breakdown of solid biofuels to the synthesis of gaseous/liquid energy vectors and renewable carbon materials for catalysis and environmental applications such as water remediation.  +44 (0)20 7882 7748      r.volpe@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Sulafudin Vukusic BSc, MSc, PhD, PGCE Senior Lecturer in Materials Chemistry Polymer Science, Chemical Education, Engineering and Materials Education  +44 (0)20 7882 2963      s.vukusic@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Huasheng Wang BEng MSc PhD FHEA MInstR Professor of Thermofluids Engineering Dr Wang's research interests are in the areas of enhanced heat transfer, condensation, boiling, solid-liquid phase change heat transfer, measurement method, molecule dynamics simulation, multi-scale simulation, advanced refrigeration, sustainable thermal energy systems and intelligent buildings.  +44 (0)20 7882 7921      h.s.wang@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Haixue Yan PhD, PGCAP, MACS, CEng, FIMMM and FRSC Reader in Materials Science and Engineering My research aims to understand the relationships between structures and properties of functional materials including dielectrics, piezoelectric and ferroelectrics. By studying these relationships, we can design and develop materials with optimised properties for different applications.  +44 (0)20 7882 5164      h.x.yan@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Han Zhang MEng, PhD, PGCAP, MIMMM, FHEA, CEng, CSci Senior Lecturer in Materials Science Han's expertise in the field of polymers and composites range from manufacturing to characterization of advanced polymer composites and nanocomposites, especially of multifunctional composites for future lightweight structural applications. His current research focuses on the sustainable development of advanced composites, including energy efficient sustainable manufacturing, integrated health monitoring and easy repairing functionalities for extended components' life.  +44 (0)20 7882 2726      han.zhang@qmul.ac.uk

Postdoc Research Associates

Dr Hamidreza Abadikhah Postdoctoral Research Assistant  h.amadikhah@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Dr Mustafa Al-Kadhimi BSc, MSc, PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant  m.al-kadhimi@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Ms Maria Burggraef Research Assistant and Early Career Researcher  m.burggraef@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Dr Stephen Burrows MEng, MSc, PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant  07999088315      s.burrows@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Stoyan Smoukov

Dr Rodolfo Da Silva Machado De Freitas PhD, MSc Postdoctoral Research Associate in Synthetic Fuel Utilisation  +44 (0) 7442920811      rodolfo.dasilvamachadodefreitas@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Xi Jiang

Dr Piers Gaffney Postdoctoral Research Assistant  p.gaffney@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Mrs Qinrong He Research Assistant  q.he@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Han Zhang

Dr Zhiwei Jiang Postdoctoral Research Assistant  zhiwei.jiang@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Dr Anureet Kaur MRSC Research Assistant  anureet.kaur@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: James Busfield

Dr Anna Li Volsi Postdoctoral Research Assistant  a.volsi@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Dr Faisal Manzoor BEng, MSc, PhD, AFHEA Experimental Technologist (KTP Associate) 3D Printing, Additive Manufacturing, Fused Deposition Modelling, Orthopedic Implants, Biomaterials, Nanotechnology, Material Science, Hydroxyapatite, Doped Hydroxyapatite, Electrospinning, Biomineralization  f.manzoor@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Radomir Slavchov

Dr Li Meng PHD PHD My primary research interest is focused on organic and inorganic/organic hybrid materials for application in solar cells.  meng.li@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Zhe Li

Dr Ganghong Min PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant  g.min@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Tom Macdonald

Dr Carlos Mingoes Postdoctoral Research Assistant  eey087@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Ana Jorge Sobrido

Dr Ravi Misra MSc, PhD, MRSC, AFHEA Postdoctoral Research Assiatnt Halide perovskite photovoltaics (PPVs), fullerene and non-fullerene acceptor (NFA) containing organic photovoltaics (OPVs), their upscaling, accelerated stability assessment of PV materials and devices under concentrated sunlight, electrolyte gated organic field effect transistor (EGOFET) based chemical sensors, and materials for water purification.  r.kantmisra@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Joe Briscoe

Dr Subrata Mondal Postdoctoral Research Assistant Lipid Nanoparticles, Functional Materials, Drug Delivery, Protein-Ligand Interaction, Protein Aggregation, Spectroscopy & Microscopy, Biophysics of Proteins & Peptides,  s.mondal@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Stoyan Smoukov

Dr Luis Mauricio Murillo Herrera Postdoctoral Research Assistant Organic synthesis, computational chemistry, catalysis, ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents.  l.m.murilloherrera@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Ana Jorge Sobrido

Dr Rita Nabais Postdoctoral Research Assistant  a.nabais@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Dr Sara Naderizadeh PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant I am currently working on BFTT, or Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology project, funded by AHRC-UKRI. This project is a five-year industry-led project, which focusses on delivering sustainable innovation within the entire fashion and textile supply chain. There are several academic and industrial partners around UK in this project. The main project that I involved is in collaboration with Nurvv company, to develop a wearable sensing technology that enables monitoring physical gait and body health with sports, ageing, and healthcare applications.  s.naderizadeh@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: James Busfield

Dr Jorge Ontaneda BSc, PhD, MRSC Postdoctoral Research Assistant DFT simulations of solid-state materials, including but not limited to: ferroelectric materials, enantioselective heterogeneous catalysis, heteroepitaxial systems, and supported 2D materials.  j.ontaneda@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Joe Briscoe

Dr Adam Oxley Research Associate  adam.oxley@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Dr Subhajit Pal MSc, PhD, MInstP Postdoctoral Research Assistant Investigation of the physical properties of dielectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials are the main topics of my research interest. In particular, the studies of ferroelectric photovoltaic, photo-ferroelectric and electrostriction phenomena in both centro and non-centrosymmetric systems. My current research focuses on synthesizing nanostructured ferroelectric thin films for the development of next-generation solar cell devices, which is an ERC-funded project. We use the AFM technique to characterize the nanostructured thin film.  subhajit.pal@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Joe Briscoe

Dr Ludmila Peeva Research Fellow  +44(0)2078822814      l.peeva@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Dr Alireza Rajabi BSc, MSc, PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant My research is focused on searching for new technologies for producing small droplets, as they are used in many applications including printing, food production, painting, and energy conversion. We study and use affecting parameters (pressure, surface tension, viscosity and electric stresses) in order to control liquid jets and droplets in small scales, that is below one millimeter down to sub-micrometer.  a.rajabi@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Ahmed Ismail

Miss Emma Sadler MChem Postdoctoral Research Associate in Materials Science  emma.sadler@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Colin Crick

Dr Jose Francisco Serrano Claumarchirant Postdoctoral Research Assistant Synthesis of conductive polymers and development of hybrid materials for thermoelectric applications. I am particularly interested in the development of wearable thermoelectric generators.  j.f.serrano@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Oliver Fenwick

Mr Eugenio Sebastian Suena Galindez MEng MInstP AMIMechE Postdoctoral Research Assistant Thermoelectrics, Thermodynamics, Transient Electronics, Printed Electronics  exx322@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Dimitrios Papageorgiou

Dr Michael Thielke Postdoctoral Research Assistant My research is focussed on electrospinning of bio-based materials to produce submicron and nanosized carbon fibres for the use as electrode materials in flow batteries. I am developing novel strategies to control the fibre morphology and the chemical composition of the carbon fibres to obtain ideal materials to further improve the stability and performance of the batteries, while focusing on the development a green strategy for future applications that can be realised from fully sustainable resources.  m.thielke@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Ana Jorge Sobrido

Dr Marjolaine Thomas PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Polymer/Exactymer Synthesis  marjolaine.thomas@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Dr Xinyi Wan Postdoctoral Research Assistant  xinyi.wan@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Dr Naveed Zaidi Postdoctoral Research Assistant  n.zaidi@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Andrew Livingston

Professional Services

Current PhD Projects

Thesis Title	Supervisor
Models development for integrating membrane-based desalination with Pressure Retarded Osmosis as power generation	Hasan Shaheed
Affect of mechanical deformation of solar cell performance	Joe Briscoe
Granular Imaging Analysis for Irregularly Shaped Particles	Edo Boek
Organic Solvent Nanofiltration	Andrew Livingston
Enhancing Battery Materials through Magnetic Field Alignment	Salvatore Grasso
Numerical simulation and experimental investigation of heat pump for domestic heating	Huasheng Wang
Thermal Management of Batteries	Nader Karimi
Low Dimensional Halide Perovskite Derivatives and Metal Halides for Thermoelectric Applications	Oliver Fenwick
A Miniature Low-cost Assistive Robotic System for Disabled and Elderly	Hasan Shaheed
Impact of Indoor Light-Induced Degradation Mechanism on Structural, optical and optoelectronic properties of Cation and Anion Incorporated Wide Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cell Materials	Zhe Li
Membrane enhanced peptide synthesis by one-pot nanostar sieving (updated 29/8/2023)	Andrew Livingston
Unravelling surface chemistry - Electrochemical 2022 SEMS AJ	Ana Jorge Sobrido
2023 SEMS JB	Tom Macdonald
Investigation of selective electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction	Ana Jorge Sobrido
2023 SEMS JB	Joe Briscoe
Investigating Pyroresistive Conductive Polymer Composites with Improved Thermal Stability	Han Zhang
Nanomaterials with photoactive and antimicrobial properties	Colin Crick
Early-stage detection of colon cancer	Colin Humphreys
Photophysics of Tin-Lead Halide Perovskite for Tandem Photovoltaics	Tom Macdonald
Reducing emissions from gas supply chains	Paul Balcombe
Lifetime predictions of Elastomers	James Busfield
Nano-engineered Smart Coatings for Multifunctional Composites	Han Zhang
Solar-powered VTOL Unmanned Aerial System Design and Control	Hasan Shaheed
Modelling and Control of a Robotic Active Capsule Endoscope	Hasan Shaheed
Durable 3D nanostructured Zn anodes for rechargeable Zn-air	Patrick Cullen
Cesium based perovskite material for perovskite solar cells	Joe Briscoe
Towards ferroelectric-enhanced solar energy conversion; the effect of ferroelectric fields on charge carrier dynamics	Joe Briscoe
Phase transitions in Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 based ferroelectrics.	Haixue Yan
Biobased and multifunctional polymer nanocomposites for sust	Dimitrios Papageorgiou
Improving the quality of Drinking Water using Liquid-Solid fluidisation and filtration methods	Edo Boek
Light Activated Antibacterial Membranes for Hernia Repair	Elizabeth Tanner
Scalable aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition and post-treatment of hybrid perovskite photovoltaics	Joe Briscoe
Membrane Separation in API Manufacture ? Scoping and Performance Prediction	Andrew Livingston
Modeling and control of a robotic retractor for minimally invasive colorectal surgery	Hasan Shaheed
Advanced materials for multilayer ceramic capacitors	Haixue Yan
Raman Spectroscopy on in situ upgraded Bio-oils	Roberto Volpe
Development of a Prosthetic Hand	Hasan Shaheed
Prediction of battery cooling processes in electric vehicles	Nader Karimi
Energy filtering in polymer-nanotube composites for thermoelectrics	Oliver Fenwick
Interstitial Hydrides of High Entropy Alloys	Michael Reece
Synthesis of polymeric/pyrolytic carbons composite heart valves	Roberto Volpe
Piezo-photocatalysts for pollution treatment and solar fuel	Joe Briscoe
Elucidation of Smear Wear Mechanism	James Busfield
Carbon black reinforcement of tyre tread compounds	James Busfield
Multiscale characterisation of Graphite/Si electrodes	Xuekun Lu
Ultra-stable Hydrophobic Membranes for Molecular Separations	Andrew Livingston
High Entropy Thermoelectrics	Michael Reece
Sustainable composites with easy repairing capabilities	Han Zhang
Membrane Separation in API Manufacture ? Scoping and Perform	Andrew Livingston
Study on the Behaviour of Micro/Nano Droplets Subject to Temperature Variation	Stoyan Smoukov
Promotion of the C-C coupling reaction by Nanoparticles embedded in MOFs catalysts Dr Patrick Cullen is now Primary Supervisor	Patrick Cullen
Shape optimisation of winglets and wing appendages using CAD-based shape optimisation	Jens-Dominik Mueller
PIM networks for OSN and chiral separation	Andrew Livingston
Design of vanadium based cathode materials for aqueous zinc	Tom Macdonald
N-Type Organic Materials for Thermoelectric Applications	Oliver Fenwick
Thermal Management of Electric Traction Motors	Amin Paykani
Synthesis of carbon based catalysts for the sustainable upgrade of agro-waste pyrolysis products into biofuels	Roberto Volpe
Thermoelectric Metal-Organic Frameworks: Design, Synthesis and Assessment	Oliver Fenwick
Nanostructured hematite with crosslinked PEDOT:PSS hybrid photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical applications	Joe Briscoe
In-situ study of biomass pyrolysis and the utilisation of its solid products in Reverse Water-Gas Shift reactions.	Roberto Volpe
Sustainable Future Footwear and Fashion Technology	James Busfield
Engineered Bone Bioengineered Interface to model osteolytic breast cancer metastatic niche	Elizabeth Tanner
Prosthetic Hand Control with ML/AI MMG Signal Processing	Hasan Shaheed
Sustainable High-Performance Composites	Dimitrios Papageorgiou
Filler Reinforcement of Elastomers	James Busfield
Methane emissions in Europe: by how much can they be reduced and how do we get there?	Paul Balcombe
A Membrane-based Platform for Polymer Synthesis	Andrew Livingston
Development of ferroelectric nanocomposites for solar energy devices	Joe Briscoe
Optimisation of a Novel Polymeric Heart Valve	James Busfield
Project Title Hydrodynamic printing of complex biomaterials	Ahmed Ismail
PRINTED THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS	Oliver Fenwick
Intrinsic surface dipole moment and surface dipole-ion interactions on fluid interfaces	Radomir Slavchov
Optimisation of Tyre Wear Performance	James Busfield
Ferroelectric Polymers	Michael Reece
Replacing Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) with next-generation graphene in electronic devices	Colin Humphreys
Plant-Based/Sustainable Food-Grade Liquid Repellent Coatings	Colin Crick
Analysis of charge carrier dynamics of ferroelectric nanocom	Joe Briscoe
Nanostructured Reinforcing Fillers to Enhance Physical and Mechanical Properties	James Busfield
The Systematic Design and Fabrication of Applied Superhydrophobic Materials	Colin Crick
Graphene based transparent electrodes for tuneable optical devices	James Busfield
2D Energy Materials: Modifying Hard Carbon via Potassium Vapour Transport for use in Sodium Ion Battery Anodes	Patrick Cullen
Dielectrophoretic manipulation of liquid exfoliated 2D materials on a chip	Patrick Cullen
Molecular dynamic simulation of lipid-water interphases	Stoyan Smoukov
A Comparative Study of Ammonia and Hydrogen Fuel Cells using Life Cycle Assessment	Xi Jiang
3D printed metamaterials for functional applications	Dimitrios Papageorgiou
Investigation of combustion of ammonia blends for power and heat generation	Nader Karimi
Development of a novel hybrid membrane-crystallisation based liquid phase synthesis of Tides	Andrew Livingston
Machine learning based prediction of combustion chemistry	Amin Paykani
Fully printed thermoelectric devices.	Oliver Fenwick
Innovative Tactile and Optical Sensing and Actuating Devices	James Busfield
Advanced Thermal Management of Batteries For EV	Huasheng Wang
Extraction of lipids from algae suspensions for biofuel applications	Edo Boek
The investigation of high strength composites for fabricating superhydrophobic materials.	Colin Crick
Relaxor ferroelectrics for energy harvesting	Haixue Yan
Disintegration of liquid fragments	Ahmed Ismail
Multifunctional composites with integrated sensing and easy repairing capabilities	Han Zhang
Strain engineering of polymer nanocomposites reinforced with 2D materials	Dimitrios Papageorgiou
Processing and Properties of High Entropy Carbides	Michael Reece
Controlling Droplet Impact and Penetration	Ahmed Ismail
Sustainable antibacterial electrospun fabrics for masks and medical applications	Ana Jorge Sobrido
Nanoparticle mRNA theranostics	Stoyan Smoukov
High Entropy Dielectrics	Haixue Yan
Brazing of Ceramics and Metals	Michael Reece
2023 SEMS AJS	Ana Jorge Sobrido
Energy efficient manufacturing of multifunctional fibre reinforced composites	Han Zhang
Developing new and sustainable methods to extract valuable natural materials from cultivated microalgae suspensions	Edo Boek
Pb-free ferroelectrics for solid-state refrigeration	Haixue Yan
Experimental and theoretical investigation of organic Rankine cycles	Huasheng Wang
Combined Molecular Dynamics and Experimental Study of Soot Formation during Biomass Pyrolysis	Xi Jiang
Intelligent Miniature Aerial Vehicles for Disaster Sensing and Monitoring in Extreme Environment	Hasan Shaheed
Printed hybrid thermoelectric generators	Oliver Fenwick
Investigation of the near-wall reacting flows over heterogamous catalysts	Nader Karimi
Polymer-based dielectric films with high thermal conductivity	Michael Reece
Development of BiFeO3-based photo-ferroelectric materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting	Joe Briscoe
Seaweed-based nanocomposites for packaging applications	Dimitrios Papageorgiou
Numerical simulation in composite-metal joint analysis	Haixue Yan
Advanced Intelligent Control for Building Management System	Huasheng Wang
Flexible hybrid energy harvesters based on ZnO nanogenerator and perovskite solar cells	Joe Briscoe
Spider silk bio-inspired composites for high thermal and mechanical properties	Dimitrios Papageorgiou

Past PhD Projects

Thesis Title	Supervisor	Year
Investigations on Marangoni Condensation of Binary Mixtures	Huasheng Wang	2018
High Performance Flow Control & Shape Optimisation Solver	Jens-Dominik Mueller, Sergey Karabasov	2017
Model Predictive Controller design for an Efficient Hybrid Energy Wind/Solar/FC/BS Power System.	M Hasan Shaheed, Hua Sheng Wang	2017
Design modelling and control of a miniature robotic system for surgical applications	M Hasan Shaheed, Ranjan Vepa	2017
Effect of Electric Current on Ceramic Processing	Mike Reece	2017
SmartNanoHeat - Self-regulating heating compounds	Emiliano Bilotti, James Busfield	2017
The Investigation of the Fine Scale 3D Characteristics of Sediments Employing Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM)	Andy Bushby	2017
Robust and Stable discrete adjoint solver development for shape optimisation of incompressible flows with industrial applications	Jens-Dominik Mueller, Eldad Avital	2017
Electric Breakdown of Dielectric Elastomer Actuator Materials	Federico Carpi, James Busfield	2017
Fatigue life prediction in aircraft tyres	James Busfield	2017
Predicting tyre compound wear.	James Busfield, Emiliano Bilotti	2017
Development of materials and applications for electroactive composites	James Busfield, Federico Carpi	2017
The role of high frequency loading in the treatment of tendinopathy	Haixue Yan, Asa Barber	2017
Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of Layered Compound BiCuSO	Mike Reece, Haixue Yan	2016
Biomimetic Layered Nanocomposites with Tunable Dynamical Mechanical Properties: Synthesis, Imaging and Characterisation	Himadri Gupta, Nicola Pugno	2016
Modelling, optimisation and control of osmotic energy extraction from natural salinity gradients using pressure retarded osmosis	M Hasan Shaheed, Theodosios Alexander	2016
Buoyancy-Driven Two-Phase Flows of Liquid Metal contributing to the Generation of Electricity from a Fusion Reactor by Magnetohydrodynamic Energy Conversion	Chris Lawn, Hua Sheng Wang	2016
Experimental and numerical study on heat transfer and pressure drop during mPCM slurry flow in microchannels	Hua Sheng Wang, Steve Dunn	2016
Grain Size Effect in Lead-Free Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-based Materials: Exploring The Ferroelectric Behavior	Haixue Yan, Mike Reece	2016
Room Temperature Single Phase Multiferroics	Haixue Yan, Mike Reece	2016
Processing and switching mechanism of ferroelectric copolymer P(VDF/TrFE)	Mike Reece, Ton Peijs	2016
The Strain Dependent Dielectric Behaviour of Carbon Black Filled Natural Rubber	James Busfield, Emiliano Bilotti	2016
Deformation in small dimensions studied by thin wires in torsion	Andy Bushby, David Dunstan	2016
Graphene Reinforced Nano-Composites	Mike Reece	2015
Electric Field Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition Processes on Titanium Dioxide Thin Films for Photocatalysis	Russell Binions, Mike Reece	2015
Low Velocity Edge Impact on Composite Laminates: Damage Tolerance and Numerical Simulations	Mike Reece	2015
Enhancement of N-Type Semiconductor Photovoltaics with Multiferroics	Steve Dunn, Mike Reece	2015
The development of a novel nanostructured silica filler for high friction and low rolling resistance rubber applications.	James Busfield	2015
Modelling and Interactional Control of a Multi-fingered Robotic Hand for Grasping and Manipulation	M Hasan Shaheed, Henri Huijberts	2015
A Study of the Fluid Dynamic Coupling Between LP Steam Turbine and its Exhaust Hood	Andrew Wheeler, Jens-Dominik Mueller	2015
Piezoelectric zincoxide nanostructures for energy harvesting	Steve Dunn, Haixue Yan	2015
Numerical shape optimisation of flow around turbomachinery blades	Jens-Dominik Mueller, Andrew Wheeler	2015
Modelling Condensation on Banks of Plain Tubes	Adrian Briggs, Huasheng Wang	2015
Efficient Methods for Robust Shape Optimisation for Crashworthiness	Fabian Duddeck, Jens-Dominik Mueller	2015
High Temperature Piezoelectric eramics	Mike Reece, Haixue Yan	2015
Applications of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) in exploring materials property-property correlations	Mike Reece	2014
MPhil: Effect of Temperature in Cathodic Electrodepostion of Anatase TiO2 Films on Conductive Glass	Mike Reece	2014
The behaviour of hollow sphere filled rubber materials under strain	James Busfield	2014
Numerical and experimental investigation of room temperature magnetic refrigerators/heat pumps	Hua Sheng Wang, Adrian Briggs	2014
Failure of Rubber Components under Fatigue	James Busfield	2014
Effect of Doping and Defect Structures on Thermo Physical Properties of Thermoelectric Materials	Mike Reece, Haixue Yan	2014
Low Velocity Edge Impact on Composite Laminates: Damage Tolerance and Numerical Simulations	Mike Reece, Felicity Guild	2014
Marangoni condensation of steam-ethanol mixtures on horizontal smooth, low finned tubes and bank of tubes.	Hua Sheng Wang	2013
Tearing of rubber	James Busfield	2013
The Effect of CNTs on the Sintering Behaviour and Properties of Structural Ceramic Composites	Mike Reece	2013
Sensitivity computation and shape optimisation in aerodynamics using the adjoint methodology and Automatic Differentiation	Jens Mueller	2013
Natural Rubber/Organoclay Nanocomposites	James Busfield	2012
Perovskite-Like Layered Structure A2B2O7 Ferroelectrics and Solid Solutions	Mike Reece	2012
The Impact and Deformation of Press-Fit Metal Acetablular Components	Julia Shelton, James Busfield	2012
Nanoindentation as a Method to Interrogate the Mechanical properties of Polymer Coatings	Andy Bushby	2011
Multiscale Quantitative Imaging of Human Femoral Heads using X-ray Microtomography	Andy Bushby	2011
Optimisation of interfacial bond strength of glass fibre endodontic post systems (MPhil)	Andy Bushby	2011
Perovskite-like Layered Structure A2B2O7 Ferrlelectrics with Super-High Curie Points	Mike Reece	2011
Mechanical and Chemical Modifications of High-Capacity Hydrogen Storage Materials	Xiao Guo, Mike Reece	2011
Investigation and Modelling of Rubber Friction	James Busfield	2010
Investigtion of the Properties of Dental Cements in Minimal Invasive Restoration	Andy Bushby	2010
Techno-economic Transition towards a Hydrogen Economy	Stuart Peters, Mike Reece	2010
Domain switching dynamics in ferroelastic and ferroelastic/ferroelectric perovskites	Mike Reece	2010
Going against the Grain: the De-Maturity of the European Textile Industry	Stuart Peters, Mike Reece	2010
Viscoelastic Properties of Elastomer under Complex Loading	James Busfield	2010
Model Identification and Robust Nonlinear Model Predictive Control of a Twin Rotor MIMO System	Hasan Shaheed	2009
Carbon Black Filler Reinforcement of Elastomers	James Busfield	2009
An examination of innovation and disruptive technology in the medical devices and implant industry (MPhil)	Mike Reece	2009
Development of a Continuous Wire Casting Technique	Mike Reece, Xiao Guo	2009
Nanoindentation of Polymer and Protein Films (MPhil)	Andy Bushby, Pankaj Vadgama	2009
Development of Ceramic – Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Nanocomposites	Ton Peijs, Mike Reece	2009
Processing and characterization of aligned ferroelectric PVDF-TrFE thin films	Mike Reece	2009
Micrometre-scale plasticity size effects in metals and ceramics theory and experiment	Andy Bushby	2009
Valuation of nanotechnology using the international private equity and venture capital valuation guidelines and factors influencing it	John Behiri, Mike Reece	2009
Geometrical size effects in the plasticity of metals by micromechanical testing	Andy Bushby	2009
Synthesis of nanostructure materials for lithium ion batteries	Mike Reece, Xiao Guo	2008
Syntheses and characterisations of nanostructural magnesium based hydrides for hydrogen storage applications	Mike Reece, Xiao Guo	2008
Micro-Mechanical Properties and Composite Behaviour of Bone’	Andy Bushby	2008