Research Projects

Postgraduate research topics currently available are listed on the following Research theme(s):

• Laser Processing Centre

• Innovative Manufacturing

Research specialisms

Science and Technology of Laser Materials Processing, Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing, Micro/Nano Fabrication, Nano-imaging,  Nano-materials including graphene, Biomedical applications of laser processing and graphene, Battery Manufacture

Research grants

Research themes and Research centers

• Innovative manufacturing
• Laser Processing Research Centre

Professor Lin Li, a Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering, holds a chair of laser engineering, Director of Laser Processing Research Centre at The University of Manchester UK. He has over 380  publications in peer reviewed journals and 60 patents related to laser processing and photonic science. He was elected to Fellow of International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP), Fellow of Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), and Fellow of Laser Institute of America (LIA).

He has served on the editorial boards of 13 international journals and President of Laser Institute of America (2016), President of International Academy of Photonics and Laser Engineering (IAPLE, 2013-2015), President of Association of Industrial Laser Users (AILU).  He has been the chairman of 36th, 37th, 38th MATADOR international conferences on advanced manufacturing.

Professor Li received Arthur Charles Main Award from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in 2001 for work in laser based nuclear decommissioning technology, and received Sir Frank Whittle Medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2013 for his outstanding and sustained achievements in engineering innovations in manufacturing that has led to wide commercial applications. In 2014 he received Wolfson Research Merit Award from the Royal Society for his research on laser nano-fabrication and nano-imaging, and received the Researcher of the Year medal in Engineering and Physical Sciences at The University of Manchester in 2014.

Professor Li is an inventor of the microsphere super-resolution optical nanoscope with a 50 nm resolution, published in Nature Communications in 2011 and reported worldwide including BBC and New York Times.

Professor Li obtained his BSc degree in control engineering from Dalian University of Technology in 1982 and a PhD degree in laser engineering from Imperial College, London in 1989. He worked at University of Liverpool during 1988-1994 as a postdoctoral research associate in high power laser engineering. He started his academic career at UMIST in 1994 and was promoted to a full professor in 2000. He set-up the first high power laser processing research laboratory and research group at UMIST (University of Manchester Science and Technology) and founded the Laser Processing Research Centre in 2000. He served as Director of Research and Deputy Head of School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering during 2009-2013, and Head of Manufacturing Research Group during 2004-2014. He serves as the Assoicate Dean for Buisness Engagement and Innovation in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at The Univeristy of Manchester since 2015.

• Drilling (thermal barrier coated Ni alloys, carbon composites etc)
• Cutting (composite materials, ceramics, striation-free cutting of metals, pipes and vessels)
• Welding (dissimilar materials, light alloys, composites and ceramics, graphene, thick sections)
• Surface engineering (hardening, coating, cladding, sealing cracks/porosity, texturing, cleaning)
• Additive manufacturing (rapid tooling, rapid manufacturing, repair, re-manufacturing)
• Micro-machining for medical and re-newable energy applications
• Nano-manufacturing (nano-surface structures, nano-particles)
• Hybrid manufacturing (laser-EDM machining, laser/mechanical machining, laser/arc welding)
• Modelling of laser interactions with materials and effects
• Nano-imaging