Personal profile

Biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in Metallurgy and Irradiation Damage within the Department of Materials, and PI of the £9m EPSRC Programme Grant, MIDAS. I lead the Manchester Zirconium Group, globally one of the largest research activity in this area, and an integral part of the Henry Royce Institute’s Nuclear Theme. Our research group aims to gain a deeper understanding of how the properties and performance of materials, zirconium alloys in particular, change in the extremely challenging environment present in a nuclear reactor. We investigate irradiation induced microstructural evolution, the resulting changes in material properties and how this affects failure mechanisms. This improved understanding will enable more efficient and safer production of nuclear power.  

My primary research aim is to combine experimental studies and computer simulation to better understand materials degradation in nuclear reactors. By understanding the fundamental mechanisms that govern these processes we can provide the knowledge to make reactors safer and more efficient. My group makes frequent use of state-of-the-art facilities within the University and at associated large-scale facilities, including the Dalton Cumbria Facility for irradiation, Materials Research Facility, Diamond Light Source and Dalton Cumbria Facility/National Nuclear Users Facility, with my interest extending to facility development. I am passionate about promoting collaborative work, and currently engaged with numerous international research consortia involving both academic institutions and industrial partners. 

I studied for an Engineering Doctorate at Birmingham University in collaboration with Rolls-Royce Plc. , investigating the influence of residual stresses that arise during processing as well as in-service on the performance of aerospace materials, focusing on the use of large-scale synchrotron & neutron facilities. Following the EngD, I worked as a PDRA on the Mechanistic Understanding of Zirconium Corrosion (MUZIC) consortia funded through the by the EPSRC ‘Towards a Sustainable Energy Economy Programme' and subsequently on an EPSRC funded Fellowship investigating irradiation growth and creep in zirconium alloys. Following this I gained funding for a Research Fellow position in Nuclear Cladding material, leading to my current post.

Research interests

•Degradation of Zirconium alloys for nuclear application - understanding corrosion mechanisms, hydrides and irradiation growth and creep

•Irradiation damage evolution in materials and the impact on performance.

•Friction welded aeroengine materials – microstructural and residual stress evolution in Nickel base superalloys and titanium alloys.

•Surface treatment of aerospace components – shot peening and laser shock peening 

•Using large scale research facilities for neutron and synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments.

•Using 3D imaging by x-ray tomography and advanced electron microscopy for high-resolution characterisation. 

•The Contour Method for residual stress measurement.

My group

Opportunities

If you are interested in doing a PhD in a related area, please get in touch.

Currently available postrgraduate projects:

FindaPhd.com

 

 

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 4 - Quality Education
  • SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

  • Manchester Energy
  • Energy
  • Dalton Nuclear Institute

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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

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  • MPC: Materials Performance Centre

    Burke, G. (PI), Engelberg, D. (PI), Preuss, M. (PI), Frankel, P. (PI), Jimenez-Melero, E. (PI), Pickering, E. (PI), Scenini, F. (PI), Stevens, N. (PI), Race, C. (PI), Connolly, B. (PI), Abdallah, M. (PGR student), Armson, S. (PGR student), Attar, H. (PGR student), Barron, P. (PGR student), Bird, J. (PGR student), Brown, A. (PGR student), Bruce, K. (PGR student), Buxton, O. (PGR student), Cassineri, S. (PGR student), Cattivelli, A. (PGR student), Chen, W. (PGR student), Collins, J. (PGR student), Debenham, L. (PGR student), Eaton-Mckay, J. (PGR student), Eguchi, K. (PGR student), Foster, D. (PGR student), Fox, C. (PGR student), Garrett, A. (PGR student), Gredis, A. (PGR student), Grime, T. (PGR student), Hou, J. (PGR student), Howe, B. (PGR student), Hughes, J. (PGR student), Hunt, C. (PGR student), Islam, U. (PGR student), Jalil, R. (PGR student), Jones, C. (PGR student), Kablan, A. (PGR student), Kapousidou, M. (PGR student), Koc, O. (PGR student), Kroll, R. (PGR student), Lang, R. (PGR student), Lennard, J. (PGR student), Liubercev, S. (PGR student), Mahmood, S. (PGR student), Maric, M. (PGR student), Martin, C. (PGR student), Mazzei, G. (PGR student), Rigby-Bell, M. (PGR student), Rogers, M. (PGR student), Sanchez, C. (PGR student), Shah, Z. (PGR student), Stavroulakis, E. (PGR student), Stuglik, P. (PGR student), Suleman, T. (PGR student), Supornpaibul, N. (PGR student), Thornley, S. (PGR student), Volpe, L. (PGR student), Wang, H. (PGR student), Wilson, M. (PGR student), Wilson, A. (PGR student), Woodward, T. (PGR student), Wylie, A. (PGR student), Xu, X. D. (PGR student), Yankova, M. (PGR student), Yildirim, E. (PGR student), Zhou, Y. (PGR student), Zhu, S. (PGR student), Barzdajn, B. (CoI), Carruthers, A. (CoI), Cassineri, S. (CoI), Chang, L. (CoI), Obasi, G. (CoI), Palko, S. (CoI), Reccagni, P. (CoI), Tang, R. (CoI), Thomas, R. (CoI), Unnikrishnan, R. (CoI), Zhang, Z. (CoI), Zhou, Y. (CoI) & Aspinall, A. (Support team)

    1/01/02 → …

    Project: Research