About the Project
Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project.
The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (SEME) and will be supervised by Dr Antigoni Barouni and Prof. Hom Dhakal.
The work on this project will:
- Develop advanced sustainable composite structures for structural applications
- Significantly improve the performance of natural fibres and their fracture toughness
- Introduce the use of natural fibres for extreme environmental conditions (cryogenic, humidity, UV etc.)
Project description
Carbon fibre composite materials exhibit very high structural performance with low weight, making them excellent for advanced and highly demanding applications. Nowadays, however, the recycling potential of carbon fibre composites and the energy related to their manufacturing processes are proven very challenging, in an attempt to create a more sustainable approach to materials usage. Therefore, the hybridisation of carbon fibre composites with natural or bio-based reinforcements is a promising route, to achieve similar properties with the conventional material.
This PhD will investigate experimental methods to improve the fracture toughness of hybrid carbon/flax fibre reinforced composite materials through appropriate testing using Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and End-Notch Flexure (ENF) testing configurations. These tests will evaluate the Mode I and Mode II fracture toughness of the material assisted by Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and thermography to provide valuable insights into the damage initiation and propagation.
When hybrid composite laminates are used, that combine two or more types of fibres in the same structure, compatibility issues arise between the fibres as well as with the matrix material. Being layered structures, they exhibit low fracture toughness and the presence of flax reduces that toughness further. These issues will be addressed with techniques to enhance the material’s toughness, using fibre treatments (such as alkaline treatment or UV surface treatment) and nanoparticles reinforcement (e.g. graphene, MXenes) in the composite laminate.
The effect of temperature on the fracture toughness of the composite laminates will also be investigated, in an attempt to quantify the damage propagation and extend in cryogenic conditions, particularly for liquid hydrogen storage applications. Additionally, the effect of other weathering conditions will be investigated (such as humidity, UV radiation, etc.) in the fracture toughness of the material.
The PhD will provide extensive experience and expertise on composite materials fabrication, treatment strategies, composite mechanics and experimental characterisation.
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