Advanced Materials & Manufacturing

Researchers in this area explore the fields of condensed matter, smart materials and soft matter physics alongside product development and manufacturing technology. Condensed matter research at Northumbria uses nanofabrication and advanced materials characterisation techniques to probe the physics of structures such as quantum dots and nanocrystals, while our research in smart materials and soft matter physics is mainly focused on the way liquids interact with surfaces and how that interaction can be controlled. Closely aligned to this research is product development and manufacturing technology, which provides state-of-the-art solutions to overcome the challenges of innovative product development on our changing world.

The group research areas include materials, complemented by expertise in manufacturing processes and advanced materials. Key examples of projects include:

• EU TEMPUS Programme Project
• EU FP7 Marie Curie Actions
• EPSRC "Dielectrowetting: Controlling Oleo- and Hydrophilicity and Shaping Liquid Surfaces" project

Case Study: Northumbria researchers help tool manufacturer cut costs and increase product lifetime