About the Series
Innovate UK’s Materials and Manufacturing Vision 2050 details the opportunities that lie ahead of the UK Materials and Manufacturing sectors as we strive for a net zero future. However, the technological breakthroughs of tomorrow are not possible without the research we pursue today.
The Materials and Manufacturing Show and Tell series aims to increase the reach of innovative research born out of UK universities. Our academics are world leaders in terms of the quality and impact of the research they produce, and the scale up of their novel ideas play a vital role in boosting the UK economy and ensuring a more resilient, secure, and sustainable future.
Join us each week and learn about the incredible innovation taking place within our research institutions, where we can work to enable collaborations and partnerships between academic research and the commercial world.
Watch recordings (most recent first)
Click here to watch recordings from previous events in the series (June-July 2025).
The events planned in this series for 1 and 8 October were cancelled or postponed. Recordings from the remaining events will be available soon after each event takes place.
Past events
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Speaker: Dr Yasith Jayakody | Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering, Department of Aerospace Engineering Kingston University
Title: Novel high-performance coating process for corrosive and extreme temperature environments
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Speaker: Dr Sameer S Rahatekar | Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Polymers and Composites, Centre for Materials, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Cranfield Univearsity
Title: Revolutionizing Sustainable Fashion/Textiles Sector Through Circular Cellulose Fibres Manufacturing Process
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Speaker: Prof Michael S. Johnson | Head of Composites Research Group, Rail Vehicle Lightweighting, University of Nottingham
Title: Hybrid Vacuum Robotic (HyVR) Forming of Composites
Abstract: Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastic (FRTP) composites have been “the future” for seemingly decades. Their promise of recyclability, improved toughness, weldability and faster processing compared to thermoset composites remains attractive to customers. The capital cost of a press and matched tooling for typical FRTP thermostamping is a drawback for small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s). As part size increases, the drawback is compounded. This presentation highlights a collaboration between the University of Nottingham (UoN) and the National Composites Centre (NCC) through the Researcher in Residence (RiR) Innovation Scheme. It explores a closed-loop (circular) process for manufacturing large FRTP composite components at costs that are achievable by SME’s. The process for manufacturing involves the interplay between bulk diaphragm (vacuum) forming and robotic assisted incremental sheet forming. This process is named Hybrid Vacuum Robotic (HyVR) forming. The “demanufacturing process” is an inversion of the HyVR process. Benefits of the HyVR process will be shown, concluding with the existing implementation level at the NCC.
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Name: Prof Robert Kay
Job Title: Professor in Advanced Manufacturing
Place of Work: School of Mechanical Engineering – University of Leeds, Chairman and Co-Founder – Hydra Manufacturing
Session Title: From Lab to Production: The Development and Commercialisation of a Novel Ceramic Manufacturing Process
Abstract: This talk explores the journey of a novel ceramic manufacturing technology from concept and academic research through to commercialisation.Engineered ceramics are used across a diverse range of industrial sectors including electronics, healthcare, power generation, and aerospace. Conventional methods of ceramic manufacturing impose significant design constraints and require high-volume production to be economically viable. While additive manufacturing (AM) offers a promising alternative, widespread adoption has been constrained by limitations in process speed, material compatibility, part porosity, shrinkage, and overall cost.
This presentation will introduce a novel hybrid manufacturing platform that integrates additive, subtractive, and layer drying processes into a single system. Developed through academic research at the University of Leeds, this approach addresses key limitations of conventional and AM based ceramic production. The talk will highlight the underlying machinery and materials innovations, showcase performance data from ceramic demonstrators, and explain how embedded machine learning enables real time process monitoring for the production of defect free ceramic components. It will also discuss the pathways to securing both fundamental and translational research funding, the approach to building impactful industry collaborations, and the team’s journey towards commercialisation through the establishment of a University spinout company, Hydra Manufacturing.
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Name: Professor, Dr. Hom Nath Dhakal, BEng (Hons), MSc, PhD, CEng, FHEA, FIET, FIMMM
Job Title: Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Portsmouth Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing within the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Portsmouth.
Place of Work: Portsmouth Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (PCAMM), School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, University of Portsmouth.
Session Title: Sustainable Plant fibre Based Composites for Applications: Challenges, Opportunities and Future Outlook
Abstract: This “Materials and Manufacturing Show and Tell Series” talk will highlight some of the research and development works on natural plant fibre reinforced lightweight composites for advanced industrial applications. Moreover, their key performance targets (mechanical, thermal and environmental) linking to specific applications, ways to achieve them through various improvement approaches including the following will be presented and discussed:
Nanoparticles inclusion, hybrid systems, fibre geometry, surface modification and optimising processing parameters.
The talk will further focus on:1. The history of sustainable biobased composites will be first introduced and then it will link to the benefits of biocomposites in tackling the current environmental issues and climate change. Then it will highlight the importance of understanding morphological complexity of natural plant fibres, their chemical constituents, fibre structure and their damage behaviour.
2. The structure-processing-property relationships, influence of exposure to various extreme and accelerated environmental conditions and their influences on the key mechanical and thermal properties of natural plant fibre reinforced polymer biocomposites will be presented and discussed by analysing some results recorded from various experimental works obtained from some successfully completed research projects.
3. The potential use of biobased composites in load bearing applications including automotive, marine, packaging sectors, Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) and building and construction sectors.
4. Finally, key challenges and future opportunities will be further discussed by presenting some experimental results and by reviewing some early works.
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Name: Prof Baljinder K. Kandola
Job Title: Professor of Materials Fire Science
Place of Work: Institute for Materials Research and Innovation University of Greater Manchester
Abstract: Lignin, a by-product from the paper and pulp industry, has a high carbon content (> 60%), excellent char-forming ability and a potential to be spun into fibres. These properties make lignin an ideal candidate to be used as a precursor for carbon fibres production. There are however multiple technical challenges, the main ones being compounding/spinning the lower molecular weight lignins and long thermal processing times required for carbonisation. In order to address the first challenge, the lignin can be blended with other thermoplastic polymers and the resulting blends melt spun into filaments. Another challenge is to increase the char yield of the lignin-based precursors for carbon fibre production, which can be addressed by adding crosslinkers and char promoters in the blends. In this work a hydroxypropyl modified organosolv lignin has been blended with a bio-based polyamide, PA 1010 and extruded into fibres. A number of crosslinkers have been added to the blends either as additives prior to melt spinning fibres or as surface treatments of the extruded fibres. The charring efficiency of the blends has been investigated by thermal analytical techniques (e.g. TGA, DSC, DMA). The mechanical properties of thermally stabilised fibres were improved from those of similarly thermally stabilised TcC/PA1010 fibres. The stabilised filaments were successfully carbonised at 950 °C, yielding coherent, void-free carbon fibres without inter-filament fusion.
Acknowledgements
This work is part of the project funded from the BioBased Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 720707rs.
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Speaker: Professor Lidija Šiller – Professor in Nanoscale Science, School of Engineering, Newcastle University
Title: Aerogels: economical ambient pressure drying synthesis and lightweight, thermally insulating mortars
Abstract: Porous materials such as silica, carbon, or cellulose aerogels, and their derivatives, have great potential across multiple fields, including catalysis, adsorption, thermal insulation, energy storage devices, and biomedicine due to their ultra-low density, high specific surface area, and tuneable pore size. Silica aerogels, often known as ‘’blue smoke’’ are one of the best insulators known due to nearly weightless, nanoporous structure comprising over 95% air. At Newcastle University we invented a new method of aerogel production by ambient pressure drying through water-based solvents (bicarbonate solutions) which lowers considerably manufacturing costs (EP3259232A1). This method has been successfully applied to produce hydrophobic and hydrophilic silica aerogels powders and monoliths, layered silica aerogels, as well as graphene and cellulose based aerogels.
Buildings account for nearly 40% of total energy use in the EU and UK, with heating and cooling responsible for the lion’s share. UK housing building report shows, for example, for North of England that in 2023 and 2024 there were 5780 and 6440 dwellings, respectively, that have been started, by private enterprise, housing associations and local authorities’ sectors. There is further need to increase year by year total housing with a low carbon footprint in North of England as well as a hole UK due to chronical shortage.
Our research interest into aerogel applications, recently led us to develop mortar with aerogels and PET plastic, that cuts substantially heat loss by 55% when compared to normal mortar. This new cement mixture compliance with existing masonry Codes, enabling near-term adoption and has a broader sustainability impact by diverting PET waste and reducing sand extraction. This research shows a significant step toward energy-efficient masonry construction and we are looking for partners to demonstrate application of this new mortar mixes in real building settings.
Accessibility and Inclusion
We are committed to ensuring our events are accessible for all.
If you experience any barriers to registering, for any reason, please contact us by email: enquiries@iukbc.org.uk or phone: +44 03333 403250 and we will support your registration.