The University of Manchester - Equipment Account
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Materials
Abstract
It has long been true that our ability to 'see' has progressed hand in hand with our understanding of the world, from our understanding of the very distant (first telescopes to Hubble and the array telescopes) to the very minute (first microscopes to the high performance electron microscopes). X-ray tomography opens up not just 3D imaging but temporal changes too. While X-ray imaging is advancing towards 10nm resolution at synchrotrons and we can image at 50nm in the lab., for engineering materials resolution is not an end in itself. We need to be able to image at the scales that control damage nucleation while at the same time having samples large enough to be of engineering relevance. For example, in many cases samples need to be of millimetre, or larger dimensions, for crack behaviour to be representative of practical behaviours (e.g. R-curve response), but the toughening mechanisms operate at the micron scale. This capital equipment project focuses precisely on this spatial regime, enabling us to follow sub-micron microstructure evolution processes in 3D at timescales of tens of minutes in the lab.
The new 3D x-ray imager will enable us to achieve a step jump in our ability to follow degradation and repair processes over time (4D), including:
- Self-repairing ceramics and polymer composites
- Crack growth in tough hierarchical biomaterials and bio-inspired structures
- Coating evolution and sub-surface failure
- Charging and discharging of batteries and fuel cells.
These applications are important for lighter weight transport, producing energy more efficiently through higher enginer operating temperatures, and the move towards a more electric (lower CO2) economy.
Besides these specific studies the equipment will be made available to Uk academics 40% time (>240 days over 3 years). This will allow the improved imaging capability relative to what is already available in the Uk to be applied to a vefy wide range of appplications, from civil engineering through to food science, from device materials through to new bio-scafolds.
The new 3D x-ray imager will enable us to achieve a step jump in our ability to follow degradation and repair processes over time (4D), including:
- Self-repairing ceramics and polymer composites
- Crack growth in tough hierarchical biomaterials and bio-inspired structures
- Coating evolution and sub-surface failure
- Charging and discharging of batteries and fuel cells.
These applications are important for lighter weight transport, producing energy more efficiently through higher enginer operating temperatures, and the move towards a more electric (lower CO2) economy.
Besides these specific studies the equipment will be made available to Uk academics 40% time (>240 days over 3 years). This will allow the improved imaging capability relative to what is already available in the Uk to be applied to a vefy wide range of appplications, from civil engineering through to food science, from device materials through to new bio-scafolds.
Planned Impact
The project is closely aligned to EPSRC and technology strategy board strategy.
In Composites: it will be supporting the Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites (Bristol, Nottingham, Cranfield, Manchester), The National Composites Centre (Bristol, TSB) the Composite Certification and Evaluation Centre (Manchester) through impact damage mapping in composites, defects in 3D woven composites and finally the study of self-healing composites with the Creativity in Composites (Bristol) EPSRC programme grant. The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing research Centre (Sheffield/ Manchester) and the Rolls Royce UTC in Nuclear materials, The Research centre for Radwaste and Nuclear decommissioning by looking at degradation of stainless steels, the structure and failure of concrete, the structure of graphite and the structure of fuel pellets.
With regard to energy: we are supporting activities looking at fuel cells and batteries (with Shearing UCL and Brandon, Imperial) linking up with the Imaging activity at the Research complex at Harwell (P/I02249X/1) to provide both synchrotron and lab x-ray imaging. Further we are linking with Blunt at imperial College to look at Oil extraction and CO2 sequestration in various geological materials as well as shale gas. All have the prospect of delivering significant energy and financial benefits. The project will also support the move towards greener transport: this project will be tightly linked to the Lightweight alloys Programme grant (EP/H020047/1). This will enable us to use their workshops and newsletters to disseminate our work into the aerospace industry in particular.
Tissue Regeneration: The new instrument would significantly boost our biomedical device and material development (working with imperial College and a number of small UK companies). Complementing our new synchrotron beamline (I13I at Diamond Light Source) the new machine will aid the development of both soft tissue replacements (tendons, artificial skin) and hard tissue (teeth, joints, etc).
In Composites: it will be supporting the Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites (Bristol, Nottingham, Cranfield, Manchester), The National Composites Centre (Bristol, TSB) the Composite Certification and Evaluation Centre (Manchester) through impact damage mapping in composites, defects in 3D woven composites and finally the study of self-healing composites with the Creativity in Composites (Bristol) EPSRC programme grant. The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing research Centre (Sheffield/ Manchester) and the Rolls Royce UTC in Nuclear materials, The Research centre for Radwaste and Nuclear decommissioning by looking at degradation of stainless steels, the structure and failure of concrete, the structure of graphite and the structure of fuel pellets.
With regard to energy: we are supporting activities looking at fuel cells and batteries (with Shearing UCL and Brandon, Imperial) linking up with the Imaging activity at the Research complex at Harwell (P/I02249X/1) to provide both synchrotron and lab x-ray imaging. Further we are linking with Blunt at imperial College to look at Oil extraction and CO2 sequestration in various geological materials as well as shale gas. All have the prospect of delivering significant energy and financial benefits. The project will also support the move towards greener transport: this project will be tightly linked to the Lightweight alloys Programme grant (EP/H020047/1). This will enable us to use their workshops and newsletters to disseminate our work into the aerospace industry in particular.
Tissue Regeneration: The new instrument would significantly boost our biomedical device and material development (working with imperial College and a number of small UK companies). Complementing our new synchrotron beamline (I13I at Diamond Light Source) the new machine will aid the development of both soft tissue replacements (tendons, artificial skin) and hard tissue (teeth, joints, etc).
Publications
A. Massi Pavan
(2018)
An ANN-based grid voltage and frequency forecaster
Liu S
(2019)
Battery Loss Modelling Using Equivalent Circuits
V. Tsormpatzoudis
(2019)
Rapid Evaluation of Battery System Rating For Frequency Response Operation
Bolzoni A
(2019)
Dynamical Characterization of Grid-Scale Energy Storage Assets
Burnett TL
(2016)
Large volume serial section tomography by Xe Plasma FIB dual beam microscopy.
in Ultramicroscopy
Slater TJA
(2016)
STEM-EDX tomography of bimetallic nanoparticles: A methodological investigation.
in Ultramicroscopy
Larrosa N
(2018)
Linking microstructure and processing defects to mechanical properties of selectively laser melted AlSi10Mg alloy
in Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics
Winiarski B
(2015)
Novel implementations of relaxation methods for measuring residual stresses at the micron scale
in The Journal of Strain Analysis for Engineering Design
Massi Pavan A
(2019)
ANN-based grid voltage and frequency forecaster
in The Journal of Engineering
Dunne C
(2017)
Ultrafine grain formation and coating mechanism arising from a blast coating process: A transmission electron microscopy analysis
in Surface and Interface Analysis
Mattinen M
(2018)
Low-Temperature Wafer-Scale Deposition of Continuous 2D SnS2 Films.
in Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
Mukahiwa K
(2019)
The beneficial effect of surface carbon coating on stress corrosion cracking of Type 304 austenitic stainless steels in high temperature water
in Scripta Materialia
McDonald SA
(2017)
Microstructural evolution during sintering of copper particles studied by laboratory diffraction contrast tomography (LabDCT).
in Scientific reports
McDonald SA
(2015)
Non-destructive mapping of grain orientations in 3D by laboratory X-ray microscopy.
in Scientific reports
Barden HE
(2015)
Geochemical Evidence of the Seasonality, Affinity and Pigmenation of Solenopora jurassica.
in PloS one
Withers PJ
(2015)
Fracture mechanics by three-dimensional crack-tip synchrotron X-ray microscopy.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Yu B
(2016)
A comparison of different approaches for imaging cracks in composites by X-ray microtomography.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Yilmaz H
(2024)
Unifying the size effect observed in micropillar compression experiments
in Philosophical Magazine
Velický M
(2017)
Exfoliation of natural van der Waals heterostructures to a single unit cell thickness.
in Nature communications
Zeng Y
(2017)
Ablation-resistant carbide Zr0.8Ti0.2C0.74B0.26 for oxidizing environments up to 3,000 °C.
in Nature communications
Bradley R
(2016)
Correlative multiscale tomography of biological materials
in MRS Bulletin
Holzner C
(2016)
Diffraction Contrast Tomography in the Laboratory - Applications and Future Directions
in Microscopy Today
Burnett T
(2016)
Xe+ Plasma FIB: 3D Microstructures from Nanometers to Hundreds of Micrometers
in Microscopy Today
Zhong XL
(2016)
Sample Preparation Methodologies for In Situ Liquid and Gaseous Cell Analytical Transmission Electron Microscopy of Electropolished Specimens.
in Microscopy and microanalysis : the official journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada
Schilling S
(2017)
Practical Aspects of Electrochemical Corrosion Measurements During In Situ Analytical Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) of Austenitic Stainless Steel in Aqueous Media.
in Microscopy and microanalysis : the official journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada
Schilling S
(2015)
Liquid In Situ Analytical Electron Microscopy: Examining SCC Precursor Events for Type 304 Stainless Steel in H2O
in Microscopy and Microanalysis
Zhong X
(2016)
An in situ Method for Preserving Buried Voids and Cracks During TEM Sample Preparation using FIB
in Microscopy and Microanalysis
Burnett T
(2014)
Multiscale 3D analysis of creep cavities in AISI type 316 stainless steel
in Materials Science and Technology
Qiu C
(2015)
Influence of processing conditions on strut structure and compressive properties of cellular lattice structures fabricated by selective laser melting
in Materials Science and Engineering: A
Zhao H
(2022)
Influence of twin boundaries and sample dimensions on the mechanical behavior of Ag nanowires
in Materials Science and Engineering: A
Holroyd N
(2017)
Improved understanding of environment-induced cracking (EIC) of sensitized 5XXX series aluminium alloys
in Materials Science and Engineering: A
Li J
(2017)
Elemental distribution within the long-period stacking ordered structure in a Mg-Gd-Zn-Mn alloy
in Materials Characterization
Mackie D
(2015)
Characterisation and modelling of defect formation in direct-chill cast AZ80 alloy
in Materials Characterization
Li J
(2017)
Cu segregation on the interface between Al 2 O 3 substrate and Al-1.4Cu alloy
in Materials Characterization
Yilmaz H
(2019)
The size dependent strength of Fe, Nb and V micropillars at room and low temperature
in Materialia
Pei R
(2017)
Crack healing behaviour of Cr 2 AlC MAX phase studied by X-ray tomography
in Journal of the European Ceramic Society
Volpe L
(2019)
Replicating PWR Primary Water Conditions in Low Pressure H 2 -Steam Environment to Study Alloy 600 Oxidation Processes
in Journal of The Electrochemical Society
Neale A
(2014)
Electrochemical performance of laser micro-structured nickel oxyhydroxide cathodes
in Journal of Power Sources
Description | In respect of the energy storage component the key findings from this award have largely been generated by other projects that have made use of the research facilities. As such the single key finding is effectively that the facilities were put in place as per the grant agreement and have then succeeded in delivering further value through the level of research that took place using these facilities. In respect of the energy storage component of this award, the funded facilities support research in the area of energy storage. Energy storage systems are an increasingly important part of our energy system and are used in transport applications (cars, rail and planes) and as part of the wider power system to support the transition to net-zero. A number of facilities were funded as part of the award. Some facilities were intended to deliver an improved understanding of battery systems at the cell level (particularly focusing on how the battery chemistry changes with age and what can be done to minimise this). A range of facilities was then installed that allowed cells to be cycled in high / low temperature conditions in a rapid manner. This allowed a clearer view of how the systems would degrade over time. Finally, investment was made in facilities that allowed simulation of how these devices would impact the wider power system. All of these facilities have been put to use for a wide range of projects at The University of Manchester. The award also enhanced the capability of the University of Manchester in the area of nanomechanics. Much work has been carried out in this general field with particular emphasis in the area of coatings for aerospace applications. As engineering has increasingly moved towards smaller size scales in the area generally referred as Nanotechnology, it has become necessary to test smaller and smaller material specimens. This is particularly the case in protective coatings to prevent corrosion and degradation of materials. One area where this has been important is the development of thin coatings to protect aircraft engines from the high temperatures required to improve fuel efficiency. New coating compositions have been developed and assessed with the equipment. Another area where the equipment has been used is assessing the strength of very fine scale metal wires (approximately 1/100 of the diameter of a human hair) that are used in transparent conducting films that will be used in advanced solar cells that are flexible and could be integrated into wearable electronic systems. |
Exploitation Route | In respect of the energy storage component of this award, the facilities created as a result of this funding remain in regular use at The University of Manchester and are accessible to a wide range of researchers both within the University and externally. In respect of the nanomechanics area much of the work has been in collaboration with UK industry and development work is in progress in collaboration with major companies in the field. 1.Capital Equipment in Support of the National Research Facility for Lab X-ray CT (EP/V035932/1) https://gow.epsrc.ukri.org/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/V035932/1 2. National Research Facility for Lab X-ray CT (EP/T02593X/1) https://gow.epsrc.ukri.org/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/T02593X/1 A new National Research Facility (NRF) in Lab-based X-ray Computed Tomography launch in November 2020. The NRF provides access and support for both academia and industry and represents a £10m investment over 5 years from EPSRC bringing together the capability of existing facilities from The University of Manchester, University of Southampton, University College London (UCL), University of Warwick, and Diamond Light Source. Together, these five partners provide a unique and diverse shared capability to the UK providing an unparalleled combination of 3D imaging facilities and data analysis, research knowledge and technical experience to support users that have never worked with X-ray scanning before and help advanced users conduct exciting new experiments. The NXCT Hub in Manchester is hosted by the Henry Royce Institute for advanced materials. Together, the five partners provide a unique and diverse shared capability to the UK. The NXCT now has its own website: https://nxct.ac.uk/ The Versa (which was part of this grant forms part of the NXCT). The facilities support a range of industrial sectors within advanced materials and manufacturing, including aerospace structures, marine engineering, civil engineering and geotechnics, energy systems and biomedical research. |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Construction,Energy,Environment,Transport |
URL | https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/impacts/increasing-renewable-energy-and-reducing-customer-bills-using-man |
Description | Much of the equipment, has been made available to all staff in the faculty and indeed in many cases, such as the X-ray CT system which is part of the henry Moseley X-ray Imaging Facility, made available to the wider community as a whole. The characterisation equipment became part of a larger suite of equipment when UKRPIF funding of around £18m pounds enabled it to be collected together to forma Multiscale Characterisation facility. Indeed the newly established £235m Royce Institute will establish formal mechanisms to open some of the capital equipment to the Uk academic and industrial communities. |
First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Construction,Energy,Environment,Transport |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | Built environment, energy, digital and transport |
Amount | £425,032 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 101991 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2015 |
End | 08/2016 |
Description | Collaboration |
Amount | £650,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Morgan Advanced Materials |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2015 |
End | 11/2017 |
Description | Electrochemical Energy Storage with Graphene-Enabled Materials |
Amount | £2,190,025 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/K016954/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2013 |
End | 01/2019 |
Description | Full-Electric Aircraft Baggage Loader |
Amount | £532,977 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 102252 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2015 |
End | 12/2017 |
Description | ISCF Wave 1: 3D electrodes from 2D materials |
Amount | £917,401 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/R023034/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Multi-scale ANalysis for Facilities for Energy STorage (Manifest) |
Amount | £4,013,527 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/N032888/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Q-PLUS Intelligent Building energy management system utilising energy storage |
Amount | £293,049 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 133463 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 04/2019 |
Description | William Blythe Ltd |
Amount | £125,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | William Blythe Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2017 |
End | 10/2019 |
Description | Collaboration with Zeiss |
Organisation | Carl Zeiss AG |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Research using the Zeiss microscope to look at parasites including whipworm which affects tens of millions of people. Certain analyses and images to be used for ZEISS. |
Collaborator Contribution | Contributed to research by providing 2 research fellowships and a PhD studentship |
Impact | Publications in peer-reviewed journals - see Publications |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Industrial partnerships |
Organisation | Airbus Group |
Department | Airbus Operations |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | The capital equipment purchase of ZEISS Versa is a 3D X-ray microscope enabled us to follow sub-micron microstructure evolution processes in 3D at timescales of tens of minutes in the lab. This allows us to follow degradation and repair processes over time. This instrument has been made available to industry through a commercial access route allowing the improved imaging capability, relative to what is already available in the UK, to be applied to a wide range of applications from civil engineering through to food science, from device materials through to new bio-scaffolds. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided funding for industrial work undertaken using ZEISS Versa 3D X-ray microscope (£117.9k) |
Impact | Scientific reports sent to industrial partners |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Industrial partnerships |
Organisation | GKN |
Department | GKN Aerospace |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | The capital equipment purchase of ZEISS Versa is a 3D X-ray microscope enabled us to follow sub-micron microstructure evolution processes in 3D at timescales of tens of minutes in the lab. This allows us to follow degradation and repair processes over time. This instrument has been made available to industry through a commercial access route allowing the improved imaging capability, relative to what is already available in the UK, to be applied to a wide range of applications from civil engineering through to food science, from device materials through to new bio-scaffolds. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided funding for industrial work undertaken using ZEISS Versa 3D X-ray microscope (£117.9k) |
Impact | Scientific reports sent to industrial partners |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Industrial partnerships |
Organisation | Rolls Royce Group Plc |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | The capital equipment purchase of ZEISS Versa is a 3D X-ray microscope enabled us to follow sub-micron microstructure evolution processes in 3D at timescales of tens of minutes in the lab. This allows us to follow degradation and repair processes over time. This instrument has been made available to industry through a commercial access route allowing the improved imaging capability, relative to what is already available in the UK, to be applied to a wide range of applications from civil engineering through to food science, from device materials through to new bio-scaffolds. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided funding for industrial work undertaken using ZEISS Versa 3D X-ray microscope (£117.9k) |
Impact | Scientific reports sent to industrial partners |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Industrial partnerships |
Organisation | Tekna |
Country | Belgium |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | The capital equipment purchase of ZEISS Versa is a 3D X-ray microscope enabled us to follow sub-micron microstructure evolution processes in 3D at timescales of tens of minutes in the lab. This allows us to follow degradation and repair processes over time. This instrument has been made available to industry through a commercial access route allowing the improved imaging capability, relative to what is already available in the UK, to be applied to a wide range of applications from civil engineering through to food science, from device materials through to new bio-scaffolds. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided funding for industrial work undertaken using ZEISS Versa 3D X-ray microscope (£117.9k) |
Impact | Scientific reports sent to industrial partners |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Industrial partnerships |
Organisation | Unilever |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | The capital equipment purchase of ZEISS Versa is a 3D X-ray microscope enabled us to follow sub-micron microstructure evolution processes in 3D at timescales of tens of minutes in the lab. This allows us to follow degradation and repair processes over time. This instrument has been made available to industry through a commercial access route allowing the improved imaging capability, relative to what is already available in the UK, to be applied to a wide range of applications from civil engineering through to food science, from device materials through to new bio-scaffolds. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided funding for industrial work undertaken using ZEISS Versa 3D X-ray microscope (£117.9k) |
Impact | Scientific reports sent to industrial partners |
Start Year | 2015 |