Composite materials are now becoming widely used in a number of applications, however much of the matrix materials chemistry has remained unchanged for a number of years.

The Composites Leadership forum and the UK Chemistry Council have both identified Materials for Composites as a growth opportunity for the UK. Advances in materials chemistry have the potential to capitalise on this growth opportunity by introducing new functionality and increased performance of materials to end users of composites. This conference aims to highlight UK research within this area.

Agenda

09:00 Registration

10:00 Welcome and Introduction – Sheena Hindocha

10:15 Next Generation Composite Matrix Materials – speaker TBC

10:35 Opportunities for bio-based routes to sustainable monomers – Dr Thomas J Farmer, Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, University of York

11:00 On the natural selection of high performance polymers – Professor Ian Hamerton, Bristol Composites Institute (ACCIS) at the University of Bristol, and Advanced Composites CDT

11:25 Break

12:00 Vitrimers: the new polymer for multifunctional composite materials – Dr Matthieu Gresil, University of Manchester

12:25 A green interface-modification route for improving mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of glass fibre composites – Dr Sohel Rana, University of Huddersfield

12:50 Added functionality in composite matrix materials: Increasing know-how in additive dispersion and novel materials characterisation – Dr. Ronan McHale, CPI

13:15 Lunch

14:15 Fire, thermal and physical properties of unsaturated polyester resin based blends and composites – Professor Baljinder K. Kandola, Institute for Materials Research and Innovation, University of Bolton

14:40 An innovative technology to design multifunctional, lightweight and flame retardant composites : Benzoxazine resins – Dominic Hopwood, Bitrez Limited

15:05 Make a material difference for interior composites through novel thermoset chemistries and materials – Olivier de Verclos, Huntsman Advanced Materials

15:30 Break

16:00 In-Situ Polymerised Thermoplastic Composites-Opportunities and Challenges – Dr Dipa Roy, University of Edinburgh

16:25 Victrex AE 250 – A novel polyaryletherketone polymer suited to automated tape placement and out of autoclave processing – Dr Stuart Green, Victrex plc

16:50 Closing remarks

17:00 End

Please note that the programme may be subject to change.

Please note that this event is intended primarily for industry participants and senior academics. We will consider registrations from post-doctoral students by exception.

If you have any questions, please contact Sheena Hindocha (sheena.hindocha@ktn-uk.org).