Materials and Processes

Dr Martin Sweatman Research Group web pages

• PhD Theoretical Physics, University of Bristol, 1995

• Statistical mechanics, classical DFT, molecular simulation, carbon capture

• MEng, Aerospace Engineering, The University of Manchester, 2010
• PhD, Advanced Metallic Systems, The University of Manchester, 2015
• PGCert, Academic Practice, LJMU, 2021

• Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA)
• Member of The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (MIMMM)

Sam is currently course organiser for three courses:

• Additive and Computer Aided Manufacturing (PGEE11210)
• Digital Design and Manufacture Dissertation (PGEE11217)
• Digital Manufacture 5 (MECE11017)

He also provides supervision for BEng, MEng and MSc projects.

https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/weili-group/

I joined the University of Edinburgh (UoE) in 2021 as a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering. I studied chemical engineering at the Nanjing University of Technology, obtaining a BEng with Highest Distinction in 2003 and PhD in 2008. In the last year of my PhD, my first employment started at The University of Hong Kong (Department of Chemistry). The next position was at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Department of Physics) from 2010 to 2013 a. Early 2013, I moved to the University of Liverpool (Department of Physics) and assisted to set up a new research group. Before I joined UoE, I had a four-month spell working in the National Graphene Institute, University of Manchester, and five-year experience as Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, Aston University.

2016 Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching for Higher Education in the UK. 2003-2008 Nanjing University of Technology (NJUT), PhD in Chemical Engineering. 1999-2003 NJUT, BEng (1st Honours) in Chemical Engineering.

IChemE, RSC, EPSRC Associate Peer Review College

Chemical Engineering Design 4 (CHEE10010) - Course Organiser

Supervising students' projects in various chemical engineering courses: Study Project 4, Research Project 5, etc.

1. Over 10 years’ expertise in nanomaterials, photocatalysis, greenhouse gas removal, reaction engineering, electrochemistry and physical chemistry. 2. Extensive practices on preparation and characterization of nanomaterials, design and evaluation of photocatalytic reactions/photoreactors, antimicrobial properties of nanomaterials. 3. Leading multidisciplinary projects involving both academic and industral resources, comprehensive collaboration and interpersonal skills in a team environment. 4. Skills in electron microscopy, time-resolved spectroscopy, thermal analysis, chromatography, atomic force microscopy, X-ray crystallography and synchrotron radiation spectroscopy

Dr Nan Yu is a Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor at the University of Edinburgh, and the Deputy Director of MSc Digital Design and Manufacture.

Nan was trained at Cranfield University (PhD: plasma figuring of large optics), University College Dublin (UCD, as a postdoc in precision manufacturing of medical devices), and the European Organisation of Nuclear Research (CERN, as an Associate Scientist in precision alignment and metrology). He has established academic reputation in precision manufacturing and advanced plasma technologies as evidenced by over £ 1 M funding secured as PI, more than 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, 4 paper awards and 10 invited/keynote talks. Nan receives the prestigious Marie Curie International Fellowship (2018-2020), Irish Research Council Fellowship (2020), and Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellowship (2023-2024). He holds two visiting appointments at UCD (2021-2026) and Osaka University (2022-2024).

PgCAP in Higher Education (2023), Edinburgh

PhD in Precision Engineering (2017), Cranfield

MSc in Mechanical Manufacturing (2013), Harbin;

BSc in Mechanical Engineering (2011), Harbin;

2018 Professional Certificate of Entrepreneurial Educators, UCD, National University of Ireland;

2018 International Scientific Committee member of European Society for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology (EUSPEN);

2019 Member of International Academy of Engineering and Technology (AET);

2021 Research Affiliate of International Academy of Production Engineering (CIRP);

2021 Member of EPSRC Early Career Forum in Manufacturing Research;

2022 Fellow of Royal Society for Art, Manufacture and Commerce (RSA);

2023 Fellow of Higher Education Academy (HEA)

1. Conceptual Design for Mechanical Engineers 3 (Course Organiser);

2. BEng Mechanical Engineering Project 4;

3. Digital Manufacturing 5;

4. Metrology in MSc Digital Design and Manufacture (Course Organiser)

5. MEng Mechanical Engineering Project 5

Chair, 12th CIRP Global Web Conference (CIRPe 2024)

https://suspromgroup.eng.ed.ac.uk/

Maria Grazia De Angelis is a Full Professor of Chemical Engineering Principles at the University of Bologna and an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the University of Edinburgh (UK), where she leads the SusProm Group. Her research is dedicated to the design of products (biodegradable packaging, selective membranes) and sustainable processes (CO₂ capture, water purification, wearable hemodialysis). She is currently engaged in integrating various theories, including AI, to enhance the capability of designing materials for separation.

She is the Chair of the Working Party on Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of the European Federation of Chemical Engineers (2022-2028). She was the Vice President of the European Membrane Society (2019-23). She is a co-author of more than 100 publications in international journals in the field of membrane science, thermodynamics, and computational material science (Google Scholar).

She has been a Researcher or Visiting Professor at

• University of Melbourne, Australia
• Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
• National Technical University of Athens, Greece
• North Carolina State University, USA.

Go to the Group SusProM Website

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, 2002, University of Bologna
• Master Degree in Chemical Engineering, 1998, University of Bologna

• Chair of the Working Party on Thermodynamics and Transport Properties, European Federation of Chemical Engineers (EFCE) , 2022-present
• Treasurer and Vice President, European Membrane Society Council, 2019-2023
• Member of the Steering Committee of the Research Area " 

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

• Molecular, multiscale and AI-enhanced modeling of materials with selective capacity (membranes, porous sorbents)
• Barrier and permeability properties testing
• CO₂ capture
• Water purification
• Hemodialysis
• Biodegradable packaging
• Hydrogen

Associate Member of IChemE Member of AIDIC (Italian Association of Chemical Engineering) Member of European Membrane Society Member of AIChE

-Member of the Editorial Board of Membranes and Fluid Phase Equilibria

-Editor of the Special Issue "Fundamentals of Transport in Polymers and Membranes—Honorary Issue for Professor Giulio C. Sarti" 2022

-Editor of the Special Issue "Gas Transport in Glassy Polymers" 2020-2021

-Watch my webinar “Membranes for CO₂ Capture: Thermodynamic aspects” given during the EFCE Spotlight Talks, December 3rd 2020. Organized by the European Federation of Chemical Engineers. -Host of the European Membrane Society Live Webinars Series, watch them on Youtube

The design of all chemical process starts from mathematical modelling and computational thermodynamics. The reliability of a thermodynamic model in predicting or correlating phase equilibria depends strongly on the value its parameters. Carefully evaluated parameters enable a precise calculation of the phase equilibria and of the process units, affecting as a consequence the costs of a chemical process. 

In several cases, the thermodynamic parameters commonly used in process simulators are wrong. They do not return a comprehensively right equilibrium.

The project focuses on the development of an open tool for the correct regression and correlation of thermodynamic data in robust mathematical models. The project involves the development and use of optimization techniques. Special modelling, including Bayesian regression or similar techniques, will be also used. 

In this project, you will design digital open and user-friendly tools that can easily integrate with existing process simulators (e.g. AspenPlus, Unisim) and exploit recent advanced algorithms [1, 2]. The ambition of this project is to earn the sector’s support and enable the widespread use of the tool in place of the current unreliable counterparts. 

You will work in the Emerging Sustainable Technologies Laboratory (ESTech Lab) [3], be part of a world leading research group in sustainable technologies towards the development of the first robust tool for thermodynamic model identification and calibration, have access to state-of-the-art computing facilities and brainstorm new digital tools across all thermodynamic problems.

Your studies will be carried out at the Institute for Materials and Processes (IMP) and could include occasional experiments to validate models. You will attain skills in modelling, design and testing of innovative digital tools.

Please note, the position will be filled once a suitable candidate has been identified.

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037838121400226X

[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378381220300297

[3] https://www.linkedin.com/in/giulio-santori-a365546/

Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. As well as: 

• Proficiency with Computational Thermodynamics of Fluid Phase Equilibria
• Proficiency with at least one coding tool and related graphical user interface

Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Desirable criteria:

• knowledge of optimization methods;
• knowledge of Bayesian regression.

A number of scholarships are available to competitive candidates. For more information on the funding application process, please contact the project’s supervisor or visit the School of Engineering website.

Applications are also welcomed from self-funded students.

The design of the forthcoming future is negative in emissions. Among the negative emission technologies options, those capturing CO2 directly from the air are called Direct Air Capture technologies. Direct Air Capture technologies are regarded as the solution having the biggest carbon removal potential but is also the least known. If Direct Air Capture had to be an essential measure, future society would deal with severe restrictions in energy availability [1]. 

However, using the captured atmospheric CO2 for conversion into chemicals and fuels has the right scale not to impinge in the energy system and attractive economic outlook.

In your studies you will work in the Emerging Sustainable Technologies Laboratory (ESTech Lab) [2], be part of a world leading research group in carbon capture towards the development of technological avenues for Direct Air Capture and Conversion into chemicals and fuels.

Your studies will be carried out at the Institute for Materials and Processes (IMP) and will include modelling activities. You will attain skills in modelling and design of new negative emission technologies and production paths.

Please note, the position will be filled once a suitable candidate has been identified.

[1] Santori et. al. Adsorption artificial tree for atmospheric carbon dioxide capture, purification and compression, Energy 162 (2018) 1158-1168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2018.08.090

[2] https://www.linkedin.com/in/giulio-santori-a365546/

Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. As well as:

• Proficiency with Computational Thermodynamics of Fluid Phase Equilibria
• Proficiency with at least one coding tool and related graphical user interface

Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Desirable criteria: knowledge of optimization methods.

A number of scholarships are available to competitive candidates. For more information on the funding application process, please contact the project’s supervisor or visit the School of Engineering website.

Applications are also welcomed from self-funded students.