Materials and Processes

https://www.carboncapture.eng.ed.ac.uk/membranes-carbon-capture

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, University of Bologna, Italy, 2009
• Master degree in Chemical Engineering, University of Bologna, Italy, 2005

AMIChemE

Council member and treasurer of the European Membrane Society

• Membranes Separation Processes
• Gas Separation Using Membranes

• Membranes
• Carbon Capture
• Gas Separation

Francisco R. García-García is Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering and the Discipline Program Manager for Chemical Engineering at the School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh. He leads a research group working on chemical reaction engineering, which focuses on clean energy production and emission control. His research focuses on the synthesis, design, and development of multifunctional catalytic reactors, enabling the integration of multiple processes within a single system.

Francisco pioneered the use of micro-structured ceramic hollow fibres as a support for catalysts, solvents, and inorganic dense membranes. His expertise extends to the design of innovative materials for hydrogen production, emission control, and carbon capture, with an extensive publication record. His research have received support from both public and industry funding sources. Beyond his academic pursuits, Francisco actively engages in public outreach, event organization, and advocacy activities.

Holding the Teaching Training Course completion, ANECA accreditation for public and private university lecturing, and being a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, he is qualified to teach at both undergraduate and graduate levels in any UK university. With a background in Chemistry and extensive experience in Chemical Engineering, Francisco plays a pivotal role in contributing to BEng, MEng, and MSc programs at the School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh. In recognition of his dedication, he was a runner-up for the 2021 Edinburgh University Student Association Teacher of the Year Award, with finalists chosen by a panel entirely composed of students.

• Doctor Honoris Causa. Department of Chemical Engineering, at the Royal and Pontifical Higher University of San Francisco Xavier of Chuquisaca, Sucre, Bolivia. Awarded for outstanding contribution to the field of Chemical Reaction Engineering (2024).
• PhD in Chemical Engineering. Department of Inorganic and Applied Chemistry at Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemical, CSIC, Madrid, Spain. (Summa Cum Laude / Mention of European PhD award / Extraordinary PhD Prize) (2004–2008).
• MPhil in Chemical Engineering. Department of Inorganic and Applied Chemistry at Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemical, CSIC, Madrid, Spain. (First class) (2004–2008).
• Teacher Training Course. Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. (First class) (2003–2004).
• MSc in Chemistry. Autónoma University of Madrid, Spain. (First class) (1997–2002).

• Gas Phase Heterogeneous Catalysis
• New Material Development
• Membrane Technology / Chemical Looping
• Hollow Fibre-based Reactors Design
• Multifunctional Catalytic Reactors Design

• Member of the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom
• Member of the Spanish Society of Catalysis

Dr Winifred (Wini) Obande is a Lecturer & Elizabeth Georgeson Fellow in Sustainable, Multi-functional Composites.

She leads the Circular Composites Engineering Group, focusing on the development of resource-efficient, lightweight materials. Her research embeds life-cycle thinking and life-cycle assessment (LCA) to inform the sustainable design and selection of materials and manufacturing processes. She is particularly interested in valorising waste and bio-based feedstocks as alternatives to virgin materials in composite applications. Her work includes testing for functionality and durability to benchmark the performance of these novel materials.

She serves on the SAMPE UK & Ireland Committee and is a founding member of the Edinburgh Materials Society, an IOM3-affiliated local society.

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, The University of Edinburgh
• MRes in Mechanical Engineering, University of Limerick, Ireland
• BEng in Biomedical Engineering, University of Limerick, Ireland

• Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Member of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE)
• Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3)

• Manufacture 3 (MECE09032), 2024/25 - Ongoing
• Professional Issues for Mechanical Engineers 3 (SCEE09001), 2023/24
• Sustainable Energy Group Design Project 3 (MECE09026), 2023/24

Circular Composites Engineering Group PhD Opportunities:

• Surface and Suspension Dynamics in the Alignment of Recycled Fibres (Fully funded PhD)
• Process Development for Scalable and Sustainable Fibre Alignment (Self-funded PhD)

I welcome enquiries from self-funded candidates whose research proposals closely align with my areas of interest. Candidates may also wish to explore available University of Edinburgh Scholarships.

Amer is a mechanical engineer with interests primarily in the area of fracture mechanics. He is particularly interested in deformation and damage mechanics of complex materials. The focus of his work is on the understanding of micromechanics of fracture to inform the macroscopic behaviour of materials. He has previously worked on the mechanics of deformation and damage in coal- which is one of the facinating materials to work with as the mechanical behaviour is influenced by the adsorption and advection taking place in the pore spaces and cracks (cleats) at multiple length and time scales. His recent work has been on micromechanics of geomaterials where he developed experimental techniques to acquire information on micromechanics through direct imaging conducted at X-ray and neutron beamlines.

Amer's current focus is to enhance the current understanding of micromechanics of deformation and damage of composite materials for improved design and damage prediction.

PhD Earth Science and Engineering, University of London for work undertaken at Imperial College

MS Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India

CEng, MIMechE

• Micromechanics of deformation and damage
• X-ray and neutron imaging of materials under in-situ stress
• Image processing, segmentation and pattern recognition
• Design of test facilities for material testing, especially for beamline imaging

Amer is interested to hear from potential PhD students interested in working in the area of micromechanics of composites. An advert for a potential position will be released shortly.

I lead the Emerging Sustainable Technologies Laboratory at The University of Edinburgh. The ESTech Lab forges the future generation of sustainable energy and separation technologies.The ESTech Lab invented unanticipated solutions for negative emission separation technologies (low grade heat-powered CO2 capture&concentration from the air and hydrothermal carbonisation) along with other emerging heat-powered devices for water and cooling in data centres.The ESTech Lab methods span from Thermodynamics to prototyping and testing, where Thermodynamics is used as an ignition to the design.In its inventions, the Lab often exploits nanoporous solids or ionic nano-interfaces because they make possible a number of processes otherwise nonviable, often unlocking unimaginable opportunities for sustainable living.

• Post-graduate certificate for Academic Practice (PgCAP). The University of Edinburgh, Moray House School of Education and Sport, Edinburgh (UK). Master-level programme to support academic staff to effectively engage with their teaching responsibilities, enabling my current Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. 8/12/2020
• PhD in Energy, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona (Italy), 2009
• MSc in Mechanical Engineering, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona (Italy), 2004

• 01/03/2023-2025    Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellow in Energy Efficient Data Centres.
• Member of Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre and UK Carbon Capture Research Centre
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. The Higher Education Academy (https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/) is the UK leading institution for accreditation of teaching in higher education

• Member of the Senatus Academicus (Senate) of The University of Edinburgh

  Editorial board member of: 

• Carbon Neutrality (Springer Nature) since 2021. The journal is an initiative of the China-UK Low Carbon College at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
• Energy & Environment (SAGE) since 2018.

• The Innovation Energy (Innovation Press) since 2025. 

  Guest-Editor of Special Issues:

• 2023/24 of Carbon Neutrality (Springer Nature) jointly with Dr. Shuanshi Fan, Dr Jia Li, Dr. Zhenyuan Yin, Dr. Tao Ren, Dr. Lei Hou on Decarbonization and CCUS

• 2020/21 of Energy (Elsevier) jointly with Prof. Ruzhu Wang (Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Energy) of the Special Issue on Solutions for Ultra-Low Temperature Heat Recovery and Utilization

  Associate Editor of: 

• Frontiers in Thermal Engineering - Advancements in Cooling and Heating (Frontiers) since 2021

   

• Chair of the 10^th Heat Powered Cycle Conference in 2023 (148 delegates from 20 countries)
• Member of the International Scientific Board of Heat Powered Cycle Conference series since 2017
• Member of the organizing committee of:
  • Thermodynamics 2017
  • The 33^rd European Symposium of Applied Thermodynamics (ESAT) 2024
• Member of the International Scientific Board of International Symposium on Innovative Materials for Processes in Energy Systems (IMPRES) in 2016

• Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 2 CHEE08019 (current)
• Engineering Thermodynamics 2 SCEE08006 (past)
• Chemical Engineering 1 Laboratory CHEE08001 (past)
• Engineering Mathematics 2 SCEE08010 (past)
• Chemical Engineering Design: Synthesis and Economics 4 CHEE10005 (past)
• Chemical Engineering Design 4 CHEE10010 (past)
• Chemical Engineering Study Project 4 CHEE10009 (current)
• Chemical Engineering Design Project 4 CHEE10002 (current)
• Chemical Engineering Research Project 5 CHEE11017 (current)
• Chemical Engineering Industrial Project 5 CHEE11014 (current)

• Ultralow grade heat
• Heat-powered adsorption water purification technologies
• Heat-powered adsorption cooling
• Data Centre Cooling
• Cooling/Water nexus in Data Centres
• Heat-powered adsorption direct air capture

Low grade heat, thermal energy storage, adsorption heating and cooling, adsorption desalination, solar thermal energy, temperature swing adsorption, heat transformers, thermodynamics, heat transfer, ionic liquids, ionogels.

Currently open positions in my group:

Open PhD projects:

Structured Ionic Liquid for Vapor Sorption