Former BBMDVP Dr Arthur Levy, University of Nantes, France, will give a presentation based on his visit in 2018 with his host Dr James Kratz, lecturer in Materials Engineering in the School of Civil, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.
Composite materials have been identified as a light-weight alternative to metallic structures, particularly desirable in the aerospace and automotive industries where light-weighting can reduce emissions and fossil fuel consumption. To date, advanced composites are mostly made by encapsulating long, stiff, slender carbon fibres in a thermosetting matrix because of excellent properties and ease of processing the polymer from a liquid into a glassy solid. However, their long-term sustainability has recently been questioned because of high scrap volume, long and energy intensive processing cycles, no viable recyclable methods, and must be stored at very cold temperatures to avoid perishing.
Dr Arthur Levy, from the University of Nantes, will present results from his time as a Benjamin Meaker Visiting Scholar in 2018. Arthur was hosted by Dr James Kratz at the Bristol Composites Institute and they investigated manufacturing processes for reclaimed carbon fibre materials. The two have successfully collaborated for almost ten years. The visit resulted in several publications and initiated a new collaborative educational arrangement between the two universities.
In this presentation, accessible to non-engineers, Dr Levy will discuss sustainable manufacturing of composite materials. He will cover the basics of composite materials, why we want to use them in lightweight aerospace structures, and the basic manufacturing principles. The outcomes from the Benjamin Meaker study into reclaimed materials will be discussed within the current industrial framework and outline future developments.
This event is part of the University of Bristol Festival of International Research and Partnerships.
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