Dec 14 2012
The Irish Centre for Composites Research (IComp) at the University of Limerick has been granted over €1million in research funding by Enterprise Ireland’s Commercialisation Fund for 3rd Level Researchers. The grant will fund three different research projects – all connected with composite material applications.
The first project, “In-Situ Structural Bonded Repair of Thick Composite Laminates”, will be undertaken by Dr Trevor Young and Dr Kali-Babu Katnam at UL and Dr. Gerard O’Connor and Dr Alan Conneely at NUIG. The objective is to develop new methods for the repair of composite material structures, as found in aircraft or wind turbine blades, using lasers. The second project, led by Dr Denis O’Mahony and Dr Anthony Comer, called BladeStatz, will involve the development of an innovative condition monitoring system for large wind turbine blades, which will be able to detect damage to the blades. The third project, led by Dr Walter Stanley and Dr Dipa Roy concerns the Development of Self-reinforced Polyethylene Terephthalate Composites. The research team aims to develop new high performance materials from waste plastics e.g. disposable water bottles.
Welcoming the funding announcement Vice President Research at the University of Limerick Dr Mary Shire said that the funding investment by Enterprise Ireland was an endorsement of UL as the leading composites research entity in the country. “UL has an excellent track record in materials research since its very founding with the appointment of the first professor in materials in Ireland. Through the Materials & Surface Science Research Institute at UL we work very closely with companies to optimise the impact of this research. This most recent investment by EI is very welcome it builds on their previous investments and will further the ambition to make Ireland even more competitive in the area of composite materials which is globally expanding market”.
Dr Terry McGrail, Director of IComp, noted that “Composite materials offer exciting current and future business and employment opportunities in Ireland. IComp is working in partnership with industry and academia across the whole of Ireland with the aim of transforming Irish participation in the composites industry by focusing on the critical requirements of a number of industrial sectors including aerospace, electric vehicles, renewable energy and construction”.
In the Faculty of Science and Engineering there is extensive composites expertise together with a comprehensive suite of modern processing equipment and characterisation facilities. Additional equipment is being installed at the University in order to be able to more fully address the requirements of Irish industry and to establish IComp as a centre of excellence in Europe. Fundamental scientific support is available to IComp at the University through the Materials and Surface Science Institute (MSSI) where there is an extensive range of state-of-the-art equipment together with scientific specialists.
Source: http://www.ul.ie