Research

We develop new technologies that will make the composites industry even more economically competitive and environmentally responsible, with the intention of developing highly applied technologies that we can help take to market. Our development activities therefore focus on 4 main areas:

• Naturally-derived resins and fibres
• Clay-based nanocomposites
• Self-reinforced plastics
• Carbon fibre composites

Naturally-Derived Materials

Natex
Natex will develop aligned textiles from natural fibres for use as high strength reinforcments to produce structural composite parts using bio and oil-based thermoplastic and thermoset resins.
More details...

BioStruct
BioStruct is developing the next generation of advanced wood-based composites that can be used in demanding, high-value technical applications.
More details...



Combine
The Combine project aims to develop high performance bio-derived composites for structural applications by using innovative combinations of natural fibres and bio-plastics.
More details...


Biocomp
New Classes of Engineering Composite Materials from Renewable Resources
More details...

BioCompass
Sustainability assessment to overcome barriers to renewable construction
More details...

EcoTrans
The development of fire retardant structural composites using natural fibres and furan resins for mass transit vehicles.
More details...

RESCUE
The aim of the RESCUE project is the development of highly fire-resistant, lightweight composites based on basalt fibres and furan resin.
More details...

BioBuild
The aim of BioBuild is to use biocomposites to reduce the embodied energy in building facade, supporting structure and internal partition systems by at least 50% over current materials with no increase in cost.
More details...

FRBioComp
The overall aim of the project is to develop fire-retardant, environmentally sustainable composites using natural fibres and biopolymers.
More details...

Bugworkers
BUGWORKERS is a European collaborative project aiming to develop new environmentally friendly bionanocomposite materials by fermentation culture technology production routes.
More details...

Nanocomposites

Pronacom
A Fundamental Study of the Processing-Structure-Properties of Nanocomposites for Industrial Application
More details...

SureFire
Next Generation Fire-Resistant Lightweight Structural Materials
More details... 

Polyfire
The Polyfire project will develop and scale-up techniques for processing halogen-free flame retardant nanocomposite materials and coatings based on unsaturated polyester resins and nanoclays.
More details...

NanoMaster
The aims of the NanoMaster project are to reduce the amount of plastic used to make a component by 50% and hence reduce component weight by 50%, at the same time as imparting electrical and thermal functionality.
More details...

Self-Reinforced Plastics

Esprit
The Esprit project is centred on developing Self-Reinforced Plastics (SRPs) into new areas of processing and performance.
More details...


FuturePlas
The FuturePlas project aims to reduce the weight and improve the performance of plastic components by developing of the next generation of lightweight, high strength, recyclable polymers.
More details...

Recycle
Research and Development of PP Fibre-reinforced Thermoplastic Composite Materials, Processing Techniques and Applications
More details...

SmartPress 2
This Grant for R&D Development Project, ‘SmartPress2’, followed the successful conclusion of the Grant for R&D Research Project ‘SmartPress’ project in 2005.  That project had proved the feasibility of moulding simple shapes from single polymer composites.
More details...

Carbon Fibre Composites

WASIS
The aim of this project is the development of a composite fuselage structure based on the lattice stiffening concept and optimizing geometrical and mass properties of transition zones of fuselage structural joints. The material to be utilised in order to develop an all composite fuselage structure is carbon fibre impregnated with an epoxy resin.
More details...

FibreCycle
The FibreCycle project aims to develop processes for recovering and recycling carbon fibre and reusing it in high value products.
More details...

Other Technologies

We are also involved in projects covering other composite technologies from time to time:

CurvedNFR
Development of Curved Non-Ferrous Reinforcement for Concrete Applications
More details...