Nanoscale forming and moulding
We perform both applied and fundamental research into moulding and forming operations, mostly on polymer systems. For example, we discovered polymer flow scaling violations in nanoscale moulding. Isolation and instrumentation of model nanoscale polymer flows associated with nanoimprint lithography, a new industrial processing technique, led to the discovery of a complete inversion of the well-established viscosity to molecular weight scaling relation for entangled polymer melt flow when gaps sizes confine the polymer molecule below its radius of gyration. The conventional scaling relationship, based on refinement to the predictions of the famous polymer reptation model of P. de Gennes, underpins understanding of major polymer manufacturing techniques such as injection moulding.
These techniques are currently being applied in a roll-to-roll (R2R) format by our group to tissue scaffolding applications in conjunction with Trinity Biomedical Engineering and the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.
Key publications
Self assembly and mechanics of 2D materials
Pleatronic systems
