Bringing mixed innovation to industry with GEIC

The University of Manchester is a world leader in science and innovation in advanced materials. AZoNano visits the University of Manchester for this interview. Graphene Engineering and Innovation Center Hear from Composites Application Manager Mark Dickie about how GEIC is helping bring innovation in graphene composites out of the lab and into the wider industry.

Please introduce yourself and your current position at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Center (GEIC).

My name is Mark Dickie. An application manager for composites within GEIC. This covers everything from fiber reinforced plastics to polymers to mixed metal matrices to ceramics.

Megan Craig/AZoNano (left), Mark Dickie (middle), and Alan Beck (right) in one of GEIC’s labs. Image Credit: Joao Pinto/AZoNetwork

What is GEIC and how did you get involved?

I previously worked in the composites industry for 30 years before being introduced to a position made available when the GEIC was first built. GEIC will act as a link between the University of Manchester and industry, incorporating what academics do and industry wants to do, enabling knowledge transfer between the two.

All GEIC instruments are pilot scale and act as a step up from the lab. We work with a wide variety of partners at various stages of enterprise scale, from small startups to multinational corporations.

Many of our partners believe GEIC is an invaluable institution, enabling them to do things faster, more flexibly, and without tying up their own equipment. They can gain knowledge from scaled-down processes as they move forward with production work.

Another advantage is that our partners have access not only to the knowledge base we provide, but to the entire university. For example, each GEIC theme has relevant academic clues that can be used to gain knowledge and help us solve our problems.

Can you highlight some of the potential applications in which 2D material-based composites are of interest?

There are many areas of interest in this space, such as mechanical properties to improve tennant strength, as well as thermal and electrical conductivity. We are also exploring polymers and fiber-reinforced plastics, with one area of ​​particular interest being lightning strike materials for aircraft and wind turbines.

Over the past few years, and even the last six months, we have noticed a growing global demand to explore the potential of 2D materials in composite applications.

Image Credit: Joao Pinto/AZoNetwork

Are there any issues with integrating 2D materials into 3D structures?

The biggest problem with incorporating graphene into anything is dispersion. Variance is important in everything. Integrating graphene into one piece is about making sure it’s right in the system. If it is not properly distributed, you will not get the properties you want. Similarly, if the material is not properly dispersed, graphene will not disperse properly in that polymer or resin system and will not function.

For example, even if you make a masterbatch and ship it to a customer, it will be a problem if it is not distributed properly. To combat this, we leave GEIC to go to our customers to ensure that the process is properly handed over and correctly passed through the system.

Ultimately, if this process isn’t done right, it could act as a barrier to bringing graphene out of research and into industry. The beauty of GEIC is that customers can be inside the building and see the process in action firsthand. Even better, they can incorporate this knowledge into their own companies.

What impact does the inclusion of graphene/2D materials have on their recyclability?

We’re actually working on some projects with plastics and PET right now, and there are companies that actually recycle the bottle material. The addition of graphene was found to extend the life of the material and increase the number of times it could be recycled. As a result, the same material can be used repeatedly for a longer period of time, slowing its penetration into the ground.

Another company that GEIC partners with manufactures panels using red, green, yellow and white recycled polymers. These recycled materials were put into a twin-screw extruder for compounding and some promising properties were observed after adding graphene.

Much of the interest in graphene comes from its functional properties. Can these qualities be incorporated into composites such as thermoplastics? What additional benefits might this bring?

Graphene has already been incorporated into thermoplastics to help produce materials with desirable properties such as mechanical properties and electrical conductivity. There is usually a rule of thumb for the amount of graphene incorporated into a product, depending on the properties. Less than 1% by weight for mechanical properties, 3-5% for thermal properties or conductivity, etc. There is even evidence of good results using 0.01% graphene.

GEIC has confirmed that integrating graphene into thermoplastics can extend the life and strengthen the polymer. We also saw how graphene can help reduce the amount of material actually needed in the final product. This is especially interesting if you’re trying to create something lightweight and sustainable.

Megan Craig/AZoNano (left) and Mark Dickie (right). Image Credit: Joao Pinto/AZoNetwork

Why is it important to improve properties such as strength and elasticity in thermoplastics, and what applications will benefit most from this?

When targeting material strength and elasticity, or tensile strength, this means less material needs to be used in the part. Imagine that you have a material that bends a certain amount and that graphene can improve its properties by 50%. Increases the overall stiffness of the material. As a result, less material can be used while maintaining the same properties.

GEIC is home to many research groups and start-ups, providing an interdisciplinary environment to work in. Do you think this environment has a positive impact on innovation within the center?

definitely. With so many different projects underway at GEIC, from membranes to concrete to recycling rubber for rubber mats, the group does not operate in isolation. Everyone gathers and chats in the hallways to share ideas and experiences.

Officially, GEIC hosts workshops where people from the center and partners can come together and exchange ideas, but in reality it’s more like a family than anything else. Collaboration is ingrained in the GEIC spirit.

What was your most memorable experience at GEIC?

all, all. It’s a great experience to see a customer’s idea from start to finish. At the end of a project, knowing you’ve successfully created a product or new job and having your partner come back for another project is the best thing ever.

About Mark Dickey

Appointed to his role in February 2018 after two years at 2-Dtech/Versarien, Mark has 20 years of experience in the composites industry. He was Business Unit Manager at Caparo Advanced Composites where he was Business Unit Manager for 3 years and previously at Cytec where he was 17 years, Production Manager for 5 years and later Assistant where he was Business Unit Manager.

Over the past four years as Application Manager for Composites within GEIC, Mark’s team has covered everything from structured composite power cells for aerospace, graphene-reinforced polymers and rubbers for automotive applications, to graphene-reinforced ceramics and mixed-metal matrices for the jewelry market. We have delivered a variety of projects ranging from composite materials. Customer requirements range from improved mechanical properties, electrical and thermal conductivity, to multi-functionality into components.