Digital Manufacturing of Graphene-Enhanced Composites for Electric Vehicles (GraphEVe)

Fibre-reinforced polymer composites can offer novel and optimum solutions for manufacturing lightweight and energy efficient electric vehicles (EVs) due to their excellent properties (i.e. high stiffness and strength combined with low density and multi-functionality). However, manufacturing defect-free composite parts is a key issue with a complex interplay between manufacturing process parameters, multiscale nature of fibre preforms, resin rheology and fluid-structure interaction.

This project will focus on developing innovative and advanced simulation tools (non-isothermal multi-scale multi-phase flow solver) to manufacture graphene-enhanced polymer composites, which can be used in in EVs with applications in battery cooling systems, battery module housing, and structure of the car body, with improved curing and cooling cycles, reduced time and cost, and tailored thermal-mechanical properties of parts.

Entry requirements can be found by selecting the relevant PhD programme at this link:
http://www.mace.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/degree/

The successful candidate will join the School of MACE, University of Manchester, and will work alongside our experienced research teams from the School of Materials and the Northwest Composites Centre (NWCC). We are seeking talented candidates with:

• An academic background in a relevant discipline, such as engineering, material science or physics;
• Background or knowledge of composites and/or composite processing;
• Experience in computer programming (e.g. Matlab, Python, C++) and in CFD (using OpenFOAM, or commercial software, i.e. ANSYS or Star-CCM+);
• Self-motivated and capable of working with minimum supervision and as part of a team to meet promised deliverables;
• Good communication skills for regular interaction with industry and academia;
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.


Areas of expertise: MACEThermofluids