Engineering Composites

Professor O ’Brádaigh‘s research interests focus on lightweight fibre-reinforced polymer composites, used in transport, energy generation and infrastructure. He has raised over £15.5 million in research funding at university and start-up companies, with support from industry, National Governments and European sources.

Composite materials reinforced with carbon fibres, glass fibres and other specialty fibres such as basalt, are an important economic contributor to aerospace, automotive, rail and marine transport, as well as being widely used in renewable energy generation technologies such as wind energy, and marine renewables. His particular research interests are in the development of novel manufacturing processes for economic production of composite structures, based on both thermoset and thermoplastic polymers, and the mechanical properties of these novel materials. His presentation will give an outline of his research.