Robotic arm in a laboratory in the Materials Innovation Factory

Advanced materials

With our expertise in materials chemistry and computer-aided materials design we are pioneering the discovery of advanced materials through research.

Our advanced materials research uses techniques underpinned by computer simulations and robotics. Our work has applications in clean energy, sustainable living, manufacturing, healthcare, and consumer products.

Supported by our dynamic Materials Innovation Factory, we are actively looking for new advances in materials that can have large-scale applications in industrial manufacturing, healthcare and consumer products.

Explore our research

Advanced materials research activities

Saving energy with a coat of paint Row of terraced houses

Saving thermal energy with a coat of paint

Find out how we're developing solutions to help save thermal energy and reduce CO2 emissions in domestic settings.

Flow chemistry Flow chemistry

Flow chemistry

We are utilising new platforms to manufacture materials and scale them up for use in industry. Find out more.

Transforming sulfur Transforming sulfur into an alternative to plastics

Transforming sulfur

Explore how our chemists discovered a new catalytic process to make polymers out of sulfur.

The Power of 10X: Using Materials Innovation to Reach Net Zero

We are integrating scientific insight, machine learning and lab automation, to shorten research and innovation time to fundamentally change global industry with new materials. This will enable new forms of energy use and storage, and recyclable and sustainable products.

Advanced materials capabilities and facilities

Materials Innovation Factory

Materials Innovation Factory

Our Materials Innovation Factory is a unique facility that is at the forefront of revolutionary materials research.

Surface Science Research Centre

Surface Science research

The Surface Science Research Centre conducts research across the disciplines of Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Materials Science.

Leverhulme Research Centre

Leverhulme Research Centre

Developing young researchers by offering PhD opportunities and external fellowships in the field of functional materials design.

Meet some of our leading academics in advanced materials research:

Professor Andy Cooper

Professor Andy Cooper

Director of the Materials Innovation Factory

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Professor Matthew Rosseinsky

Professor Matthew Rosseinsky

Chemistry

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Professor Rasmita Raval

Professor Rasmita Raval

Director of Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces

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Professor Steve Rannard

Professor Steve Rannard

Chemistry

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Anna Slater

Dr Anna Slater

Royal Society University Research Fellow

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Professor Yuyuan Zhao

Professor Yuyuan Zhao

Professor of Materials Science

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Professor Chris Sutcliffe

Professor Chris Sutcliffe

Professor of Additive Manufacturing

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Professor Karl Whittle

Professor Karl Whittle

Professor of Nuclear Engineering

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Professor Alessandro Troisi

Professor Alessandro Troisi

Chemistry

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Professor Jose Lopez-Sanchez

Professor Jose Lopez-Sanchez

MicroBioRefinery Director

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Professor Helen Aspinall

Professor Helen Aspinall

Chemistry

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Laurence Hardwick

Professor Laurence Hardwick

Director of the Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy

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Professor Mathias Brust

Professor Mathias Brust

Chemistry

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Professor Paul Chalker

Professor Paul Chalker

Professor of Materials Science

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Dr Esther Garcia-Tunon Blanca

Dr Esther García-Tuñón

Lecturer in Materials Science and Engineering

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Professor Frederic Blanc

Chemistry

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