Research Themes
The primary focus research is addressing the engineering science of particulate processes and products by applying an integrated approach to formulation design and manufacturing from a molecular level to large scale production. With access to over 100 experts our knowledge base is relevant to industrial sectors including pharmaceutical, personal care, pigments and household products, fine chemicals, foods, polymers and biomaterials.
Current contract research themes include:
Characterisation and Formulation
- Characterisation of colloidal dispersions
- Interfacial properties
- Rheology and viscometry
- Ultrasound technology for product shelf life and stability determination
- Development of instrument for characterising cohesive powders, submicron and nanoparticles
- Encapsulation
- Formulation and colloidal engineering
- Nano-, micro- and macroscopic properties of powders and grains
- Particle packing and structure related properties
- X-ray diffraction tomography for crystallisation and particle processes
Crystallisation
- Crystal growth
- Crystal structure determination
- Development of Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) for monitoring and control of batch crystallization
- Polymorph selection
- Process scale-up
- Product molecular and solid-state chemistry
Nano-systems
- Nanofluids production and characterisation
- Nanoparticle formation, manufacturing and characterisation
- Production and characterisation of nano-assemblies and nano-composites
- Spreading, wetting and drying behaviour of nanofluids
Processing
Milling & Granulation
- Agglomeration - effects of scaling-up high shear mixer granulators
- Damage mechanics of particulate solids in relation to attrition, communition, erosion and abrasion of surfaces
- Electromechanical Valve for Solids (EVS) – flow control of granular materials
- Size enlargement by high shear granulation
- Size reduction by milling
- Laboratory to industrial scale
Particle Formation
- Batch crystallisation
- Laboratory and pilot plant scales
- In-line and On-line monitoring of nucleation events
- Membrane emulsification technologies
- Laboratory and pilot plant scales
- Supercritical fluid processing
- Laboratory and pilot plant scales
Powder Characteristics
- Industrial powder mixing
- Macroscopic bulk behaviour to single particle properties for the analysis of flow, segregation, compaction, dispersion and mixing
- Mineral separation and transportation
- Particle packing and structure related properties
- Photo stress analysis
- Process fluid dynamics and transport processes (CFD modelling)
- Solids motion and heat transfer, and solids mixing and segregation in fluidized beds, fixed beds, moving beds, and rotating drums