Professor Martin Buggy

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• Professor Martin Buggy
• Research Connections Polymer Workshop
• Athlone 22/04/2009

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Polymer Science teaching

• Modules in Polymer Chemistry, Polymer Science
  (solid state properties /viscoelasticity/rubber
  elasticity) and Polymer Process Engineering
  taught to various Science and Engineering
  undergraduate courses.
• Polymers feature strongly in modules on Composite
  Materials and Biomedical Materials taught to
  undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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Polymer facilities

• Processing Facilities
• Good quality modern single screw extruder
• Good quality small injection moulder
• Satisfactory compression press
• Old vacuum former
• Old blown film tower
• Excellent thermal, thermomechanical, static and
  dynamic mechanical testing
• Good chemical analysis and microscopy

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Faculty with specific Polymer Science expertise

• Prof. Colin Birkinshaw, MST
• Associate Professor of Polymer Science
• Dr. J J Leahy, CES
• Senior Lecturer
• Dr. Gordon Armstrong, MSSI
• Institute Research Fellow
• Dr Lukasz Figiel, MAE
• Lecturer
• Prof. Martin Buggy, MST and MSSI
• Professor of Engineering Materials

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Interaction with Industry

• Mainly through industrially sponsored or
  HE/Industry funded post-graduate research
  projects.
• Most polymer projects with healthcare and
  biomedical companies.
• Small amount of in-house educational and training
  programmes.
• Since the demise of Materials Ireland PAT, no
  short-term focussed projects undertaken.

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Industrially-funded research

• Sterilisation of biomedical polymers
  (EI/Isotron/DeRoyal)
• Polymers for contact lenses (Vistakon)
• Hydrophilic coating of PVDF membranes (Millipore)
• Polyphosphazine adhesives (EI/Adhesives Research)
• Hydrogels for adhesives (Adhesives Research)

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Research Interests Prof. C. Birkinshaw

• Polymers in orthopaedic devices (often in
  conjunction with Stryker)  
• -Detailed morphological analysis of the
  polyethylenes used in these devices
• -Development of the biomimetic joint using
  compliant layers to improve tribological
  behaviour.  This work involves both materials and
  design development with different material
  combinations are being evaluated in joints of
  various sizes and design.  
• -Bone filler and repair materials are being
  investigated.  It is hoped to develop a putty
  like bone filler based on resorbable polymer
  systems.
• Polymers as drug delivery and release vehicles.
• -Nanoparticle encapsulation and delivery is of
  interest.  Systems being examined include those
  based on cyanoacrylate polymers, lactide and
  glycolide polymers and polycation systems.

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Polymer nanocomposites (Dr Figiel, MAE Department)
1. Optimisation of processing conditions for
PET-based nanocomposites for packaging
applications
2. Performance enhancement of polymeric foams
with nanoparticles (nanoclay, carbon nanotubes)
3. Elastomers reinforced with carbon nanotubes
for sensors and actuators

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Composites Research Centre (CRC)Description of
Centre

• The Composite Research Centre (CRC), University
  of Limerick is an established research grouping
  within the Materials and Surface Science
  Institute (MSSI), and is also an officially
  designated Centre of the University of Limerick.
  It consists of six permanent members of academic
  staff, viz.
• Prof. Martin Buggy
• Dr. Conor McCarthy
• Prof. Michael McCarthy (Co-Director)
• Prof. Noel ODowd
• Dr. Walter Stanley
• Dr. Trevor Young (Co-Director)
• and over 20 researchers (postgrads/postdocs).

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CRC Activities

• CRCs mission is to undertake basic and applied
  research in all aspects of high performance
  composite materials and associated structures,
  including manufacture, properties
  characterisation and theoretical analysis.
• The Centre has enjoyed significant success in
  competitive research competitions, largely
  concerning lightweight, safety-critical
  applications, such as those found in modern
  aircraft structures.
• The Centre plans to expand its activities into
  other industries that are increasing their use of
  composite materials (e.g. biomedical devices,
  sports goods, automotive, construction, marine,
  energy production and electrical products)
  through new initiatives.

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CRC Facilities

• The Centre is currently in the midst of a major
  expansion in its facilities
• Equipment currently being procured include a new
  autoclave (the only such facility in an Irish
  University) for manufacture of composite
  materials, a hot draper former for
  out-of-autoclave composites manufacture, a high
  strain rate tensile test machine including a
  digital image correlation system for testing of
  materials at rates up to 20 m/s, and an x-ray
  system and portable ultrasonic system for
  non-destructive evaluation of materials.
• Laboratories are also being refurbished and
  upgraded, including the provision of a dedicated
  composite material layup/preparation room with
  environmental control and a dedicated composite
  material cutting/machining room with air
  extraction (complying with modern health and
  safety standards).

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Recent Industrially-funded research

• The CRC is currently receiving direct funding
  from
• Airbus
• Global Bolted Composite Joint Modelling
• EADS
• - Friction Testing and Modelling in Composite
  Joints
• Bombardier Aerospace
• Rain Erosion of Composite Leading Edge Materials
• EU funded SME Consortium
• Recycling of Composite Materials