Materials, Structure and Manufacturing

Led by Professor Peter Lee and Drs Alex Leung and Claire Walsh, the Materials, Structure and Manufacturing at Harwell (MSM@H) Group is a multidisciplinary group with over 30 members. Our research focuses on the multi-modal imaging and computer simulation of three phase materials at the microstructural (nano-meter to micron scale). We develop new imaging techniques with a focus on synchrotron x-ray imaging, design in situ rigs to replicate processing and service conditions, and user the data to inform computer simulation and digital twin models. The two main application areas  are 1. multi-modal imaging of additive manufacturing processes; and 1. Hierarchical Phase-Contrast (HiP-CT) imaging of biological samples, including intact whole organs. We publish ~30 scientific papers per year. Our group have built state-of-the-art in situ rigs and process replicators which enable us look inside processes (from  additive manufacturing to loading of biological samples) in real-time with ultra-fast synchrotron x-ray imaging.