Professor Robert Dorey
Professor of Nanomaterials
Location: Building 70, Cranfield campus
E: r.a.dorey@cranfield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1234750111 x2726
Manufacturing and Materials
Current activities
Professor Robert Dorey holds a Chair in Nanomaterials and leads a research group exploring the application of nanomaterials for novel micro and nanotechnology solutions for the energy and environment sectors. This work is undertaken through the exploration of three interrelated themes of:
- Personal energy generation solutions based on functional materials and devices including solid oxide fuel cells, thermoelectric, ferroelectric, pyroelectric and piezoelectric materials.
- Environmental and structural health monitoring sensors
- Environmentally friendly processing routes for minimising energy, material and chemical usage.
Clients
- EPSRC, NERC, European Commission
- DEFRA
- NPL
- ISTEC-CNR (Italy)
- Ferroperm (Denmark)
- Central Research Fiat (CRF)
- Imasonic (France)
- Thales (France & UK)
- Extremephotonix (USA)
- Perkin Elmer (UK)
- Oxford Applied Coatings (UK)
Background
Professor Robert Dorey is part of the Sports Surface and Nanotechnology Institute and leads an independent research group on nano and microtechnology in energy and the environment. The research work focuses on environmentally friendly materials and processing, personal energy solutions and environmental and structural health monitoring sensors based on nano and microtechnology.
Common to the three themes is the study of the fabrication, manipulation and translocation of nanoscale materials, the use of design in shaping the future structures and applications of smart technologies and the design & production of prototype 2 & 3D functional micro electromechanically systems (MEMS) incorporating functional materials. Examples of MEMS that have been developed include: high frequency (>30MHz) ultrasound transducers; piezoelectric energy harvesters and transformers; micro solid oxide fuel cells; gravimetric gas and chemical sensors; and acoustic emission sensors.
Between 2003 and 2008 he held a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering/EPSRC Research Fellowship examining the 3D fabrication of micro scale functional ceramic devices which led to the development of this leading research activity.
In 2009 he became director of Cranfield, a cross university initiative, bringing together applied nanotechnologists from across Cranfield’s research sectors to develop new synergistic collaborations and explore the potentials of nano and related, technologies across a range of industrial sectors.
Prior to joining Cranfield, Robert spent time as a researcher at the Max Planck Institute, Stuttgart, Germany, examining growth of single crystal beryllium, and the Institute for Structural and Functional Ceramics, Leoben, Austria examining the R-curve behaviour of alumina. He gained his PhD, entitled 'Sintering of alumina and the effect of porosity on properties', from the University of Surrey in 1999.
