Contact Dr Stefano Mori
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754863
- Email: Stefano.Mori@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
Background
Dr Stefano Mori is a Lecturer in Energy and Materials at Cranfield University working at the interface of corrosion science, causal inference and artificial intelligence. His research aims to transform materials degradation from a predominantly empirical discipline into a predictive science by identifying the causal mechanisms governing corrosion in extreme environments.
His work combines advanced experimental characterisation, thermodynamic modelling, explainable machine learning and causal discovery to understand and predict degradation in next-generation energy systems, including concentrated solar power, thermal energy storage and high-temperature industrial processes. Through international collaborations and leadership roles across academia and industry, he is developing new approaches for predicting materials performance under previously unexplored operating conditions, accelerating the deployment of low-carbon energy technologies.
Membership of committees:
• Member of the UKRI Talent Peer Review College since Jan 2025
• Task Lead for Working Group 2 (Energy Materials) within EUMAT since April 2025
• Task Lead for Task 4.1 (High Temperature Oxidation) for the UK-US Energy Collaboration since April 2025
• Member of the Steering Committee for the Energy Materials Group within the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining since April 2025
• Work Package Lead and Project Co-Lead of Industrial funded project on AM Materials for Gas Turbines Blade, led by Energy Turbomachinery Network (ETN)
Research opportunities
Dr Stefano Mori's research focuses on materials degradation in extreme environments, with particular interests in corrosion science, molten salts, thermal energy storage and high-temperature energy systems. His work combines laboratory experimentation, thermodynamic modelling, causal inference and machine learning to understand degradation mechanisms and develop predictive approaches for materials performance in next-generation low-carbon energy technologies. His long-term vision is to establish predictive degradation science as a new research field, enabling reliable prediction of materials behaviour in extreme environments through the integration of corrosion science, causal inference and artificial intelligence.
Applications from postgraduates having developed research questions related to materials degradation in extreme environments, specially if linked to transition of energy systems to net zero, novel fuel for net zero are welcome.
If you are in the process of applying for external funding, then you are invited to contact to correspond on your application to complete your research at Cranfield University as you develop your research proposal.
Current activities
Supervisor of 4 PhD Students:
- Novel Functionalized Separator for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
- Development of slurry aluminide coating for gas turbine blade
- Corrosion behaviour of Additive Manufactured Materials for turbine blade
- AI-Driven Multimodal Sensing and Data Fusion for Autonomous Industrial Inspection in Nigeria's Oil and Gas Industry
Co-supervisor of 3 PhD students
- Securing Noise and Vibration in Avionics by Vibroacoustic Metamaterials
- Machine Learning Prediction and Optimisation of the Impact of Flue Gas Impurities on Degradation of Amine Grafted Adsorbent for Carbon Capture
- Direct Ammonia Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for Carbon-Free Energy Production
Co-supervised 3 PhD students to completion:
- Prediction and Monitoring for Subsea Valve Reliability and Integrity Management
- Monitoring of Stress Corrosion Cracking under Representative Pipeline Conditions
- Investigating the Failure Mechanisms of First Stage Blade Materials and LPBF Alloy 625: Oxidation and Carburization Analysis in High-temperature Supercritical CO2
Supervised >50 MSc students’ projects/dissertation to successful completion.
Clients
He collaborates with leading industrial, governmental and academic organisations to address materials degradation challenges in energy generation, thermal energy storage, power systems and industrial decarbonisation. His research has supported projects funded through UK and European programmes and delivered in partnership with organisations including EPSRC, Innovate UK, Horizon 2020, Siemens Energy, EDF, ENGIE, and other stakeholders across the energy sector.
His work spans the full innovation pathway, from fundamental understanding of degradation mechanisms to the development of predictive methodologies and tools for industrial decision-making. Through these collaborations, he has contributed to solving materials challenges relevant to gas turbines, concentrated solar power, thermal energy storage, advanced manufacturing and low-carbon energy technologies.
Selected Collaborators and Funding Partners
- EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
- Innovate UK
- European Horizon 2020 Programme
- Siemens Energy
- EDF
- ENGIE-Laboralec
- International academic and research partners across Europe and North America supporting the transition to net-zero energy systems.
- Porvair Filtration
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Catizane C, Jiang Y, Banks S, Sumner J & Mori S. (2027). Electrochemical hydrogenation of the hydrophobic oily phase of pinewood and wheat-straw pyrolysis oils in methanol. Fuel, 428, Part B
- Runyon J, Perejón AE, Pilotti L, Tilocca G, Mori S, .... (2027). Methodology for the evaluation of low-carbon fuels in power generation gas turbine applications. Fuel, 429, Part D
- Mori S, Mendil M, Wells J, Chapman N, Simms NJ, .... (2026). An approach to evaluating the impact of contaminants on flux deposition in gas turbines. Energy Systems, 17(1)
- Joy T, Mori S & Sumner J. (2025). High-temperature corrosion behaviour of stainless steel welds in molten NaNO3-KNO3-KCl environment for concentrated solar power. Journal of Energy Storage, 113
- Li F, Meng W, Mori S, Wang Y, Wang C, .... (2025). Investigation on the mechanism of improving the forming quality of cavitation water jet micro-punching by using a rubber membrane. Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, 25(3)
- Eriksson J-E, Mori S, Silvander L, Hupa L & Lehmusto J. (2025). Comparison of laboratory-scale methods for assessing deposit-induced corrosion of boiler materials in biomass combustion and recovery boilers. High Temperature Corrosion of Materials, 102(4)
- White R, Potter A, Sumner J & Mori S. (2025). Bulk hydrogen production and the impact on turbomachinery lifing. E3S Web of Conferences, 663
- Varghese A, Arana-Catania M, Mori S, Encinas-Oropesa A & Sumner J. (2024). Causal discovery to understand hot corrosion. Materials and Corrosion, 75(12)
- Pidcock A, Mori S, Sumner J, Simms NJ, Nicholls JR, .... (2023). High temperature corrosion of HVOF coatings in laboratory-simulated biomass combustion superheater environments. Oxidation of Metals, 99(1-2)
- Mori S, Pidcock A, Sumner J, Simms NJ & Oakey J. (2023). Fireside performance of different coatings in biomass power plant. Materials at High Temperatures, 40(4)
- Norman BP, Al Baroudi H, Potter A, Mori S, Simms NJ, .... (2023). Corrosion of potential first stage blade materials in simulated supercritical CO2. Materials at High Temperatures, 40(4)
- Abubakar SA, Mori S & Sumner J. (2023). Effect of dissolved CO2 on the interaction of stress and corrosion for pipeline carbon steels in simulated marine environments. Metals, 13(7)
- Mori S, Lamastra FR & Montesperelli G. (2023). Hybrid ceramic self-healing coatings for corrosion protection of Al alloys in 3% NaCl solution. Coatings, 13(10)
- Mori S, Sumner J, Bouvet J & Simms NJ. (2022). Fireside and steamside performance in biomass power plant. Materials at High Temperatures, 39(2)
- Mori S, Sanusi T, Simms NJ & Sumner J. (2022). Fireside corrosion and deposition on heat exchangers in biomass combustion systems. Materials at High Temperatures, 40(1)
- Abubakar SA, Mori S & Sumner J. (2022). A review of factors affecting SCC initiation and propagation in pipeline carbon steels. Metals, 12(8)
- Mori S, Pidcock A, Sumner J, Simms NJ & Oakey J. (2021). Fireside corrosion of heat exchanger materials for advanced solid fuel fired power plants. Oxidation of Metals, 97(3-4)
- Cacciotti I, Mori S, Cherubini V & Nanni F. (2018). Eco-sustainable systems based on poly(lactic acid), diatomite and coffee grounds extract for food packaging. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 112
- Mori S, Lamastra FR, Kaciulis S, Soltani P & Montesperelli G. (2018). Low-temperature titania coatings for aluminium corrosion protection. Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology, 53(1)
- Lamastra FR, Mori S, Cherubini V, Scarselli M & Nanni F. (2017). A new green methodology for surface modification of diatomite filler in elastomers. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 194
- Mori S & Montesperelli G. (2017). Titania hybrid coatings on AA6082. Metallurgia Italiana, 109(7-8)
- Persichetti L, Sgarlata A, Mori S, Notarianni M, Cherubini V, .... (2014). Beneficial defects: exploiting the intrinsic polishing-induced wafer roughness for the catalyst-free growth of Ge in-plane nanowires. Nanoscale Research Letters, 9(1)
Conference Papers
- Thanganadar D, Simms N, Patchigolla K, Mori S & Kulkarni A. (2022). A Detailed Modelling of Deposition on Superheater Tubes to Enhance Boiler Flexibility
- Mori S, Sumner J, Pidcock A, Nicholls JR & Simms NJ. (2021). Steam Oxidation Responses of Candidate Materials for a Novel Steam Transfer Pipe
- Al Baroudi H, Mori S, Patchigolla K & Oakey JE. (2021). Qualification of elastomer materials for CO2 pipeline systems
- Simms NJ, Ekpe B, Riccio C, Mori S, Sumner J, .... (2019). Approaches to modelling fireside corrosion of superheater / reheater tubes in coal and biomass fired combustion power plants
- Simms NJ, Ekpe B, Riccio C, Mori S, Sumner J, .... (2019). APPROACHES TO MODELING FIRESIDE CORROSION OF SUPERHEATER / REHEATER TUBES IN COAL AND BIOMASS FIRED COMBUSTION POWER PLANTS
- Simms N, Mori S, Kilgallon P, Sumner J, Pidcock A, .... (2018). Fireside corrosion on superheater / reheater tubes for advanced ultra supercritical power systems
- Bragaglia M, Cherubini V, Cacciotti I, Rinaldi M, Mori S, .... (2015). Citric acid aerospace stainless steel passivation: a green approach