Areas of expertise
- Biomass and Waste
- Composites
- Conventional & Advanced Fuels
- Energy and the Environment
- Fuels
- Nanomaterials
- Process Systems Engineering
- Renewable Energy
- Waste Management and Resource Efficiency
Background
Professor Leeke has expertise in high pressure engineering and thermo-chemical processing, specifically in supercritical fluid technology. He has addressed a number of engineering issues in reaction engineering, separation technology, flow reactors, and their applications to polymer/composite processing and remanufacture, organic waste processing, oil upgrading, industrial biotechnology and the circular economy.
Professor Leeke received his PhD under the direction of the late Michael King from the University of Birmingham in 2000. His PhD research focused on high pressure phase equilibria and mass transfer. After his PhD, Professor Leeke took up a post-doctoral researcher post and then spent a spell in industry where he executed research and development for the oil, gas and water industries. He then returned to Birmingham to undertake further post-doctoral research and was awarded a lectureship in 2006, progressing to Reader in Low Carbon Technologies in 2013. He moved to Cranfield University in 2016 and continues to be an honorary senior researcher at the University of Birmingham, School of Chemical Engineering.
Current activities
Professor Leeke's research is largely focused on recycling enabling technologies, energy production and energy reduction through the design and development of robust resilient processes that lead to new and improved products, including:
Composite recycling and re-manufacture – the EXHUME project
Supercritical fluid technology
Particle formation
High pressure reactions
Polymer processing
High pressure phase behaviour
Separation science
Advanced thermal technologies
Pyrolysis
Gasification technologies and Hybrid CSP-Gasifiers
Biomass and plastics, including mixed plastic waste
Upgrading and refining of material streams
Steam and supercritical water
Waste and polymers
Dairy processing
Catalysis
Bioenergy
Professor Leeke sits on the Composites Leadership Forum Sustainability Working Group for Composites UK and is an editorial board member for Renewable Energy (Elsevier journal).
Clients
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Advantage West Midlands
- Innovate UK
- European Commission
- Brazilian, Kuwaiti, Malaysian, Mexican Governments
- British Council
- BEIS
- Recycling Technologies Ltd
- Sere-Tech Innovation Ltd
- Cytec Solvay
- Toyota
- Pepsico
- GLW-Feeds
- Arla
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Johnson Matthey
- Omniform
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Jiang G, Sanchez Monsalve DA, Clough P, Jiang Y & Leeke G (2021) Understanding the dechlorination of chlorinated hydrocarbons in the pyrolysis of mixed plastics, ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 9 (4) 1576-1589.
- Murphy SH, Leeke GA & Jenkins MJ (2021) A Comparison of the use of FTIR spectroscopy with DSC in the characterisation of melting and crystallisation in polycaprolactone, Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 107 (2) 669-674.
- Torres D, Jiang Y, Monsalve DS & Leeke GA (2021) Chlorine removal from the pyrolysis of urban polyolefinic waste in a semi-batch reactor, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 9 (1) Article No. 104920.
- Matos RL, Lu T, McConville C, Leeke G & Ingram A (2018) Analysis of curcumin precipitation and coating on lactose by the integrated supercritical antisolvent-fluidized bed process, Journal of Supercritical Fluids, 141 (November) 143-156.
- Oliveux G, Bailleul J-L, A Gillet A, Mantaux O & Leeke GA (2017) Recovery and reuse of discontinuous carbon fibres by solvolysis: realignment and properties of remanufactured materials, Composites Science and Technology, 139 (February) 99-108.
- Li Q, Huang D, Lu T, Seville JPK, Xing L & Leeke GA (2017) Supercritical fluid coating of API on excipient enhances drug release, Chemical Engineering Journal, 313 (April) 317-327.
- Smith KB, Bridson RH, Leeke & GA (2017) Crystallisation of APIs from ionic liquids, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 62 (10) 1412-1413.
- Murphy, SH, Marsh J, Kelly CA, Leeke GA & Jenkins MJ (2017) CO2 assisted blending of poly(lactic acid) and poly(ε-caprolactone), European Polymer Journal, 8 (March) 34-43.
- Rybicka J, Tiwari A & Leeke G (2016) Technology readiness level assessment of composites recycling technologies, Journal of Cleaner Production, 112 (1) 1001-1012. Dataset/s: 10.17862/cranfield.rd.3442805.v1
- Vizcaino-Caston I, Kelly C, Fitzgerald A, Leeke G, Jenkins M & Overton T (2016) Development of a rapid method to isolate polyhydroxyalkanoates from bacteria for screening studies, Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 121 (1) 101-104.
- Román-Ramírez L, García-Sánchez F, Santos R & Leeke G (2016) Vapour-liquid equilibrium of propanoic acid+water at 423.2, 453.2 and 483.2K from 1.87 to 19.38bar. Experimental and modelling with PR, CPA, PC-SAFT and PCP-SAFT, Fluid Phase Equilibria, 388 (February) 151-159.
- Román-Ramírez LA & Leeke G (2016) p–x Data of (Acetic Acid + Water) at T = (412.6, 443.2, 483.2) K, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 61 (6) 2078-2082.
- Speranza L, Ingram A & Leeke G (2015) Assessment of algae biodiesel viability based on the area requirement in the European Union, United States and Brazil, Renewable Energy, 78 406-417.
- Maniam S, Holmes A, Leeke G, Bilic A & Collis G (2015) Chemically altering the solubility and durability of dyes for sensitized solar cells, Organic Letters, 17 (16) 4022-4025.
- Al-Marshed A, Hart A, Leeke G, Greaves M & Wood J (2015) Effectiveness of different transition metal dispersed catalysts for in situ heavy oil upgrading, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 54 (43) 10645-10655.
- Dandy L, Oliveux G, Wood J, Jenkins M & Leeke G (2015) Counting carbon fibres by electrical resistance measurement, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 68 276-281.
- Oliveux G, Dandy L & Leeke G (2015) Degradation of a model epoxy resin by solvolysis routes, Polymer Degradation and Stability, 118 96-103.
- Al-Marshed A, Hart A, Leeke G, Greaves M & Wood J (2015) Optimization of heavy oil upgrading using dispersed nanoparticulate iron oxide as a catalyst, Energy and Fuels, 29 (10) 6306-6316.
- Overton T, Lu T, Bains N & Leeke G (2015) Reduction of aerobic and lactic acid bacteria in dairy desludge using an integrated compressed CO2 and ultrasonic process, Dairy Science and Technology, 95 (5) 733-745.
- Dandy L, Oliveux G, Wood J, Jenkins M & Leeke G (2015) Accelerated degradation of Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite materials for recycling applications, Polymer Degradation and Stability, 112 52-62.
- Hajimirzaee S, Ainte M, Soltani B, Behbahani R, Leeke G & Wood J (2015) Dehydration of methanol to light olefins upon zeolite/alumina catalysts: Effect of reaction conditions, catalyst support and zeolite modification, Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 93 541-553.
- Oliveux G, Dandy LO, Leeke & GA (2015) Current status of recycling of fibre reinforced polymers: Review of technologies, reuse and resulting properties, Progress in Materials Science, 72 61-99.
- Smith K, Bridson R & Leeke G (2014) Crystallisation control of paracetamol from ionic liquids, CrystEngComm (Royal Society of Chemistry), 16 (47) 10797-10803.
- Leeke G, Lu T, Bridson R & Seville J (2014) Application of nano-particle coatings to carrier particles using an integrated fluidized bed supercritical fluid precipitation process, Journal of Supercritical Fluids, 91 (July) 7-14.
- Hart A, Leeke G, Greaves M & Wood J (2014) Downhole heavy crude oil upgrading using CAPRI: effect of steam upon upgrading and coke formation, Energy and Fuels, 28 (3) 1811-1819.
- Hart A, Leeke G, Greaves M & Wood J (2014) Down-hole heavy crude oil upgrading by CAPRI: Effect of hydrogen and methane gases upon upgrading and coke formation, Fuel, 119 226-235.
- Tapah BF Santos RCD & Leeke GA (2014) Processing of glycerol under sub and supercritical water conditions, Renewable Energy, 62 353-361.
- Kelly C, Murphy S, Hillerström A, Gilling J, Massoudi S, Jenkins M & Leeke G (2014) Production of biodegradable foams using supercritical CO2, Polymer-Plastics Technology and Engineering, 53 (11) 1169-1177.
- Cenci SM, Cox LR & Leeke GA (2014) Ultrasound-induced CO2/H2O emulsions as a medium for clean product formation and separation: The barbier reaction as a synthetic example, ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 2 (5) 1280-1288.
- Bahari A, Baig MN, Leeke GA, Bowra S & Santos RCD (2014) Subcritical water mediated hydrolysis of cider spent yeast: Kinetics of HMF synthesis from a waste microbial biomass, Industrial Crops and Products, 61 137-144.
- Cenci SM, Cox LR & Leeke GA (2014) Ultrasound-induced emulsification of subcritical carbon dioxide/water with and without surfactant as a strategy for enhanced mass transport, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 21 (1) 401-408.
- Sattar A, Leeke G, Hornung A & Wood J (2014) Steam gasification of rapeseed, wood, sewage sludge and miscanthus biochars for the production of a hydrogen-rich syngas, Biomass and Bioenergy, 69 276-286.
- Hart A, Shah A, Leeke G, Greaves M & Wood J (2013) Optimization of the CAPRI process for heavy oil upgrading: Effect of hydrogen and guard bed, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 52 (44) 15394-15406.
- Kelly CA, Harrison KL, Leeke GA & Jenkins MJ (2012) Detection of melting point depression and crystallization of polycaprolactone (PCL) in scCO 2 by infrared spectroscopy, Polymer Journal, 45 (2) 188-192.
- Orozco RL, Redwood MD, Leeke GA, Bahari A, Santos RCD & MacAskie LE (2012) Hydrothermal hydrolysis of starch with CO2 and detoxification of the hydrolysates with activated carbon for bio-hydrogen fermentation, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 37 (8) 6545-6553.
- Hajimirzaee S, Leeke GA & Wood J (2012) Modified zeolite catalyst for selective dialkylation of naphthalene, Chemical Engineering Journal, 207-208 329-341.
- Kelly CA, Murphy SH, Leeke GA, Howdle SM, Shakesheff KM & Jenkins MJ (2012) Rheological studies of polycaprolactone in supercritical CO2, European Polymer Journal, 49 (2) 464-470.
- Kelly CA, Howdle SM, Shakesheff KM, Jenkins MJ & Leeke GA (2012) Viscosity studies of poly(DL -lactic acid) in supercritical CO 2, Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 50 (19) 1383-1393.
- Alenezi R, Santos R, Raymahasay S & Leeke G (2012) Improved biodiesel manufacture at low temperature and short reaction time, Renewable Energy, 53 242-248.
- Nabil Salimi M, Bridson RH, Grover LM & Leeke GA (2011) Effect of processing conditions on the formation of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, Powder Technology, 218 109-118.
- Shah A, Fishwick RP, Leeke GA, Wood J, Rigby SP & Greaves M (2011) Experimental optimization of catalytic process in situ for heavy-oil and bitumen upgrading, Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, 50 (11-12) 33-47.
- Baig M., Leeke G., Hammond P. & Santos R. (2011) Modelling the extraction of soil contaminants with supercritical carbon dioxide, Environmental Pollution, 159 (7) 1802-1809.
- Maniam S, Holmes A, Krstina J, Leeke G & Collis G. (2011) Supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent for deposition of a tailored dye in dye sensitized solar cells, Green Chemistry, 13 (12) 3329-3332.
- Smith K, Bridson R & Leeke G. (2011) Solubilities of pharmaceutical compounds in ionic liquids, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 56 (5) 2039-2043.
- Roque RMN, Baig MN, Leeke GA, Bowra S & Santos RCD (2011) Study on sub-critical water mediated hydrolysis of Miscanthus a lignocellulosic biomass, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 59 43-46.
- Shah A, Fishwick R, Wood J, Leeke G, Rigby S & Greaves M (2010) A review of novel techniques for heavy oil and bitumen extraction and upgrading, Energy and Environmental Science, 3 (6) 700-714.
- Alenezi R., Leeke G., Winterbottom J., Santos R. & Khan A. (2010) Esterification kinetics of free fatty acids with supercritical methanol for biodiesel production, Energy Conversion and Management, 51 (5) 1055-1059.
- Collins N, Bridson R, Leeke G & Grover L (2010) Particle seeding enhances interconnectivity in polymeric scaffolds foamed using supercritical CO2, Acta Biomaterialia, 6 (3) 1055-1060.
- Alenezi R, Baig M, Wang J, Santos R & Leeke G (2009) Continuous flow hydrolysis of sunflower oil for biodiesel, Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization and Environmental Effects, 32 (5) 460-468.
- Angeles-Hernández M, Leeke G & Santos R (2009) Catalytic supercritical water oxidation for the destruction of quinoline over MnO2/CuO mixed catalyst, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 48 (3) 1208-1214.
- Alenezi R, Leeke G, Santos R & Khan A (2009) Hydrolysis kinetics of sunflower oil under subcritical water conditions, Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 87 (6) 867-873.
- Lu T, Blackburn S, Dickinson C, Rosseinsky M, Hutchings G, Axon S & Leeke G (2009) Production of titania nanoparticles by a green process route, Powder Technology, 188 (3) 264-271.
- Collins N, Leeke G, Bridson R, Hassan F & Grover L (2008) The influence of silica on pore diameter and distribution in PLA scaffolds produced using supercritical CO2, Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 19 (4) 1497-1502.
- Lee J, Fuchter M, Williamson R, Leeke G, Bush E, McConvey I, Saubern S, Ryan J & Holmes A (2008) Diaryl ether synthesis in supercritical carbon dioxide in batch and continuous flow modes, Chemical Communications (39) 4780-4782.
- Nalawade S, Westerman D, Leeke GA, Santos RCD, Grijpma D & Feijen J (2008) Preparation of porous poly(trimethylene carbonate) structures for controlled release applications using high pressure CO2, Journal of Controlled Release, 132 (3) e73-e75.
- Leeke GA, Santos RCD, Al-Duri B, Seville JPK, Smith CJ, Lee CKY, Holmes AB & McConvey IF (2007) Continuous-flow suzuki-miyaura reaction in supercritical carbon dioxide, Organic Process Research and Development, 11 (1) 144-148.
- Jenkins M, Cao Y, Howell L & Leeke G (2007) Miscibility in blends of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) and poly(ε-caprolactone) induced by melt blending in the presence of supercritical CO2, Polymer, 48 (21) 6304-6310.
- Leeke G, Cai J & Jenkins M (2006) Solubility of supercritical carbon dioxide in polycaprolactone (CAPA 6800) at 313 and 333 K, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 51 (5) 1877-1879.
- Lee C, Holmes A, Ley S, McConvey I, Al-Duri B, Leeke G, Santos R & Seville J (2005) Efficient batch and continuous flow Suzuki cross-coupling reactions under mild conditions, catalysed by polyurea-encapsulated palladium (II) acetate and tetra-n-butylammonium salts, Chemical Communications (16) 2175-2177.
- Lu T, Gaspar F & Leeke G (2005) Effect of flow rate on the extraction of volatile concentrates and resinoid compounds from Origanum vulgare L. ssp.virens (Hoffm. et Link) letswaart using compressed CO2, Journal of Essential Oil Research, 17 (1) 89-93.
- Leeke G., Santos R., Al-Duri B., Seville J., Smith C. & Holmes A. (2005) Solubilities of 4-phenyltoluene, phenylboric acid, biphenyl, and iodobenzene in carbon dioxide from measurements of the relative permittivity, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 50 (4) 1370-1374.
- Gaspar F & Leeke G (2004) Comparison between compressed CO2 extracts and hydrodistilled essential oil, Journal of Essential Oil Research, 16 (1) 64-68.
- Lee C, Holmes A, Al-Duri B, Leeke G, Santos R & Seville J (2004) Nitrile oxide cycloadditions in supercritical carbon dioxide, Chemical Communications, 10 (22) 2622-2623.
- Leeke G, Santos R, Seville J, Al-Duri B, Lee C & Holmes A (2004) Solubilities of p-tolylboronic acid, bromobenzene, and 4-phenyltoluene in carbon dioxide at elevated pressures, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 49 (1) 48-52.
- Gaspar F, Leeke G, Al-Duri B & Santos R (2003) Modelling the disruption of essential oils glandular trichomes with compressed CO2, Journal of Supercritical Fluids, 25 (3) 233-245.
- Leeke G, Gaspar F & Santos R (2003) The effect of water on the solubilities of essential oils in dense CO2, Journal of Essential Oil Research, 15 (3) 172-177.
- Leeke G, Gaspar F & Santos R (2002) Influence of water on the extraction of essential oils from a model herb using supercritical carbon dioxide, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 41 (8) 2033-2039.
- Gaspar F & Leeke G (2002) Essential oil from Origanum vulgare L. ssp. virens (Hoffm. et Link) Letswaart: content, composition and distribution within the bracts, Journal of Essential Oil Research, 16 (2) 82-84.
- Leeke G, Santos R & King M (2001) Vapor-liquid equilibria for the carbon dioxide + carvacrol system at elevated pressures, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 46 (3) 541-545.
Conference Papers
- Keith MJ, Ingram A & Leeke GA (2018) Recycling carbon fibre with an acetone/water solvent and zinc chloride catalyst: resin degradation and fibre characterisation. In: SAMPE Conference 18, Southampton, 11-13 September 2018.
- Keith MJ, Oliveux G & Leeke GA (2016) Optimisation of solvolysis for recycling carbon fibre reinforced composites. In: 17th European Conference on Composite Materials (ECCM17), 2016, Munich, 26-30 June 2016.
- Oliveux G, Dandy L & Leeke GA (2014) A step change in the recycling of composite materials. In: 16th European Conference on Composite Materials (ECCM16), 2014, Seville, 22-26 June 2014.
- Dandy L, Oliveux G, Wood J, Jenkins M & Leeke G (2014) The determination of carbon fibre bundle sizes by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In: 16th European conference on composite materials (ECCM16), Seville, 22 June 2014.
- Shah A, Fishwick R, Leeke G, Wood J, Rigby S & Greaves M (2010) Experimental optimization of catalytic process in-situ for heavy oil and bitumen upgrading. In: Canadian Unconventional Resources and International Petroleum Conference, Calgary, Alberta, 19-21 October 2010.
- Luscombe C., Huck W., Holmes A., Lu T., Leeke G., Santos R., Al-Duri B. & Seville J. (2002) Patterned deposition from compressed carbon dioxide. In: 2002 Materials Research Society Symposium, Boston, Massachusetts, 2-6 December 2002.
