Kwang-Leong Choy
Professor of Materials, Faculty of Engineering
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Expertise Summary
Prof. Kwang-Leong Choy has extensive experience in thin film and coating technology as well as synthesis of nanocrystalline materials for various engineering, functional and biomedical. She has edited a book, and published over 100 papers in refereed journals and 10 patents. She obtained her D.Phil. in Materials Science from the University of Oxford, where she was awarded the Hetherington Prize and Oxford Metallurgical Society Award. She was a Violette and Samuel Glasstone Research Fellow at Oxford before joining Imperial College in 1994 as a Governor's Lecturer and was promoted to Reader in 2001. She pioneered the innovative Electrostatic Spray Assisted Vapour Deposition (ESAVD) method which led to the Grunfeld Medal Prize by Institute of Materials (UK) and a spin-out company, IMPT Ltd. The advanced coating methods based on ESAVD have been exploited commercially for the manufacture of ceramic films for engineering applications. These include ceramic components for capacitors, selective gas separation, reforming catalyst, and thermal barrier coatings for gas turbine blades. In addition, she was awarded a Visiting Professorship (2001/02) by the Swedish Engineering Research Council at the University of Uppsala.
She came to Nottingham in October 2002 and is leading a research team developing novel and cost-effective vapour processing of ceramic, polymer and nano-structured materials for engineering applications. She has been awarded major research contracts from EPSRC, HEFCE, the Royal Society, and many companies. These include Rolls-Royce, BG/Advantica, BP(USA), Norsk Hydro, IHI (Japan), Qinetiq, DSTL, Gillette and IMPT. Currently, her group is participating in four large research projects related to nanomaterials, nanocomposite and thin films, with extensive academic and industrial collaborations: EPSRC Supergen on Fuel Cells, EU FP6-EXCELL, FOREMOST and RESTOOL. She is the recipient of Innovation Fellowship funded by Higher Education Innovation (2005/06) and Regional Fellowships (2006/07) for her pioneering work on the rapid fabrication and nanostructured polymer films for engineering applications. She is organiser of several international conferences/workshops including the International Workshop on Advanced Nanostructured Materials and Thin Films for Industrial Applications (2008).
Research Summary
My research interests are primarily in the development of processing-structure-properties relationships for structural, functional and biomedical materials, (including ceramics, cermets, polymers,… read more
Selected Publications
CHOY, K-L., 2002. Process principles and applications of novel and cost-effective ESAVD based methods. In: CHOY, K-L., ed., Innovative processing films and nanocrystalline powders London: Imperial College Press. 15-69
CHOY, K.L., 2003. Chemical vapour deposition of coatings Progress in Materials Science. 48(2), 57-170 CHOY, K., 2004. Deposition of a film material on the substrate by generation of aerosol via nozzle unit with electrode(s) and outlet(s) to the heated substrate, charging aerosol, and generating an electric field between the substrate and electrode(s) US patent US6800333 10/01/2004 00:00:00
Current Research
My research interests are primarily in the development of processing-structure-properties relationships for structural, functional and biomedical materials, (including ceramics, cermets, polymers, nanomaterials and nanocomposites). Key activities include:
· Development of processing techniques for affordable coatings and nanomaterials based on:
a) Innovative and non vacuum nanomaterials processing methods; and
b) Novel and cost-effective surface coating and thin film vapour deposition technologies.
· Nanoscale surface engineering with significant enhancement in properties.
· Nanostructured films and nanocomposite coatings production.
· Nanopowder production and functionalisation.
· Highly textured growth of nanowires and nanotubes.
· Nanoscale analysis, testing and manipulation.
· Applications of nanomaterials for tribology, aerospace, electronic, biomedical and electrochemical devices (rechargeable batteries, sensors), energy generation devices (solid oxide fuel cells, and solar cells).
We welcome collaboration with 3rd parties with broader interests in engineering applications.