Oana holds a Chair in Materials Science and Manufacturing in the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy. She is Deputy Head of Engineering (Materials and Mechanical Engineering section) and she is also Co-director of Exeter Technology Group (ETG) which includes three research centres: Exeter Advanced Technologies (X-AT); Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM) and Centre for Alternative Materials and Remanufacturing (CALMARE).

She is the academic lead for the CALM centre most of her current research work being in this area.

She started her career as a Research Fellow at Cranfield University- Royal Military College of Science, in the Sensors and Composites Research Group and then at Exeter University.

At Exeter, she has secured funding in value of £10m to Exeter through a wide range of research projects (TSB, EU and EPSRC). Her research is focused on high performance polymers and composites and related manufacturing processes including conventional and new emerging manufacturing processes such as Additive Manufacturing (AM). Her work concentrates on understanding the relationship between molecular structure/morphology, manufacturing and desired final properties. In AM, Oana works in High Temperature Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) and Material Extrusion (MEX) focused primarely on high performance, high temperature engineering polymers such as PEK, PEEK, medical grades of PEEK and PEKK as well as composites (glass, graphatised carbon, ceramic - fibres and fillers and CNTs reinforcement) and polymeric blends. Exeter University has the unique capabilities and expertise in additive manufacture of high performance polymers using commercial High Temperature AM systems: EOS P800, EOS P810, 3DGENCE F340, MiniFactory Ultra 3D and Intamsys and in house developed - High Temperature MEX systems.

She has also been involved in the development of in-line monitoring sensors and novel instrumentation for efficient material use and reduction of manufacturing waste (near IR and Raman spectroscopy, combined NIR/Raman-thermal analysis).

Oana works closely with industry, is a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College and reviewer and technical expert for European Commission.

Selected member of the EPSRC Early Career Forum in Manufacturing Research in 2012

Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM)

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=NREbOyUAAAAJ&hl=en

Current Projects

Multimillion Industrial Partnership with Victrex Plc (2nd) - Next generation of PAEK materials and processes

Innovate UK - Overprinting of High Performance Polymers (OVERHIPP)

Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) - Sartorius- Stedim - The development of polymeric materials optimised for AM for Biopharma industry

EPSRC - Researcher in Residence - In partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) - High Temperature Additive Manufacturing - In search for commercial applications

Innovate UK - Multifunctional PAEK nanocomposites for laser sintering (F4 PAEK)

Multimillion Industrial Partnership with Victrex Plc (1st) - Next Generation of PAEK materials for AM processes

Industry funded Project - Development of polyamide grades for AM

Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI)- High temperature, affordable polymer composites for AM aerospace applications (50668-379162)

EPSRC - Novel high performance polymeric composite materials for additive manufacturing of multifunctional components (EP/N034627/1)

Innovate UK (IUK) - Multifunctional PAEK nanocomposites for Laser SIntering (F4 PAEK) (89963-549685)

Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) - Finisterre - The development of a new sustainable wetsuit with improved options for repair and recycling

Research News and Events

The Polymer International journal released a special issue focused on the synthesis, processing and applications of polyaryletherketones (PAEKs)

A case study developed as part of the UKRI Researcher in Residence Programme in collaboration with the MTC and Thales.

Read the steps took in redesigning a high performance cable guide using Powder Bed Fusion process with Victrex 450PEEK powder

https://youtu.be/9QbJ4N1ySaY

MOF- 3D - Laser Sintering with MOF-PA12 powders

We combine MOF's with 3D printable polymers in such as way that the majority of the MOF adsorbtion capacity is retained but with the benefit of fabricating hierarchical complex structures from the macro to nano scale. The new method of fabrication of the MOF-PA12 powder eliminates the health and safety concerns through reduced nanoscale powder handling as the MOF crystals are well bound to the polymer surface.

Conference on Materials and Structures for Additive Manufacturing

The conference was hosted by the Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM) in collaboration with the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Metamaterials at the University of Exeter.

Pushing for performance in Polymer Powders

Collaboration with the Freeman Technology - specialist in systems for measuring the flow properties of powders

CALM and MTC are partnering to work together on High Performance Polymers and Additive Manufacturing CALM and Victrex Partnership: The partnership has been announced at the 2018 European Strategy for High Temperature Polymers in Exeter. European Strategy for High Performance Polymer Manufacturing: Outcomes published in Aerospace Manufacturing Magazine 2016 and 2014

CALM contributes towards development of new PAEK grades at part of a large ATI project