Season 5 Episode 1: Going Beyond - The World of Metamaterials & How Their Extraordinary Properties are Set to Change Engineering

The ever-present challenges of climate change, over-reliance on limited resources and a global demand for new technologies, is pushing the engineering community to find more innovative ways to design and manufacture products.

Image Source: UK Metamaterials Network https://metamaterials.network/what-are-metamaterials/

 

Engineers and scientists working in the materials science sector have been exploring the properties of everyday materials such as metals, plastics and glass for centuries, to identify new properties and behaviours which might enable us to conserve the world’s finite resources.

In this episode Helen talks with three leading experts in the field of Metamaterials -  engineered materials that have unique 3-dimensional structures, which cause them to behave in ways not found in nature.

Image Source:Exeter University Centre for Metamaterial Research and Innovation https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/groups/physics/emag/themes/mmto/ 

 

Their precise shape, geometry, size, orientation and arrangement gives them ‘smart properties’ capable of unconventional shape changes and the ability to manipulate electromagnetic waves: achieving benefits that go beyond what is possible with conventional materials.

With incredible versatility and innate sustainability built directly into their structures, metamaterials have the potential to be used in the electronics, communications, healthcare, aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors.

 

This episodes guests are:

Dr Claire Dancer - associate professor & reader in Materials Science & metallurgy at WMG – University of Warwick and vice chair of the Metamaterials Network, who is working on ceramic metamaterials and manufacture processes.

Dr Calum Williams – lecturer in Physics at the University of Exeter who is focusing on photonic and optical metamaterials and their surface properties.

Dr Tom Allen - Fellow of the IMechE and senior lecturer in sports technology at the Manchester metropolitan university who is looking at how mechanical metamaterials can change athlete’s performance.

 

Useful Links

https://metamaterials.network/ 

https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/metamaterials/

 

 

We would love to hear your thoughts and comments on this episode. If you would like to get in touch, email us at podcast@imeche.org

You can find more information about the work of the IMechE at www.imeche.org