In our Net Zero research area, we focus on ways to sustainably use energy to maintain the environment and investigate cleaner, more efficient ways to use fossil fuels. We look at how we can reduce emissions through catalysis, and examine the use of renewable and sustainable resources such as solar, wind and wave energy through photo-electro-chemistry.

Research in this area covers a wide range of topics including:

• green hydrogen production via water and seawater electrolysis powered by renewable energy
• storage and use of hydrogen for transportation, building, heating and cooking
• synthesis for net-zero chemicals, fuel cells, batteries, water and air pollution control technologies
• CO₂ utilisation
• sequestration and monitoring
• multiscale modelling of catalyst materials, interfaces
• reaction mechanisms and processes
• life cycle analysis

Our Biotechnology and Healthcare research area focuses on applying engineering knowledge and understanding to address global issues including sustainable future manufacturing of biofuels and biochemicals and healthcare.

We are tackling global healthcare challenges such as antimicrobial resistance and enabling cost-effective production of high-value therapeutics. We aim to improve human health by bridging the gap between health, medicine and engineering.

We develop processes to make sustainable products such as biofuels or biochemicals from biological resources. We then use these processes to manufacture vaccines and antibiotics and to create medical and environmental technology solutions to help people achieve a better quality of life. This includes making new medicines using DNA technology and improving methods of drug delivery to improve healthcare for the population.

In the Sustainable Manufacturing and Circular Economy research area, our vision is to transform the UK's chemical industry's linear supply chain model into a fossil-independent, climate-positive and environmentally friendly circular economy.

We have a leading reputation for our expertise in sustainable manufacturing and circular economy and are home to the UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Economy. 

To achieve this, we aim to create a novel circular resource flow of olefins and their complementary feedstocks, which are of overwhelming importance to the chemical industry, accounting for more than 70% of all organic chemical production.

Our research focuses on nanoengineering and microengineering of particles regarding their manufacture, formulation and dispersion, and how they interact to make functional materials, interface structures and high-performance devices.

Digital Engineering is a dynamic field that includes a wide array of simulation and modelling techniques. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have emerged in digital engineering as powerful tools for improving engineering practices.

These technologies excel at analysing complex data, identifying patterns and making predictions that contribute to developing and optimising a wide range of systems and processes.

One frontier research area includes the development of digital twins particularly in electrochemical systems like fuel cells. A digital twin is a digital replica of a living or non-living physical entity that mirrors real-world changes in real time.

In the context of fuel cells, these digital twins prove invaluable for research and development. They simulate and monitor fuel cell behaviour with precision, offering crucial insights into performance, maintenance, and optimisation. Our advanced full-range scale fuel cell simulation platform plays a pivotal role in advancing the commercial development of fuel cell vehicles, thereby contributing to zero-emission transportation solutions.