Energy with Royce at the University of Sheffield

Welcome to Royce at the University of Sheffield, one of the leading partners for the UK's national institute for advanced materials research and innovation; The Henry Royce Institute.

Welcome to Royce at the University of Sheffield ...

... a pioneering hub at the forefront of energy industry research and development.

With a rich legacy of innovation and a commitment to sustainability, Royce serves as a catalyst for businesses aiming to revolutionise the energy sector.

Our world-class facilities, interdisciplinary expertise, and collaborative ethos create an environment ripe for breakthroughs in renewable energy, energy storage, and efficiency technologies. Whether you're exploring novel materials for solar panels, optimising battery performance for electric vehicles, or advancing grid infrastructure for a cleaner future, we can provide the resources and support necessary to drive your innovations to market.

We understand the urgency of addressing the pressing challenges facing the energy industry, from climate change to energy security. Through strategic partnerships with industry leaders, startups, and policymakers, we leverage our collective knowledge and capabilities to accelerate the transition to a sustainable energy landscape.

By joining forces with the Royce community, you gain access to cutting-edge research, expert guidance, and collaborative opportunities that enable you to not only stay ahead of the curve but also lead the charge towards a more resilient and equitable energy future.

Together, let's power the world towards a brighter tomorrow.

Case Studies

Advancing Green Hydrogen Electrolysers

The key to carbon-neutral, green hydrogen production is proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers, central to this is the porous transport layer (PTL), for which titanium would be the optimal material due to its unique balance of corrosion resistant properties, but it's high cost is inhibiting its adoption for PEM technology. However, using "recycled" low energy intensity titanium powder feedstocks combined with efficient production processes like Field Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST) can breakthrough the cost barrier.

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Aerial photo of a solar panel farm in fields.

Additive Manufacturing of Novel Shape Memory Alloys for Clean Energy Applications

Reduce carbon emissions within the cooling and refrigeration industry through additively manufactured novel shape memory alloys for green energy solutions.

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Optimisation for Alloys for Hydrogen Reformer Allpications

The ongoing climate emergency necessitates a radical re-examination of fuel sources and the identification of technologies to aid the transition towards net-zero emissions. Hydrogen is routinely identified as critical to the decarbonisation.

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Key Personnel

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Professor Martin Jackson

Professor of Advanced Metals Processing
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Email address: martin.jackson@sheffield.ac.uk

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Dr Nick Weston

Application Scientist (Advanced Metals Processing) | Henry Royce Institute
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Developing capabilities and understanding limitations of Field Assisted Sintering Technology in order to apply its unique processing capabilities to solve real-world industrial manufacturing problems.

Email address: n.weston@sheffield.ac.uk

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Dr Kathy Christofidou

Senior Lecturer in Metallurgy & Royce Technology Platform Lead (Materials Discovery & Prototyping)
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Alloy design, physical metallurgy and manufacturing of high temperature structural alloys.

Email address: k.christofidou@sheffield.ac.uk

Key Equipment

Field Assisted Sintering Technology or Spark Plasma Sintering

Field Assisted Sintering Technology/Spark Plasma Sintering (FAST/SPS) uses a DC electric current to directly heat the mould and/or sample through Joule heating. This direct heating allows high heating rates and low processing cycle times to be achieved. Lower temperatures and mould pressures are also typical compared to conventional hot pressing and sintering techniques.

FAST/SPS offers new possibilities to manufacture numerous materials with potentially extraordinary characteristics. The Type HP D 250/C Furnace is ideal to investigate the scale-up of FAST/SPS for industrial applications.

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Additive Manufacturing

Royce at the University of Sheffield offers a wide range of state-of-the-art additive manufacturing (AM) equipment, hosting open source software with full instrumentation and complete control of the manufacturing process, which are therefore able to optimise for new alloys.

Additive Manufacturing technologies developed through Royce at the University of Sheffield hold the potential to displace existing technologies with reduced material waste and increased part complexity.

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