Professor Brant Walkley

School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering

Professor of Sustainable Engineering

School PGR Lead & UoS-Director of EPSRC CDT SATURN, School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering Deputy Head of the Engineering Graduate School (Interim), Faculty of Engineering

Dr Brant Walkley
Profile picture of Dr Brant Walkley
b.walkley@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 7528
Room B56, Sir Robert Hadfield Building

Full contact details

Professor Brant Walkley
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Room B56
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

I am a Professor in the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, where I lead the Sustainable Materials at Sheffield(SMASH) research team.

I am Postgraduate Research Lead for the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, and Deputy Head of the Engineering Graduate School for the Faculty of Engineering. I am also the UoS-Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training SATURN (Skills and Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear, 2024-2032), and am Editor for Materials Today Communications

My research has been funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Innovate UK, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd., National Nuclear Laboratory, and both UK and international industry groups.

I teach a variety of research-led core and applied chemical engineering subjects. I was awarded the ‘Outstanding PGR Supervision Award’ in each of the past three, an ‘Undergraduate Teaching Award’ in 2020, and received a ‘Letter of Commendation for Teaching Excellence’ in 2019 from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield.

Research interests

My research aims to drive new advances in the development of materials and processes for sustainable infrastructure, environmental remediation, waste management, and clean energy. This will enable industry to meet the needs of our society both sustainably and cost-effectively, improving the well-being of our society and environment.
Broadly speaking, our research group focuses on investigation of composition-structure-property relationships, reaction mechanisms and kinetics, and surface chemistry in cements, glasses, ceramics and nanomaterials using advanced spectroscopic and microstructural techniques. We also explore new approaches to study resource production and consumption, decarbonisation strategies, and cross-sector interactions affecting this.

Current projects focus on:

  • Development of low-CO2 cements for sustainable infrastructure
  • Understanding durability and degradation phenomena in low-CO2 cements
  • Development of materials for encapsulation/immobilisation of radioactive waste
  • Understanding and controlling radionuclide-cement interactions in cement matrices used for immobilisation of radioactive waste
  • Understanding mass transport processes in cements for applications in both construction and nuclear sectors
  • Development and assessment of decarbonisation strategies for construction and the built environment
Publications

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Research group

Postdoctoral Research Associates:

PhD researchers:

  • Sylvia Gomes, Solidification routes for encapsulation of radioiodine (EPSRC & National Nuclear Laboratory)
  • Cameron Halliwell, Understanding cement- superplasticiser interactions in geopolymer encapsulants for safe disposal of radioactive waste (EPSRC & Sellafield Ltd)
  • William McMahon, Decarbonising Construction: Understanding the Chemistry and Engineering of Low-Carbon Alkali-Activated Cements (EPSRC Industrial & DB Group (Holdings) Ltd)
  • Cameron Halliwell, Understanding cement- superplasticiser interactions in geopolymer encapsulants for safe disposal of radioactive waste (EPSRC & Sellafield Ltd)
  • Ava Sjoberg, Understanding cement-superplasticiser interactions in blended Portland cement wasteforms (Nuclear Decommissioning Authority)
  • Isabelle Smith, Next-generation low-carbon cement wasteforms for safe disposal of radioactive waste  (GREEN CDT (EPSRC) & Sellafield Ltd)
  • Madeline Rihner, Life Cycle Assessment of Sustainable Cement (Energy Institute & EPSRC)
  • Ella Cliff,  Understanding reaction mechanisms, kinetics and structural evolution in low-carbon cements (EPSRC)
  • Charlotte Nevin,  Resolving reaction mechanisms, kinetics and mass transport in radionuclide-loaded geopolymer cement wasteforms (GREEN CDT (EPSRC) & Sellafield Ltd)
  • Kyle O'Donoghue,  Geopolymer reaction mechanisms and kinetics for immobilisation of radioactive waste (EPSRC)
  • Jess McWilliams,  Encapsulation of  contaminated oils in geopolymer cements (GREEN CDT (EPSRC))

Recruitment:

I'm always keen to support people who are passionate about the development of sustainable materials, chemical engineering, materials chemistry and science and engineering more generally. Prospective PhD/PDRA/Research Fellows are encouraged to send me an expression of interest along with their CV. There are a number of scholarship schemes through which prospective PhD researchers can apply for PhD funding, as well as schemes to support postdoctoral and research fellows, and I will gladly support talented individuals in these applications for projects which align with the broad research themes below.

  • Materials for sustainable infrastructure
  • Materials for environmental remediation
  • Materials for sustainable energy production and storage

Prospective PhD/PDRA/Research Fellows who have already secured funding are also very welcome to propose their own research ideas

Grants

Current grants

Past grants

Teaching activities

I am Module Leader for GEE104/CIV11001 Thermofluids, teaching the thermodynamics component of this module.

As the UoS-Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training SATURN (Skills and Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear, 2024-2032) I also lead the Radioactive Waste Management component of the Taught Programme for this CDT, as well as the Specialist Skills Training module at The University of Sheffield.

I supervise ~10 MEng and MSc Research Projects each year for undergraduate and postgraduate taught modules.

I have previously taught a variety of research-led core and applied chemical engineering subjects, including heat and mass transfer, solid-gas separation processes, environmental engineering, and chemical engineering design projects.

Professional activities and memberships

I am an Associate Member of IChemE

I am a Senior Member of RILEM (International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures)

A Member of RILEM Technical Committees:

  • 267-TRM: Tests for reactivity of supplementary cementitious materials
  • TC UMW : Upcycling Powder Mineral “Wastes” into Cement Matrices
  • TC CUC: Carbon dioxide uptake by concrete during and after service life

I am a Fellow of Higher Education Academy.

I founded and Chair The University of Sheffield / NDA Group Cements Academic and Industry Forum.

I am UoS Academic Lead for Innovandi, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) Research Network.

Professional activities and recognition
  • Associate Member, Institute of Chemical Engineers
  • Affiliate Member of RILEM (Member of Technical Committees TC-267 TRM and TC-281 CCC)
  • Editorial Panel Member of ICE Construction Materials
  • Guest Editor, Frontiers in Built Environment
  • Guest Editor, Sustainability
  • Invited Expert Panel Member of Net Zero: Decarbonising Construction, UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Invited reviewer for more than 340 international journals
  • Undergraduate Teaching Award recipient, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 2020
  • Development Opportunity Award recipient, 2018 and 2019
  • First Prize, 6th Early Career Presentation Contest, World Materials Research Institute Forum, 2018
  • Dedicated Outstanding Thesis Mentor Award recipient, 2017 and 2018
  • Learned Society Fund Award recipient, 2017, 2018 and 2019
  • Environmental Mineralogy Group Early Career Researcher Bursary recipient, 2017
  • The Deal Recognition Award recipient, 2017
  • The University of Melbourne MATS scholar, 2015
  • Best Tutor Award, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, 2015
  • The University of Melbourne PORES scholar, 2014
  • Australian Ceramic Society Bursary recipient, 2014
  • Best Paper - First Prize, 34th Annual Cement and Concrete Science Conference, 2014
  • Australian Research Council Special Research Centre PFPC Travel Grant recipient, 2013 and 2014
  • Australian Research Council APA scholar, 2012 – 2016

Links

Sustainable Materials at Sheffield research group