Advanced Materials Research, Development & Innovation
Materials science is the foundation of sustainable and high-performance products. DIC’s advanced materials team works at the frontier of polymer science, nanomaterials, composites, and bio-based systems – developing materials that are not only technically superior but designed from the outset for sustainability, circularity, and real-world performance.
Our materials R&D is closely integrated with our digitalisation capabilities – we use computational modelling, machine learning, and advanced characterisation to accelerate materials discovery and optimisation.
Main Research Themes
DIC’s materials research spans a broad and interconnected set of areas. Current focus themes include:
Materials Informatics and data-driven materials discovery
Multiscale modelling of mechanical behaviour
Smart and functional polymeric materials
Self-healing and sensing polymer composites
Polymer physics and thermodynamics
Bio-based and biodegradable polymers
Nanomaterials for biomedical and industrial applications
Optical fibre sensors for structural monitoring
Advanced and additive manufacturing processes.
Materials Informatics
We apply machine learning and AI to materials data, accelerating the identification of high-performance compositions and processing routes. By combining experimental data with computational models, we reduce the time and cost of materials development while improving predictability and sustainability outcomes.
Smart and Functional Materials
DIC develops materials that do more than carry structural load – they sense, respond, and adapt. Our smart polymer composites can detect damage, self-heal under defined conditions, and provide embedded sensing capabilities that reduce the need for external sensor infrastructure.
Nanomaterials & Bio-Based Systems
We work with nanomaterial systems for applications ranging from biomedical devices to industrial coatings, and with bio-based polymers that replace petroleum-derived materials with sustainably sourced, biodegradable alternatives.
Testing and Characterisation Services
DIC provides access to a comprehensive suite of materials testing and characterisation techniques, supporting both internal R&D and commercial client projects:
X-ray micro-Computed Tomography (μ-CT)
Mechanical testing for materials and composites
Gas permeability, pore and particle size distribution analysis
Microscopy (optical, SEM, AFM)
Thermal analysis (DSC, TGA, DMA, Rheometry)
Chromatographic analysis (GC/MS, GPC)
Spectroscopic analysis (FTIR, Raman, UV-Vis, NMR).
Active Projects
The DURATRANS project (M-ERA.NET funded) is developing sustainable, highly durable nanowire-based flexible transparent conductive surfaces for advanced electronics – directly applying DIC’s expertise in nanomaterials, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing.
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