Skip to main content

Elliot Hawkins-Farrow

Location
Level 1, Energy Building
Sponsor
Pfizer + AZ
Primary Supervisor
Professor Frans Muller, Chemical & Process Engineering
Qualifications
MEng Chemical and Materials Engineering (Industrial), Leeds

Biography:

Elliot’s interests include materials science and process design and he hopes to combine knowledge in these fields with skills developed within CP3 to explore problems within industry.

PhD: Micro mechanical properties of organic crystals

It has been found that a large contribution of crystal breakage during processing occurs prior to agitation during drying in the filtration stage. This work aims to gain greater understanding of how a crystals microstructure relates to its micromechanical properties. Data will be obtained through the use of Nano indentation and Atomic force microscopy before the results from these tests are compared to determine if measured values are independent of the method used to obtain them. XRT will also be used to gain further insight into the crystals microstructure.

Research Project(s) during degree:

  • MEng research project – ‘Dependence of Dielectric, Impedance and Piezoelectric Properties on Composition and Heat Treatment For (1-x)BiFeO3-BaTiO3 High Temperature Piezoceramics’ with Professor Andrew Bell, Chemical & Process Engineering
    Devices such as dynamic fuel injection nozzles in car engines require a piezoelectric material that can efficiently convert mechanical energy to electric energy and vice-versa, whilst withstanding high temperatures. The current leading material in this field is Lead Zirconate Titanate. Following the ban on Lead in electronics by the EU, alternatives to this material must be found. Promising results have been obtained by other researchers through quenching of Bismuth Ferrite Barium Titanate. Quenching in industry poses several problems including health & safety risks, issues with cracking and a lack of controllability with the process.
    Under the guidance of Professor Andrew Bell, sintering under a reducing nitrogen atmosphere was proposed as an alternative to quenching. Pellets of Bismuth Ferrite Barium Titanate were produced with varying compositions in line with a morphotropic phase boundary region proposed by other researchers. Quenching, conventional sintering and nitrogen sintering was then carried out on these pellets. Permittivity, impedance and strain-field measurements were then taken to evaluate the suitability of this material as a viable alternative to suitability as an alternative to Lead Zirconate Titanate.

Industrial experience/placements:

  • 2016-2017 – L’Oreal, Bury
    During his industrial placement Elliot worked within the Operation & Supply chain division at L’Oreal as a Master Data Controller. During this placement he was given the opportunity to report on and develop ideas to improve processes such as accounts creation.

Outreach, training and other activities:

  • 2011 Internship in the chemistry laboratories at Keele University.
    During this time Eliot was given basic lab training and carried out activities such as Mass Spectrometry.

Masters research project in year 1 of CDT:

  • ‘Evaluation of a static liquid cell for in situ electron microscopy’ with Dr Nicole Hondow, Chemical & Process Engineering