Postdoctoral Exchange Programme (PEP)

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By Dr Wai Hin Lee, University of Warwick and Prof. Jan LAGERWALL (FSTM).

This work explores the industrial translation of liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) to enhance failure detection with smart functionality. By integrating micro-LCE into composite manufacture, we create systems that visually respond to mechanical stress without compromising bulk mechanical properties or processability, enabling real-time optical feedback upon failure and further integrated by digital technologies. This visit bridges advanced polymer chemistry and materials engineering expertise from Luxembourg with industrial-scale manufacturing at WMG, enabling the translation of functional soft materials across Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1–7. It connects fundamental science with practical manufacturing, and the potential for integration with digital science and AI-assisted visualization. This visit offers a pivot on the material research pipeline in future collaboration , from molecular design and testing to industrial-scale production, offering mutual benefits: strengthening Luxembourg’s materials research capabilities while expanding WMG’s expertise in industrial translation and digital-enabled smart materials.