Development of highly scattering distributed fibre optic sensing for structural health monitoring

In this thesis, fibre optic sensing has been investigated as an important technique for structural health monitoring. Distributed fibre optic sensing based on Rayleigh scattering is a fibre optic sensing technique to achieve the spatially continuous strain monitoring for critical locations for the structures. However, the Rayleigh backscattering...

Nanostructured Thermoelectric Films Synthesised by Spark Ablation and Their Oxidation Behaviour: Nanomaterials

Reducing the thermal conductivity of thermoelectric materials has been a field of intense research to improve the efficiency of thermoelectric devices. One approach is to create a nanostructured thermoelectric material that has a low thermal conductivity due to its high number of grain boundaries or voids, which scatter phonons. Here, we present...

Conductive Graphitic Networks: From Atoms to Fuel Cells

Graphitic materials have attracted a great interest in the field of sustainable energy production and storage because of their excellent electrical, mechanical and chemical properties. This thesis modestly contributes to this global research by investigating new interconnected carbon nanostructures, here called Carbon Nano-Networks (CNNs). The...

Nano LEGO®

Self-Assembly has predominantly been nature's unique tool for building remarkable entities. This thesis shows how this versatile tool can be utilised for building devices that are useful to mankind. Starting with advanced fuel cells which produce clean energy in a highly efficient way; continuing on to carbon nano networks which are one of the...