Battery Recycling
Gary currently leads the chemical engineering activities on the Faraday Institution funded Re-Lib project investigating the recycling of lithium ion batteries to facilitate a circular economy of such devices.
Mixed Plastic Waste
Other current research activities are focussed on the processing of mixed plastic waste into fuels and chemicals including naphtha (plastic-to-plastic concept). He leads three projects in this area working with academia and industry to deliver solutions toward our reliance on plastic.
The use of decarbonised energy is the only way we can truly move to a circular economy. He is researching the integration of Concentrated Solar Power with pyrolysis to process waste materials with colleagues in KISR, Kuwait and Aston University on a British Council funded project.
Composite Recycling
He led the £1.42 million EPSRC funded collaborative project called EXHUME (Efficient X-sector use of HeterogeneoUs MatErials in Manufacturing) which researched and developed novel recycling and remanufacturing processes for composite waste, as well as assessing the environmental impact of the solutions.
As part of this work he demonstrated how composite materials could be reused across industry. He developed a demonstration model in the form of a 6.5 m carbon fibre racing kayak which showed that recycled materials could play a huge part in the future of manufacturing, with potential applications in high performance sporting goods, automotive components, wind and marine.
Other Resource Processing
He is interested in the processing of biogenic (biomass residues) and anthropogenic materials and their use as resources (chemicals, materials, fibres). Of special interest is the assessment and development of recovery technologies and their integration into the process environment.
Supercritical Fluids and Ionic Liquids
He is also interested in processes to control crystal form and particle formation technologies that lead to enhanced performance of materials used in solar, pharmaceutical and packaging applications. The development of processes based on supercritical fluid and ionic liquid systems are areas of particular interest, including the measurement and modelling of non-Ideal phase behaviour.
Gary has received funding from UK Research Councils, BEIS, British Council, Innovate UK, European Commission, Regional Development Agency, the governments of Malaysia, Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria and Kuwait and direct from industry. He has supervised 13 post docs and 31 PhD students.
Recent Research Activity
Faraday Institution – Recycling of Lithium Ion Batteries (ReLiB).
BEIS – Energy Entrepreneurs Fund 5. Development of a plastic waste-derived fuel or industrial burner application. Collaborative research led by Recycling Technologies Ltd
Innovate UK - Development of a plastic waste-derived chemicals, Collaborative research led by Recycling Technologies Ltd
British Council - Pyrolysis of MSW using Concentrated Solar Power with Aston University and KISR, Kuwait
CBMNet - Metabolic Engineering of Yarrowia lipolytica for Co-production of Xylitol and Lipids Fuels using Industrial Waste
Innovate UK - Improving food supply chain efficiency. Novel Integrated EPS and PEF process for Dairy by-products processing for use as high value ingredients. Collaborative research with Arla, Sere-Tech, GLW Feeds and C-Tech Innovation.
EPSRC – EXHUME. Efficient cross sector use of heterogeneous materials (recycling of composite waste). Collaborative Research with the Universities of Cranfield, Exeter and Manchester and Airbus (EADS) + others.
European Commission - Replacement of food packaging with a biodegradable biopolymer. Multi-partners