Dr. Davide Nocita,

PDRA

Biography

Dr Davide Nocita achieved his MSc in Materials Engineering (Distinction) at the University of Modena in 2011. He worked initially as a researcher for the National Research Council of Italy - Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials – where he started to develop his skills and knowledge in the field of polymer science and technology.In Dec 2017, he achieved his European Doctoral Degree (International PhD) in Chemistry and Engineering of Materials and Structures, from the University of Messina, spending over a year as a visiting PhD student at Loughborough University.He has been a Post-doctoral Research Associate at Loughborough University, working on a research and development project funded by Innovate UK and in collaboration with Interface Polymers Ltd.From July 2019 he is a Post-doctoral Research Assistant at the Polymer IRC at the University of Bradford.Main areas of research interest and expertise:

• Polymer blends, compounds and additives: solid state and melt properties, miscibility and compatibilisation strategies, interface properties, shear induced mixing and de-mixing phenomena, plasticization and anti-plasticization, di-block copolymers and amphiphiles.
• Polymer gels and sols for Energy Storage Devices: Thermodynamics of concentrated polymer solutions, rheology and constitutive modelling, processing, thermal-mechanical-transport properties of Gel Polymer Electrolytes.
• Polymer processing: thin films precision extrusion, blown film extrusion, film coating processes, melt spinning of polymer fibres, compression moulding.
• Surface analyses: compositional analysis (XPS, ATR-FTIR), water contact angle, Surface free energy, adhesive properties.
• Bio-materials and drug-delivery systems: bio-absorbable aliphatic polyester blends for implantable orthopaedic devices, UHMWPE nanocomposites for prosthetic applications, drug-release rate and biocompatibility.