Professor Allan Matthews
BSc PhD CEng FIMMM FIMechE FIEE FIMF
Professor of Surface Engineering
Address:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD
Telephone: +44 (0) 114 222 5466
Fax: +44 (0) 114 222 5943
Email: a.matthews@sheffield.ac.uk
Allan Matthews joined the Department at the beginning of 2003, having spent the previous 21 years at Hull University, where he was Director of the Research Centre in Surface Engineering. He spent his early career in the UK aerospace industry. He is co-author of Coatings Tribology (Elsevier) and several other books. He has also published over 300 refereed papers, and is listed as a 'Highly Cited" researcher on the ISI Web of KnowledgeSM on-line platform. He currently holds eleven patents (eight granted and three pending). He is Editor of the journal Surface and Coatings Technology.
Research interests
His main interests are in plasma-based surface engineering processes for coatings and treatments. Coatings studied include metals, ceramics and nanocomposites of combined phases. Applications range from tribological (friction and wear) to thermal barriers and high temperature corrosion-control layers. The processes under investigation are also used to produce coatings for a wide range of functional uses, including biomedical and optical. The research is therefore wide ranging, and includes:
- Surface Engineering processes – especially plasma-based coating and treatment methods, including process diagnostics and modelling.
- Computer-based coating selection systems.
- Test and evaluation methods for coatings – especially for friction, wear, adhesion and corrosion behaviour. Surface characterisation/analysis is also carried out.
- Modelling of coating properties and deformation behaviour.
Key projects
- Development of doped metal/metal nanocomposite coatings with controlled hardnesses and elastic moduli
- Synthesis of yttria stabilised zirconia thermal barrier coatings, and NiAl bond coats for high temperature applications
- Development of gas barrier coatings for polymer sheet
- Plasma diagnostic studies using a mass/energy analyser
- Plasma electrochemical oxidation of magnesium and other light alloys
- Deposition of alpha phase alumina at low temperatures
Professional activities and recognition
- Elected Director and Board Member, Society of Vacuum Coaters (USA).
- Editor, Surface and Coatings Technology (Elsevier Science).
- Past Chair, British Vacuum Council.
- Former IUVSTA Vacuum Metallurgy Division Vice-Chairman.
- Past Chair, Executive Committee, AVS Advanced Surface Engineering Division.
- EU Expert Evaluator.
- Assessor DTI Technology Programme.
- Member, EPSRC College of Peer Review.
- Previous Program Chair and General Chair of International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films (ICMCTF).
- Member, International Scientific Committee, International Conference on Plasma Surface Engineering (also previous Conference Chair).
- Member, Programme Committee, International Conference on Thin Films.
- Member, Organising Committee, International Vacuum Congress.
- Member, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, Surface Engineering Committee.
- Awarded 2005 IMechE Donald Julius Groen Prize for Tribology.
Membership of Professional Institutions
- Chartered Engineer (CEng)
- Fellow of the Institute of Materials Minerals and Mining (FIMMM)
- Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE)
- Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET)
- Fellow of the Institute of Metal Finishing (FIMF)
Key publications
- K Holmberg and A Matthews. 1994. "Coatings Tribology" Elsevier.
- S Neuville and A Matthews. 1997. "Hard Carbon Coatings: The Way Forward", Materials Research Society Bulletin, 22, 22-26.
- A L Yerokhin, X Nie, A Leyland, A Matthews and S J Dowey. 1999. "Plasma Electrolysis for Surface Engineering", Surf. Coat. Technol., 122, 73-93.
- A. Leyland and A. Matthews. 2000. "On the Significance of the H/E Ratio in Wear Control: A Nanocomposite Approach to Optimised Tribological Behaviour", Wear, 246, 1-11.
- S. Neuville and A. Matthews. 2007. "A perspective on the optimisation of hard carbon and related coatings for engineering applications", Thin Solid Films, 515, 6619-6653.
- A. Matthews, S. Franklin & K. Holmberg. 2007. "Tribological Coatings: Contact Mechanisms and Selection", J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 40, 5463-5475.