Roger's work concerns the design and performance of materials used for power generation, specifically for aircraft engines and the land-based turbines used for electricity generation.
His expertise relates specifically to the nickel-based superalloys, which are capable of operating at temperatures in excess of 1000 degrees celcius.
Roger's research looks at the effects of stress, oxidation and corrosion at these extreme conditions. Engine
performance, fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions are improved markedly if the engines can be made
to run hotter; this situation provides the technological incentive for the development of these alloys and components made from them. It is also important to understand the way in which these alloys degrade under operating conditions, to understand and predict margins of safety.
Roger works with major international companies such as Rolls-Royce, Siemens and Alstom. He is a world-leader in this technology, as evidenced by his chairmanship of the International Symposium for Superalloys and his writing of the definitive textbook in the field.
Roger and his team at Birmingham are unique within the UK, with facilities at Birmingham being the most well equipped of UK universities for experimental work in this area.