Dr Clive Ponton PhD DIC ARSM MIMMM

• CEng, 1990
• MIMMM, 1990
• PhD and DIC, Materials Science, University of London and Imperial College, 1987
• BSc(Eng) and ARSM, Metallurgy & Materials, University of London and Imperial College, 1983

Clive Ponton graduated with a BSc(Eng) and ARSM in Metallurgy and Materials from Imperial College London in 1983.

He went on to do postgraduate research on the Mechanical Properties of Glass-Ceramics in the System CaO-MgO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ and in 1987 was awarded a PhD and DIC from Imperial College/University of London, as well as the 1987 Matthey Prize by the Department of Materials (Imperial College London) for the best PhD thesis. In 1987, he was also directly elected as a Member of the Institute of Ceramics (MICeram) [Institute of Ceramics now subsumed into IOM3].

Clive carried out postdoctoral research as an EPSRC Research Fellow for from 1987 to 1989, working on the development of new bioactive apatite-containing glass-ceramics.

In 1989, he was appointed as a Lecturer in Ceramic Engineering in the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham.

In 1990, he was awarded the Pfeil Medal and Prize (co-awardee, Prof. RD Rawlings) for published work of particular merit in the field of ceramics:

• Ponton, C.B. and Rawlings, R.D., 1989. Vickers indentation fracture toughness test Part 1 Review of literature and formulation of standardised indentation toughness equations. Materials Science and Technology, 5(9), pp. 865-872.
• Ponton, C.B. and Rawlings, R.D., 1989. Vickers indentation fracture toughness test Part 2 Application and critical evaluation of standardised indentation toughness equations. Materials Science and Technology, 5(10), pp .961-976.

In 1990, he was conferred Professional Membership of IOM3 (MIMMM) and Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

In 1996, he was promoted to Senior Lecturer in the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham.

Undergraduate Degree Programmes

• BEng Aerospace Engineering
• BEng Materials Science and Engineering
• BEng Mechanical and Materials Engineering 
• BSc Nuclear Science and Materials
• MEng Aerospace Engineering
• MEng Materials Science and Engineering
• MEng Mechanical and Materials Engineering
• MEng Nuclear Engineering  

Level H (Year 3) Modules

• High Toughness Ceramics
• LH Materials for Challenging Environments

Level I (Year 2) Modules

• LI Fracture, Fatigue and Degradation A

Level C (Year 1) Modules

• LC Design for Functional Applications 1
• LC Non-crystalline Materials 1

Current co-supervision of research PhDs:

• The role of structure, properties and environmental effects in determining the long-term performance of resin based dental composites (RDC).

Previous Research Interests (presently teaching-focussed)

• Synthesis / colloidal processing of non-metallic and metallic nanoparticles
• Development of stable ceramic sols.
• Electrophoretic deposition of nanoparticles, particularly ceramic particles.
• Fabrication of Micro- and Nano-Particulate-based structures
• Development of electrically conductive materials for electrophoretic deposition substrates.
• Sintering processes in particulate systems.
• Physical and mechanical properties of ceramic materials
• High temperature elastic properties and internal friction.
• Indentation properties including fracture toughness.
• Nano- and micro-scale science and technology
• High temperature oxidation.
• Oxide glaze formation during high temperature bearing wear.