Campus and Community

Técnico alumnus awarded FNR PEARL Chair

Professor Cláudio Lopes is an internationally renowned expert on composite materials and was distinguished by the Luxembourg government.

Cláudio Lopes, Técnico alumnus and current researcher at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), recently received an FNR PEARL chair, worth around €4 million. “I am very proud and deeply honoured”, says the Técnico alumnus. The PEARL programme, funded by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR), provides competitive funding to attract top researchers in strategic research areas for Luxembourg. “Usually, FNR is able to fund 1 – 2 PEARL positions per year”, says professor Cláudio Lopes. “This is undoubtedly a great recognition of my research career and of the importance of polymer materials, that is, composite materials, especially for aeronautical applications”.

Professor Cláudio Lopes joined LIST in early January 2020 where he leads the Structural Composites Unit of the Materials Research and Technology Department. His research work is related to the development of ultra-light and more sustainable materials. “The vision of a more sustainable future strongly guides our project, which aims to develop ultra-lightweight composite materials”, highlights professor Cláudio Lopes. “On the one hand, lightweight materials contribute to a smaller ecological footprint because less resources are used in their production. On the other hand, the application of these materials in the transport sector leads to lower energy consumption and, therefore, lower emissions ”, he adds.

According to the LIST researcher, lightweight vehicles “are a priority in building a more sustainable future and are one of the major goals of modern engineering”. Therefore, lightweight materials can bring great economic benefits. “This is particularly true in the aeronautics sector, where transport costs are the highest. Our project shows that a more sustainable future it is also in our economic interest”, says the Técnico alumnus.

But what are reinforced polymer materials anyway? Known in engineering as composite materials, they are currently applied in several economic sectors, namely in air transport. “The most modern passenger aircraft are largely made of reinforced polymer. Advanced composite materials have high specific mechanical properties and, therefore, lead to lighter structures than other materials from natural resources, such as, for example, aluminum or titanium traditionally used in the aeronautical industry ”, highlights the alumnus. According to professor Cláudio Lopes “the progressive replacement of metallic materials by composite materials has led to incremental improvements in the efficiency of aeronautical structures in the last 50 years but, at this point, the benefits of this strategy are mainly exhausted”.

The development of ultra-lightweight structural concepts will be leveraged by additive manufacturing processes such as 3D-printing. The greatest potential of this technology is the ability to manufacture complex, optimised and highly customised artificial materials and structures with mechanical behaviour adapted to the application. “Our project is about pioneering the next generation of lightweight materials: ultra-lightweight fibre-reinforced plastics produced by additive manufacturing. The project targets transportation in general, and specifically aeronautical applications, wherein lightweight structures have the highest economic and environmental impact”.

Professor Cláudio Lopes moved to Luxembourg less than a year ago. Previously, he led the research group at the IMDEA Materials Institute, in Madrid. “Before I went to Madrid, I was a researcher at INEGI – Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, in Porto”, he recalls. “My natural habitat is the research centre, where we prioritise technology transfer and the optimisation of research results, and promote collaboration with industry”, he adds.

The opportunity to do research in Luxembourg was “a unique chance to progress as leader of a research team in my working field”. The research policy in Luxembourg also contributed to professor Cláudio Lopes decision.

The técn considers that this was a “very interesting and enriching experience”. “Although I left my country to live abroad, in Luxembourg, I have contact with many Portuguese people here; 15% of the population is Portuguese. There are other communities besides the Portuguese, which makes Luxembourg one of the most multicultural countries in Europe”. The Técnico alumnus shared with us that this multicultural dimension also exists at LIST: 600 employees from almost 50 nationalities.

Proud of this achievement and focused on the work ahead, the Técnico alumnus does not forget his roots and the benefits of having studied at Técnico. “The Aerospace Engineering course was crucial for reaching my current job situation, although it is not the only possible way forward. Aerospace engineering means an exciting course and career”, he stresses.