Profile
Headshot of Dr. Terry McGrail - Centre Director of IComp
Dr. Terry McGrail
Centre Director
 +353 (0)61 213055
 terry.mcgrail@ul.ie
 http://www.icomp.ie
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IComp - Composite Materials - Limerick

The Irish Composites Centre (IComp) provides world class innovative R&D, consultancy and networking opportunities for industry throughout Ireland and across all sectors where there are opportunities to use composite materials and associated technologies. IComp provides the focal point in Ireland for academia and industry to work together to address some of the critical issues related to the use of composite materials which have been identified by IComp industrial members who include companies from the supply chain and, for example, the aerospace, land transport, construction, marine and renewable energy and consumer goods sectors.

IComp is hosted in the Bernal Institute at the University of Limerick (UL), and currently comprises four academic partners (UL, UCD, AIT, NUIG) and 21 industrial members. IComp’s R&D activities include materials innovation and composite manufacturing & processing, the design of composite components and structures, joining technologies (including adhesive bonding and surface engineering) and damage detection and repair, supported by a comprehensive programme of modelling, experimental testing and in-depth characterisation. Additionally, bespoke experimental support, consultancy, networking and information services are available to industrial members.

IComp has well-equipped laboratories with the capability of manufacturing, processing, testing and inspecting composite components and structures up to the semi-tech scale, as well as one of the few Laser-Assisted Tow Placement (LATP) research equipment in Europe. The world class faculty and research staff at UL, UCD, AIT and NUIG has many years of experience working in national and international funded research programmes.

Selected research areas:

  • Innovative processing and product development of thermoplastic composites including recycling
  • Liquid resin infusion processes and product innovation for out-of-autoclave manufacture
  • Adhesives and adhesion science for bonding and dis-bonding composites and metals
  • Surface engineering to tailor composite, polymer, fibre and metal surfaces to optimise performance
  • Damage prediction, detection and repair of composites
Research performed by:

  • University of Limerick (UL)
  • University College Dublin (UCD)
  • Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT)
  • National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG)

iComp Website