Stephen Kukureka

Stephen Kukureka has interests in mechanical properties and the applied physics of polymers. This includes mechanical reliability of plastic electronics such as flexible displays and touch screens, thin-film transistors and flexible solar cells. Other interests are polymer tribology, especially for gears and machine elements. He has also worked in mechanical reliability of optical fibres and sensors; polymers for biomedical engineering; cyclic polymers and blends.

Stephen is Senior Tutor of the School of Metallurgy and Materials. He also coordinates international, direct-entry undergraduate recruitment for the School.

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials Science, University of Cambridge, 1982
• MPhil in Materials Technology, University of Cambridge, 1979
• BSc in Physics, University of Bristol, 1978
• Chartered Engineer (CEng)
• Fellow of the Institute of Physics (FInstP)
• Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM)
• Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Biography

Before joining the University of Birmingham, Stephen was a Technical Officer in the R&D department of IMI plc (1981-83); a Research Engineer at the University of Leeds (1983-87) and a Senior Lecturer at the Polytechnic of North London (1987-1989). He joined the University in 1990 and was Deputy Head of the School of Metallurgy and Materials from 2012-2018. He has been Senior Tutor since 2012.

Research

Polymer Tribology

Friction and wear of engineering polymers, particularly under non-conformal, rolling-sliding contact as found in gears, cams and pulleys. Tribology, corrosion and degradation of plastic electronics.

Plastic Electronics

Properties and manufacture of thin films of transparent conducting oxides on polymer substrates for flexible display, touch-screen and related applications (plastic electronics).

Biomedical Engineering

Fracture and fatigue in medical grade elastomers for small joint arthoplasties; viscoelasticity in polymers for bioengineering.

Optical Fibre Sensors

Mechanical reliability of optical fibres and sensors for smart structures including fracture, fatigue, stress corrosion and statistics of failure.

Blends, Copolymers and Cyclic Polymers

Morphology and properties of cyclic polymers, blends and copolymers of engineering polymers.

Other activities

• Adjunct Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University
• Tutor on the annual Cambridge Tribology Course
• Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, Accreditation and Professional Development Committee
• Institute of Physics Group Coordination Committee (2009-12)
• Institute of Physics Tribology Group Chair (2008-11)
• Invited Speaker, Swedish National Graduate School in Tribology, Lulea (2009)
• Visiting Professor, Polymer Science & Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2000-2005)
• Engineering Foresight Award, Royal Academy of Engineering (2000)
• Manufacturing Engineer Journal Premium, IEE (1992)

Publications

Selected Publications

L J Leslie, Y Sheena, D E T Shepherd, A Ismail, S N Kukureka, V Vijh, ‘In vitro investigation into the forces involved during lipofilling’ Proc IMechE Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 232, 1111-1116 (2018)

K D Dearn, S N Kukureka and D Walton, ‘Engineering Polymers and Composites for Machine Elements’, Chapter 13 in S K Sinha (ed), Handbook of Polymer Tribology, 441-479 (World Scientific, 2018).

K A Sierros and S N Kukureka, ‘Tribological Aspects of Polymer-based Flexible Electronics Materials: From Manufacturing to End-Use Applications’, Chapter 22 in S K Sinha (ed), Handbook of Polymer Tribology, 675-689 (World Scientific, 2018).

T J Hoskins, K D Dearn, S N Kukureka, ‘Mechanical performance of PEEK produced by additive manufacturing’, Polymer Testing, 70, 511-519 (2018).

D W Mohammed, R B Ameen, K A Sierros, J Bowen, S N Kukureka, ‘Twisting fatigue in multilayer films of Ag-alloy with indium tin oxide on polyethylene terephthalate for flexible electronics devices’, Thin Solid Films, 645, 241-252 (2018).

S A Samsudin, S N Kukureka, M J Jenkins, ‘Crystallisation kinetics of cyclic and linear poly(butylene terephthalate), Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 128, 457-463 (2017).

D W Mohammed, R Waddingham, A J Flewitt, K A Sierros, J Bowen, S N Kukureka, ‘Mechanical properties of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide thin films on compliant substrates for flexible optoelectronic devices’, Thin Solid Films, 594, 197-204 (2015).

A Mahomed, D W L Hukins, S N Kukureka, ‘Effect of accelerated aging on the viscoelastic properties of a medical grade silicone’, Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering, 25, 415-423 (2015).

T J Hoskins, K D Dearn, Y K Chen, S N Kukureka, ‘The wear of PEEK in rolling-sliding contact – simulation of polymer gear applications’, Wear, 309, 35-42 (2014).

S A Samsudin, S N Kukureka, M J Jenkins, ‘The equilibrium melting temperature and isothermal crystallisation kinetics of cyclic poly(butylene terephthalate) and styrene maleimide (c-PBT/SMI) blends, Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 114, 1307-1315 (2013).

G A Potoczny, T S Bejitual, J S Abell, K A Sierros, D R Cairns, S N Kukureka, ‘Flexibility and electrical stability of polyester-based device electrodes under monotonic and cyclic buckling conditions’, Thin Solid Films, 528, 205-212 (2013).

T S Bejitual, D Compton, K A Sierros, D R Cairns, S N Kukureka, ‘Electromechanical reliability of flexible transparent electrodes during and after exposure to acrylic acid’, Thin Solid Films, 528, 229-236 (2013).