Digitalizing Material Innovations for Net-zero Applications

Digitalizing Material Innovations for Net-Zero Applications navigates the critical intersection of advanced materials science, cutting-edge digital engineering, and global sustainability goals. It explores how digital tools are fundamentally transforming the way we innovate, develop, and deploy materials essential for achieving net-zero emissions across diverse sectors, from energy systems to smart cities and industrial processes.

Drawing on expert contributions, this book provides in-depth insights into key areas such as artificial intelligence–driven design of CO2 capture materials and membranes, strategies for decarbonizing the built environment, and the transformative potential of Power-to-X technologies. It addresses the growth potential and commercialization barriers for next-generation materials, offering practical solutions and real-world case studies, including the application of digital systems for sustainable manufacturing in MSMEs. This unique blend of material science and digital solutions offers a holistic perspective on accelerating decarbonization.

This resource is designed for industry professionals and experts working on the decarbonization agenda in the fields of materials processing, manufacturing, and industrial sustainability initiatives.

Faiz Iqbal is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lincoln, UK. His research focuses on smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and cyber-physical systems, with a particular emphasis on digital transformation for micro- and small-scale enterprises (MSMEs). He leads and co-leads several interdisciplinary research projects, including British Council and Innovate UK-funded initiatives on net-zero manufacturing, AI-based quality inspection, and sustainable automation. Dr. Iqbal holds a PhD in Manufacturing Automation from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He has developed advanced automation frameworks and novel CNC-integrated finishing technologies, and his work on cyber-physical disinfectant manufacturing during the COVID-19 pandemic was nationally recognized in the UK with the COVID-19 Engineering Medal and a Scottish Knowledge Exchange Award nomination.

Suneela Sardar is a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Lincoln, UK, and a passionate Chemical Engineer dedicated to advancing sustainable energy technologies and mitigating environmental challenges. She completed her PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Leeds, UK. Dr. Sardar has also worked on many consultancy projects on flow behaviour of polymeric materials and surface modification of particles. As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Leeds, she worked on sustainable minerals processing for the extraction of valuable materials to support the foundation industries. At Lancaster University, she worked in the radioactive lab to research the molten salts for nuclear energy applications and simulated their behaviour.