Oana M. Istrate is currently a Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. She graduated from ‘Politehnica’ University Bucharest with an MSc degree in Chemical Engineering of organic and macromolecular compounds and polymer nanocomposites. She received her PhD in polymer nanocomposites from Trinity College Dublin. During her PhD, she focused on manufacturing and structural, mechanical and thermal properties of organoclays and polymer/clay nanocomposites. After her PhD she worked as a postdoctoral research fellow in Trinity College Dublin where she investigated the mechanical and barrier properties of polymer/graphene nanocomposites. Then, she joined the University of Manchester, working in the National Graphene Institute, as a postdoctoral research associate. There she studied the barrier properties of graphene-based polymer membranes and the anticorrosive properties of 2D materials/polymer coatings. During this period, she acquired a wide array of skills related to performing research on 2D based polymer nanocomposite materials. These skills include synthesis and structural, mechanical and barrier characterization of nanomaterials and nanocomposites among others. Before joining Queen’s University Belfast, she worked and an application specialist at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in the University of Manchester. There, she worked on bridging the gap between academia and industry and investigating new applications for graphene based materials.

Research interests include:

Polymer nanocomposites

Polymer composites

Graphene and graphene related materials

2D materials

Polymer nanocomposite films

Polymer nanocomposite foams