Dr Tan Sui
Academic and research departments
Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.Biography
Dr Tan Sui is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) within Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences.
Dr Sui gained a first-class BEng in Engineering Mechanics from Xi’an Jiaotong University in China. She obtained her DPhil at the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford in the Solid Mechanics and Materials Engineering group. After DPhil, she spent two and a half years (2014-2016) as a Postdoctoral Researcher working on developing focused ion beam – digital image correlation (FIB–DIC) method for the evaluation of residual stress at micro- and nano-scale, as funded by the FP7 EU large-scale integrating collaborative research project. While there, she was in charge of a range of lab facilities and became an expert in multi-modal X-ray as well as multi-beam microscopy techniques. After finishing the Postdoctoral Researcher, she was promoted as a Senior Researcher in Engineering and Microscopy in the same department in 2017, with the role corresponding to Researcher Co-investigator under EPSRC Caries project (EP/P005381/1), but also encompassing a broader remit of responsibilities.
Over the years staying in the University of Oxford, she has taken a wide range of responsibilities, including two years (2015-2017) Managing Editor for Materials & Design (ISSN 0264-1275 - Elsevier), three years (2015-2018) College Lecturer in St Anne’s College and Oriel College at Oxford, ongoing Visiting Staff Member for Research Complex at Harwell (RCaH), Reviewer for journals like Nano Energy and Acta Biomaterialia and Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Principal investigator and Co-investigator for a number of synchrotron beamlines worldwide (Diamond Light Source (I11, I12, I13, I15, B16, I18 and I22), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BM32, ID15B) and Swiss Light Source (TOMCAT)), and co-advisor for DPhil students and undergraduate fourth year projects. She has also been a key contributor to the major program of scientific instrument research by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), with long-term collaboration with Shanghai Jiaotong University and Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BL16B1).
Following three and a half years working experience at the University of Oxford, Dr Sui left to take up her current Lectureship position at the University of Surrey in February 2018.
Areas of specialism
University roles and responsibilities
- FEPS representative for human tissue research
- MES representative for social media
Affiliations and memberships
Business, industry and community links
News
In the media
Research
Research interests
Natural and engineered biomaterials
- Human dental tissues
- Advanced bioceramics composite
Micromechanics
- In situ SEM mechanical testing
- FIB-DIC micro-residual stress analysis
- In situ synchrotron X-ray scattering analysis
Advanced functional materials
- Multilayer coatings
- Microbattery
Research projects
1. The Royal Society International Exchanges Cost Share (NSFC) scheme (IEC\NSFC\191003) 2020, PI, Nano-assembly and characterisation of novel stretchable photonic crystal films, ~£24k, PI (RS, UK) and Dr Qibin Zhao (NSFC, China)
2. UKRI ImagingBioPro Network Proof of Concept Award (PoCA) Funding 2020, Multi-scale structural and mechanical characterisation in bioinspired polyurethane-based artificial human skin, ~£19k (80%fEC), PI.
3. University of Surrey’s Doctoral College Studentship Award 2020, PI.
4. Capital Award 2020, Alemnis in situ nanoindenter system upgrade, £30k, PI.
5. EPSRC (EP/S022813/1) 2019, Understanding and enhancing the mechanical performance of bioinspired zirconia-based dental materials, ~£252k (80%fEC), PI.
6. Strategic Priorities Funding 2019, £10k, PI.
7. Diamond Light Source (DLS) joint PhD studentship 2019, ~£150k, PI.
8. TESCAN Brno s.r.o., Auto-DIC software 2019, ~£60k in-kind, PI.
9. University of Surrey’s Doctoral College Studentship Award 2018, ~£80k and additional ~£55k in-cash and in-kind from the CCFE/UKAEA, PI.
10. Capital Award 2018, Deben Microtest 5000 system, A miniature thermo-mechanical stage (150N, 660N, 2KN, 5KN) for optical, electron, scanning probe and synchrotron X-ray microscopies with heating-cooling capabilities (from -20oC to 160oC), ~£43k, PI.
11. STFC Access to Large-scale Facilities 2018 - present, 60 shifts of I13, B16, I22, I18 beamlines at the DLS, PI.
12. EPSRC (EP/P005381/1) 2017, ~£1.8m (80%fEC), R-CI.
Research collaborations
Professor Gabriel Landini, University of Birmingham
Dr Richard Shelton, University of Birmingham
Prof Bo Su, University of Bristol
Dr Xu Song, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Dr Yiqiang Wang, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE)/ United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)
Prof Nick Terrill, Diamond Light Source (DLS)
Dr Andy Smith, Diamond Light Source (DLS)
Dr Qibin Zhao, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Supervision
Postgraduate research supervision
Research Fellows:
Dr Hani El-Kadri (July 2020 -)
Project (PI): "Multi-scale structural and mechanical characterisation in bioinspired polyurethane-based artificial human skin"
This project is funded by ImagingBioPro Network (MR/R025673/1)
Dr Jingyi Mo (September 2019 -)
Project (PI): "Understanding and enhancing the mechanical performance of bioinspired zirconia-based dental materials"
This project is funded by EPSRC (EP/S022813/1).
PhD students:
Tayyaba Rabnawaz (October 2019 - )
Project (PI): "Nanostructure surveys of natural and biomimetic dental tissues by 3D SAXS tensor tomography"
This PhD project is funded by the EPSRC CDT in MiNMaT and Diamond Light Source (DLS) joint studentship.
Urangua Jargalsaikhan (October 2019 - )
Project (PI): "Understanding and enhancing the mechanical performance of bioinspired dental composite"
This PhD project is funded by the MES studentship and Mongolian scholarship.
Xuhui Yao (July 2019 - )
Project (CI): "Rational design of chip-based metal ion microbattery for in situ electrochemical characterisation and performance optimisation"
This PhD project is funded by the joint DCSA3 and ATI studentship.
Nathanael Leung (October 2018 - )
Project (PI): "Bioinspired design optimisation of bioceramics"
This PhD project is funded by the Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences (MES) studentship.
Bin Zhu (October 2018 - )
Project (PI): "Microstructural, micro-hardness and micro-residual stress analysis of welded Eurofer97 for fusion plant"
This interdisciplinary PhD project is funded by the University of Surrey’s Doctoral College Studentship (DCSA2) Award.
EngD students:
Jauffrey Lescoffit (October 2018 - )
Project (CI): "Understanding stress profiles in multilayer PVD coatings"
This is an EPSRC CDT in MiNMaT EngD studentship (sponsored by Pilkington Technology Management).
Thomas Fekadu Kebede (October 2018 - )
Project (CI): " Critical defect identification and characterisation in Titanium Matrix Composites"
This is an EPSRC CDT in MiNMaT EngD studentship (sponsored by TISICS).
My teaching
‘Learning, Teaching and Assessing’ certificate from SEDA, aligned to the UK Professional Standards Framework at Descriptor 2 (equivalent to Fellow of the Higher Education Academy).
ENG2093 (FHEQ Level 5): Non-Destructive Testing
ENG1063 (FHEQ Level 4): Materials & Statics
ENGM261 (FHEQ Level 7): Medical Implants and Biomaterials Applications
Professional Training Tutor, IMechE Mentor
My publications
Publications
Residual stresses play a crucial role in determining material properties and behaviour, in terms of structural integrity under monotonic and cyclic loading, and for functional performance, in terms of capacitance, conductivity, band gap, and other characteristics. The methods for experimental residual stress analysis at the macro- and micro-scales are well established, but residual stress evaluation at the nanoscale faces major challenges, e.g. the need for sample sectioning to prepare thin lamellae, by its very nature introducing major modifications to the quantity being evaluated.
Residual stress analysis by micro-ring core Focused Ion Beam milling directly at sample surface offers lateral resolution better than 1 ¼m, and encodes information about residual stress depth variation. We report a new method for residual stress depth profiling at the resolution better than 50 nm by the application of a mathematically straightforward and robust approach based on the concept of eigenstrain. The results are validated by direct comparison with measurements by nano-focus synchrotron X-ray diffraction.
Additional publications
Full Publication List: Google Scholar