Sun Research Group

We are an interdisciplinary group in nanoporous materials and experimental mechanics:

Nanoporous Materials & Mechanics Laboratory

Welcome

Welcome to our group webpage!

We are an interdisciplinary group working at the boundary of engineering (mechanics), chemistry (MOFs), and physics (nanofluidics). Our current research focuses on the mechanical energy absorption of nanoporous materials.

Based at the University of Birmingham, we are equipped with outstanding lab facilities from chemical synthesis and material processing to mechanical testing.

We are keen to collaborate with people from different backgrounds, please feel free to get in touch if you are interested in our work!

Join us!

We like to hear from potential candidates for the following PhD positions and undergraduate internship closing in March 2026, please email Dr Yueting Sun ASAP with a CV if you are interested.

Fully-funded PhD position open to home students only: Birmingham-Harwell Project
Fully-funded PhD position open to students worldwide: Birmingham-Melbourne Project
Competitive PhD position open to students worldwide: General MOFluidics Project
Fully-funded 8-week summer undergraduate internship open to Birmingham students between their penultimate and final years of study: Pressurisation Technique Project

Award: Multiple Poster Prizes for the Group

Grant: UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship

Publication: High-rate Nanofluidic Energy Absorption

Latest Publications

High-rate Nanofluidic Energy Absorption in Porous Zeolitic Frameworks

Pressurised water intrusion into hydrophobic nanoporous materials with nanocages enables a reusable shock absorber with greater energy absorption at realistic high loading rate. Simulations show that this is related to the water clustering inside the nanocages.