Dr Thomas Lewis

Industrial Lecturer

Materials Science and Engineering

+44 (0) 1792 295600

thomas.lewis@swansea.ac.uk

Basic Welsh Speaker

Open Plan Office - A201
Second Floor
Engineering East
Bay Campus

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0117-0066

About

Dr Thomas Lewis (EngD) AIMMM started his Swansea University journey undertaking a BEng (Hons) in Materials Science and Engineering. He swiftly graduated into the Engineering Doctorate (EngD) programme in Materials Engineering; with Tata Steel as the industry sponsor, his research focused on expanding the understanding and development of newer generation commercial galvanising alloys.

Tom moved on for a spell to work with Swansea University and Tata Steel, in supporting the creation and establishment of the now Steel and Metals Institute, an open access facility for innovation in the heart of Swansea’s Singleton Campus.

Returning to research as a Post-Doctoral Research Officer, his focus cycled back into corrosion science. Aside from supporting EngD and Masters research, his attention was in two main areas. Firstly, alternative and greener corrosion inhibitors in place of conventional chemistries that possess deleterious effects to humans and their hosts - the environment! More specifically, utilising compounds that could be given a second life instead of being treated as a waste product, from sectors such as the food industry – including the likes of green tea. Secondly, zinc-based alloy development by adjusting chemistries and microstructural properties to improve all-important corrosion resistance. A more corrosion resistant alloy possessing longer lifetimes will make the investment in energy (think: carbon emissions) via raw materials, production, processing, and installation, arguably more worthwhile from environmental and economical standpoints.

Areas Of Expertise

• Functional Industrial Coatings
• Localised Corrosion
Metallic Coatings
Galvanised Alloys
Corrosion Inhibitors
Electrochemistry
Data Analysis
Metallurgy

Publications

Research Highlights

Lewis, T., Sullivan, J., Cooze, N., Gallagher, C., Lewis, T., Prosek, T., & Thierry, D. (2015). In situ monitoring of corrosion mechanisms and phosphate inhibitor surface deposition during corrosion of zinc–magnesium–aluminium (ZMA) alloys using novel time-lapse microscopy. Faraday Discuss., 180, 361-379.
https://doi.org/10.1039/C4FD00251B, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa21370
Lewis, T. & Lewis, T. (2018). An Investigation into the Corrosion Behaviour and Effect of Inhibitor Additions on Commercial Zn-Mg-Al Alloys
https://doi.org/10.23889/SUthesis.40713, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa40713
Lewis, T., Cooze, N., Sullivan, J., Lewis, T., Gallagher, C., Thierry, D., & Prosek, T. (2017). A novel time-lapse microscopy technique to study the corrosion mechanisms and effects of phosphate inhibitor during the corrosion of a zinc-magnesium-aluminium alloy coating. In http://eurocorr.efcweb.org/EUROCORR.
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa49134
http://eurocorr.efcweb.org/2017/abstracts/12.1/95982.pdf

All Research

Journal Articles

Lewis, T., Sullivan, J., Cooze, N., Gallagher, C., Lewis, T., Prosek, T., & Thierry, D. (2015). In situ monitoring of corrosion mechanisms and phosphate inhibitor surface deposition during corrosion of zinc–magnesium–aluminium (ZMA) alloys using novel time-lapse microscopy. Faraday Discuss., 180, 361-379.
https://doi.org/10.1039/C4FD00251B, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa21370

Conference Contributions

Lewis, T., Cooze, N., Sullivan, J., Lewis, T., Gallagher, C., Thierry, D., & Prosek, T. (2017). A novel time-lapse microscopy technique to study the corrosion mechanisms and effects of phosphate inhibitor during the corrosion of a zinc-magnesium-aluminium alloy coating. In http://eurocorr.efcweb.org/EUROCORR.
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa49134
http://eurocorr.efcweb.org/2017/abstracts/12.1/95982.pdf

Other Research Outputs

Lewis, T. & Lewis, T. (2018). An Investigation into the Corrosion Behaviour and Effect of Inhibitor Additions on Commercial Zn-Mg-Al Alloys
https://doi.org/10.23889/SUthesis.40713, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa40713

More About Tom

Tom returned to the EngD in a professional capacity, this time facilitating the postgraduate researchers (PGR’s) in the completion of their industry linked EngD and Masters projects. The programme, known as COATED M2A (Materials and Manufacturing Academy), has been delivering industry driven EngD projects for more than 30 years, serving as a significant pillar to the overall PGR community here at Swansea. Responsible for two research themes relating to functional industrial coatings, directly involved in more than 70 research projects and with more than 30 industry stakeholders – Tom bridged the gap between the postgraduate, academic, and industrial teams of these projects. He thoroughly supported the postgraduate student experience, striving to up-skill the cohort and ensuring the delivery of high-quality research projects allied to industry.

Given his experience in a diverse array of increasingly sustainability-orientated research, Tom’s attention has turned to the area of Net Zero technologies. His role as Industrial Lecturer for the SWITCH-On Skills project is enabling him to draw on his combined knowledge, experience, and network, to develop courses around ever important green skills. This is helping to address the gap in the Net Zero transition for Wales, by offering free online training and encouraging lifelong learning and up-skilling for individuals. As part of his role, Tom is also facilitating a group of Masters projects, each sponsored by local industry partners to benefit businesses in the region.