Luis Isern Arrom

Dr. Luis Isern Arrom is a Senior Research Fellow in High Temperature Surface Engineering at the Surface Engineering Processing Centre (SEPC) at Cranfield University. He specializes in the design, development, deposition, characterization, and performance testing of coatings for extreme environments, with a particular focus on Thermal Barrier Coatings for gas turbine engines produced by Electron-Beam Physical Vapour Deposition (EB-PVD).

Dr. Isern received his education from the Polytechnic University of Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona, Spain, where he completed dual degrees in Industrial Engineering and Materials Engineering. His Industrial Engineering degree covered fluid dynamics, transportation, project management, mechanics, electronics, and materials. His Materials Engineering degree provided a broad understanding of polymers, metals, and ceramics. He completed his doctoral studies at Cranfield University in 2018, sponsored by SIFCO ASC, focusing on metal matrix composite coatings deposited by brush electroplating.

Dr. Isern's research spans multiple coating technologies and characterization methods. His primary expertise includes Electron-Beam Physical Vapour Deposition (EB-PVD), Electroplating (including brush plating), and Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD). His characterization expertise covers nano-indentation, erosion testing, thermal cycling, tomography, abrasion testing, and testing in high water vapor environments such as hydrogen combustion applications. His work addresses critical challenges in high-temperature environments for aerospace, power generation, and industrial applications.

His publication record from 2018-2025 demonstrates significant contributions to thermal barrier coatings, surface engineering, and materials characterization. His recent work (2024-2025) shows increasing focus on novel coating structures (core-shell designs), corrosion resistance in waste-to-energy applications, and advanced testing methodologies like randomized nano/micro-impact testing. His research consistently addresses practical engineering challenges in extreme environments, particularly for gas turbine applications.

• SIFCO ASC
• Rolls-Royce plc
• Welding Alloys Group
• Archer Technicoat Ltd (ATL)
• Innovate UK and EPSRC
• Micro Materials Ltd
• Thin Metal Films (TMF)

Dr. Isern actively supervises PhD students, including Ahmad Usman, and collaborates extensively with researchers at Cranfield University and industry partners. His work at the Surface Engineering Processing Centre (SEPC) focuses on developing solutions for real-world industrial challenges, particularly in high-temperature applications where material performance is critical to system reliability and efficiency.