Paul Compston

Prof Paul Compston is a Professor at the Australian National University (ANU) within the Materials Physics Research group. His research focuses on composite materials, mechanical performance of thermoplastic composites, and laser-assisted manufacturing processes, with applications in automotive recycling and advanced structural composites.

His work spans defect analysis in automated fiber placement, thermal and electrical conductivity enhancement via graphene interlayers, and 3D printed carbon-fiber composites, leveraging X-ray computed tomography for void and deformation characterization. Recent publications emphasize post-forming optimization, fiber architecture preservation, and sustainable lifecycle engineering.

Key trends in his 15 most recent articles include:

• Advanced graphene-enhanced composites for conductivity improvement
• 3D printing of carbon-fiber/PEEK with void analysis
• laser-based repair techniques for adhesively bonded patches
• life cycle assessment of recycled CFRP automotive components
• mechanical testing using digital image correlation

Prof Compston collaborates with researchers across Research School of Physics, industry partners like New Frontier Technologies, and institutions in Europe and Japan. His work integrates multi-scale imaging, thermal modeling, and sustainable manufacturing for composite and hybrid materials.