Jun Gu

Jun Gu is a Scientific Researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Faculty of IR, Department of Materials and Chemistry since 2019. Previously, he served as Research Assistant at VUB (1997-2013) and engaged in engineering consultancy at BYTEC BV (2013-2019). He concurrently holds an external directorship at BYTEC BVBA.

His educational foundation includes a Master's degree in Material Science, culminating in the 1992 thesis Thermal Characterisation and Processibility of PPV-derivatives supervised by B. Van Mele at VUB.

Dr. Gu's research centers on sustainable advanced materials, with core expertise in:

• Composite material systems (fiber-reinforced polymers, basalt/glass fabrics)
• Non-destructive characterization techniques
• Cement chemistry and alkali-activated binders
• Industrial by-product valorization (slag, copper waste)
• Recycling methodologies for construction materials

His work bridges fundamental material science with practical engineering applications, emphasizing circular economy principles in construction.

Analysis of recent publications (2023-2025) reveals three dominant research thrusts: (1) Development of waste-derived composites using copper slag and basalt, (2) Advanced non-destructive evaluation methods for composite mechanical properties, and (3) thermal reactivation techniques for recycled cementitious materials. These efforts consistently target sustainable alternatives to conventional construction materials through rigorous experimental validation.

Dr. Gu has secured substantial research funding through competitively awarded projects:

• FWO_COMPOSITE Project (2009-2013): Fatigue behavior characterization of fiber reinforced plastics
• European Project 'Concrete to High Performance Concrete' (2019-2022)
• Vlaio ICON Projects (2020-2023 & 2024-2028): Advanced material systems development
• Earlier initiatives including GOA, GBOU, SBO, and FWO_SPIF covering composite manufacturing, permeability modeling, and rapid prototyping

His collaborative network spans VUB research groups and international partners, particularly evident in co-authored publications with Rahier, Sol, and Meza Hernandez. Current efforts focus on scaling waste-valorization technologies through the ongoing Vlaio ICON project (2024-2028), targeting industrial implementation of sustainable material solutions.