Manuela Ferreira

Manuela Ferreira serves as an Assistant Professor at the National Higher School of Textile Arts and Industries (ENSAIT), affiliated with the School of Textile Engineering and the Department of Textile Materials and Processes. Her primary research focus within the Multifunctional Textiles & Processes Group centers on natural fiber composites and advanced material characterization.

Her research interests encompass Natural Fiber Composites, Textile Engineering, Material Characterization, and Biodegradable Polymers. Current investigations include optimizing hemp and flax fiber processing for high-performance composites, developing thermoplastic bio-composites using PA11/PA12 matrices, and analyzing mechanical behaviors of novel textile architectures. Her work bridges fundamental material science with industrial applications in sustainable composites.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a dominant focus on hemp and flax fiber composites, with significant emphasis on mechanical property characterization, weaving and nonwoven manufacturing techniques, and thermoplastic integration. Key trends include quasi-unidirectional fabric development, micro-braiding/co-wrapping innovations, and process parameter optimization for enhanced composite performance.

Ferreira actively leads and participates in major research initiatives including:

• SSCUCHY (2017-2022): European H2020 project on sustainable biocomposites as Scientific Council Head
• SINFONI (2012-2017): National composite materials project with 23 partners
• IGNIFLAX (2020-2024): Fireproofing flax fibers project
• TEXMOF (2019-2022): Nanotechnology research with DGA and academic partners

She contributes to teaching in Textile Spinning, Metrology, and Quality Control while supervising student projects including CIFRE theses. Her collaborative network spans European institutions including University of Franche-Comté, KU Leuven, University of Bristol, and industrial partners like Akzo Nobel.