Dr Alessandra Lavoratti is a Chemical Engineer with a PhD in Materials Science, and currently a Research Associate in the School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering. 

Her past research encompasses ways to incorporate cellulosic and graphitic materials and nanomaterials – natural fibres, cellulose nanocrystal, graphene oxide – in polymer composites by either their surface modification with block copolymers or silane coupling agents, or by employing different drying techniques to remove the water from cellulose nanofibres, for example.

Her current research is focused on the adsorption of block copolymers onto the surface of cellulosic nanomaterials to facilitate the processing of composites in aqueous media.