Richard Collins, PhD, is a Research Director at IDTechEx with specialist knowledge in advanced materials, thermal management, materials informatics, electric vehicles, and additive manufacturing.
Richard's work has included authorship of several IDTechEx reports, global briefings to subscribing clients, and delivering multiple custom consulting projects for billion-dollar companies. The range of analysis and projects has included granular market forecasts, strategy guidance, technology roadmapping, patent analysis, technology scouting, and investment due diligence.
Richard leads a team of analysts across varied topic areas, as well as having oversight of key research fields for IDTechEx.
The calibre of Richard's research at IDTechEx has resulted in international press coverage from numerous outlets including Materials World, Ceramic Industry, Plastics Today, Composites World, and many more. He has provided keynote presentations at conferences and technical masterclasses in 4-continents.
Richard was awarded his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Oxford. He worked on the design and synthesis of organometallic catalysts as part of an industrial collaboration with a leading chemical company.
This has resulted in primary authorship of academic publications and review articles in peer-review journals. Prior to this Richard completed an MChem (first class) degree at the University of Oxford with a research focus on biodegradable polymers, which also resulted in a primary-author publication.
Richard plays significant roles in multiple topic areas:
Advanced Materials underpin nearly all scientific & engineering innovations. Richard leads this core research area with work including includes graphene & 2D materials, carbon nanotubes, aerogels, composites, lightweight metals, and more.
Materials Informatics is enabling a paradigm shift in the chemical and materials R&D. The technology leverages data infrastructure and machine learning to accelerate time to market. Richard is the lead analyst on this exciting emerging area.
Thermal Management is critical to a huge number of applications and a regular limiting factor or point of failure. Richard has authored bestselling reports on everything from the material considerations through to integration and end-use markets.
Additive Manufacturing is becoming an essential part of new product development and production. Richard has carried out research across the 3D printing industry, with specific focus on metals and continuous fiber composites.
Electric Vehicles is undeniably at the forefront of one of the largest revolutions seen to the mobility sector in a long time. Richard oversees the IDTechEx research team on this topic including the full range of vehicle categories, components, and associated infrastructure.
And more. Richard has carried out research beyond these areas into energy harvesting, structural electronics, structural health monitoring, and in-mold electronics.