Biography
Dr Daniel Liang is a Senior Principal Research Scientist and Project Leader with over 30 years of experience in the original discovery of advanced metal-based materials, the scale-up of these innovations into enabling technologies, and their successful translation into industrial applications.
Daniel is an internationally recognised expert in materials development and processing. He has led the advancement of several novel technologies, including friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM), planar flow casting (PFC) for rapid solidification, and twin roll casting (TRC) for near-rapid solidification. These innovations have enabled the development of high-performance structural materials with integrated functional properties.
Selected examples of these materials, explored for applications in energy, transport, space, and emerging communications (e.g. 6G), include:
• Large-width crystalline and amorphous thin foils (20–120 µm): Produced at significantly reduced cost compared to conventional rolling methods, including soft-magnetic amorphous steels and shape memory alloy (SMA) foils with enhanced magnetic and functional performance.
• Solid-state additively manufactured aluminium-based metal matrix composites (Al-MMCs): Featuring high reinforcement fractions and enhanced functionalities, including radiation interaction, thermal conductivity, hardness, and mechanical strength.
• Metal hydride-based hydrogen alloys: either produced as millimetre-sized particles capable of safe hydrogen absorption and release at room temperature, mitigating risks associated with fine powders in hydrogen storage, or manufactured into thin-walled tubular forms for hydrogen separation, enabling the production of high-purity H₂ from syngas mixtures.
Dr Liang has authored and co-authored approximately 150 publications and reports, including over 80 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers, as well as 16 patent applications and invention disclosures. As of 21 May 2026, his Google Scholar metrics include an h-index of 26, i10-index of 45, and more than 2,000 citations.
Current Research Thems:
• Hierarchical microstructural design: Engineering material structures across atomic, nano-, micro-, and sub-millimetre scales to activate mechanisms of both classical and quantum physics.
• Non-equilibrium materials processing: Development of advanced processing routes, including solid-state additive manufacturing, severe plastic deformation, rapid/near-rapid solidification, and plasma-assisted chemical transformations.
Active Technology Scale-Up Development
Dr Liang has demonstrated strong capability in translating fundamental materials research into high technology readiness level (TRL) innovations for industrial deployment. Key examples include:
• FSAM of rail brake discs and vehicle brake rotors: Lightweight Al-MMC hybrid materials replacing conventional steel components
• FSAM of space electronics enclosures: Radiation-resistant composite structures for space environments
• AI-assisted optimisation of PFC for Ti–Ni SMA foils: Enabling self-deployable reflectors and reconfigurable antenna systems
• Secondary processing of SMA foils: Forming tubular and complex geometries for medical devices and implants
• AI-assisted PFC of amorphous electrical steel foils: Reducing core losses in transformers and electric motors
• Composite laminate development: Converting amorphous steel foils into formable laminates compatible with existing stamping infrastructure
• Plasma-assisted catalytic reactors: Producing nanocarbon materials and upgrading waste oils into high-value lubricants
• Twin roll casting of Al and Mg alloys: Near-net-shape sheets for automotive, aerospace, and electronics applications
Selected Earlier Impacts and Recognition
He serves as the Australian representative on the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Advanced Materials for Transport programme, and as a voting member of the ISO standards committee on Ceramic Lined Tubing (ISO/TC 67/SC 5/WG 5).
Dr Liang is a Partner Investigator in the establishment of the ARC Training Centre for Radiation Innovation (ANU) and has contributed to major national initiatives by universities.
His contributions to innovation have been widely recognised. For example, his Thin Twin Roll Casting technology received both the “Best Overall Innovation” and “Best Process Innovation” awards in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) 50 Most Innovative Companies program.
Some selected publications are listed below:
Publication DOI The significance and relevance of the publication.
D. Angmo, S. Yan, D. Liang, A. D Scully, A. SR Chesman, M. Kellam, N. W Duffy, N. Carter, R. Chantler, C. Chen, M. Gao, “Toward Rollable Printed Perovskite Solar Cells for Deployment in Low-Earth Orbit Space Applications”
ACS Appl. Energy Mater, 2024, 7, 1777-1791 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.3c02761?urlappend=%3Fref%3DPDF&jav=VoR&rel=cite-as Original work in the production of wide-width shape memory alloy foils by planar flow casting (PFC) and the innovative application of the novel in space environments.
D. Tan, S. Xia, A. Yob, K. Yang, S. Yan, M. Givord, D. Liang, “Evaluation of the wear resistance of aluminium-based hybrid composite brake discs under relevant city rail environments”,
Materials & Design 215 (2022) 110504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2022.110504 Original work in using friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM) to manufacture microcomposites for full-size prototyping. This FSAM and the analytical methods for the microcomposites is to be explored to develop the nanocomposites.
Contributed the majority of the manuscript as the corresponding author and project leader.
R. Dutta, C. Chen, D. Renshaw, D. Liang, “Vision based supervised Restricted Boltzmann Machine helps to actuate novel shape memory alloy accurately”,
Scientific Reports 11 (2021) 16446. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95939-y
The AI/ML modelling approach, including the digitisation of the experimental data, will be applicable for modelling the relationship between, microstructures, quantum mechanics and the functional properties.
Contributed to the materials part of the manuscript as the co-authors and the project leader for the materials development.
J. L. Smith, N. Tran, T. Song, D. Liang, M. Qian, “Robust bulk micro-nano hierarchical copper structures possessing exceptional bactericidal efficacy”,
Biomaterials, 280 (2022)121271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121271
Original work in creating nano-micro hierarchical structures that are cable to induce quantum effects, which are relevant for developing nanocomposites materials and processing to enhance the functional properties by quantum mechanical mechanisms.
Contribute the development and fabrication of the content for generating the nano-micros structures as the co-author and co-supervisor.
A. Ramezannejad, W. Xu, W. L. Xiao, K. Fox, D. Liang, M. Qian, “New insights into nickel-free superelastic titanium alloys for biomedical applications”,
Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science, 23 (2019) 100783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cossms.2019.100783
This work reviews thermally-induced phase transformation and their effects on the functional properties. These understandings are relevant for control functional properties of the nanocomposite materials.
Contributed to the materials processing and analysis of the contents as co-author and co-supervisor.
K.S. Munir, T. Li, D. Liang, M. Qian, W. Xu, C. Wen, “Effect of dispersion method on the deterioration, interfacial interaction and re-agglomeration of carbon nanotubes in titanium metal matrix composites”,
Materials and Design, 88 (2015) 138-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2015.08.112
The addition of carbon nanotubes into the metal matrix composites highlights the importance of nanoparticle processing and analysis for maximining their enhancement to the structural materials.
Contribute to metal materials analysis parts of the content as a co-author and c-supervisor.