David is a qualified Project Manager, a Lecturer in Materials, Aeronautical, and Mechanical Engineering, the Director of engCORE (SETU Carlow), and a mid-career Researcher, having graduated from TU Dublin with his PhD. in 2012. During his PhD he developed a conformal surface technology for protecting against synergistic wear & corrosion degradation processes, which infused a sol-gel nanocomposite (combined with in-process CexOy synthesises as low-profile nanoparticle clusters) into open pores of wear-resistant and anodised coatings using electrochemical solution deposition. During the delivery of a Commercialisation Funded project in TU Dublin he concomitantly served as Vice Manager of WG3 in the eMINDS (MP1407) COST Action. He is currently an MC Member of CA20130 (Euro-MIC), CA22123 (EU-MACE) and CA22143 (EUMINE), and a member of CA22154 (DAEMON). He has participated in national sustainability projects such as CIRCULÉIRE. His research areas include smart materials, nanotechnology, surface treatments and degradation processes, with particular expertise in AI-driven materials development technologies and adapted electrochemical technologies. Separately, Dr Culliton has developed extensive Project Management experience in the IT, Construction and Research environs. He has worked on, and successfully delivered projects, of up to €5m for the banking sector, pharmaceutical industries, and academia. As a Project Manager, he developed expertise in areas such as team/resource-, RISK-, and time- management. Dr Culliton is currently delivering a number of projects funded by the SEAI (Off-Shore Energy: ~€1M) and Enterprise Ireland (Innovation Partnership Projects developing Smart Materials Technologies: totalling ~ €900k).
I am a lecturer in the Aerospace & Mechanical Department at SETU Carlow, with a commitment to the development of advanced materials education in the South-East region in Level 6-10 undergrad/postgrad programmes, through legacy and AI-driven approaches. To this end I have been highly successful in HCI Pillar 1 (€360k) & Pillar 3 (€2.7m) awards in 2020, and in procuring substantial funding to purchase a range of state-of-the-art equipment from internal (€140k President’s Vote, €240k SETU Capital Equipment Call 2024) and external (Enterprise Ireland Capital Call) sources (total: ~€1M since 2017). I have also procured investment in advanced modelling and simulation software (~€130k) I'm also involved with the Level 6 Certificate in Manufacturing and Design Engineering.
Research Interests
My current research focus is defined by an engineering approach to the materials' aspects (substrate, surface degradation & treatments) of renewable energy capture devices with a particular interest in offshore variants.
My research is based on an active interest in knowledge enhancement in the general areas of My research areas include Smart Materials, applied -nanomaterials/-nanotechnologies, Surface Engineering/Degradation Phenomena, (eg Wear/Corrosion, Biofouling, Tribocorrosion), with particular expertise in AI-driven materials development technologies and adapted electrochemical technologies,. My PhD focussed on the optimisation of sol-gel+CexOy nanoparticle infusoin in porous wear coatings, for corrosion/tribocorrosion prevention. Previously I worked on a surface coatings research project involving numerous coating systems applied to a cast aluminium alloy component.
I am the sole Irish representative of the European Academy of Surface Technology (EAST). This is a non-profit organisation which represents an International Platform for Science and Technology and an Interface between Research and Application in all Areas of Surface Technology. www.east-site.net
I was an active member of the MP1407 COST Action, in which I am vice-leader (https://www.e-minds.ch/the-project/organisation/core-group/) of Workgroup 3 . I am currently an MC Member of CA20130 (Euro-MIC), CA22123 (EU-MACE) and CA22143 (EUMINE), and a member of CA22154 (DAEMON). I have participated in national sustainability projects such as CIRCULÉIRE and Institutional initiatives such as Athena Swan.
I have participated in 2 H2020 FETOpen proposals in the fields of Anti-Biofouling using biomimetic texturing and nano-magnetics/robotics for low-water sanitation and commercial de-icing applications. I am currently delivering an SEAI project in this area, and I am currently coordinating Horizon Europe and Blue Partner proposals.
Award: Engaged Research and Impact Award: Research Impact: Industry and Commercialisation (2025)
Award: Chartered Engineer Status with Engineers Ireland (2023)
Award: Sir Bernard Crossland Symposium (2011, 2nd Place Paper Award)
Member: A member of CINNTE WG2 (2023-2024), the Athena Swan Faculty of Engineering team.
Member: A member of the Engineering Fac. Athena Swan WG4 and previously on TU WS3:WG2 team for the successful SETU Carlow Bronze Award.
Hosting: a member of the Local Organising Committee for EuroCORR 2025.
Reviewer: I am a member of the Editorial Board for Trans. Institute of Materials Finishing and Surface and Interface Engineering am a reviewer for MDPI, JSEL, and Frontiers.
Engagement and Collaboration
Investigation into the potential of Laser Nitriding on improving wear characteristics of high-wear ferrous alloys used in the mining industry. (Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership fund, €75k, PostDoc 2017).
Commercialisation of the novel tribocorrosion degradation resistant iSeal„¢ surface treatment (Enterprise Ireland); Commercialisation fund, €350k, Project Manager 2014-2016).
Investigation into the potential of Laser Shock Peening techniques on improving wear characteristics of high-wear ferrous alloys used in the mining industry. (Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership fund, €370k, PostDoc 2011-2012).
Development of a novel tribocorrosion degradation resistant iSeal surface treatment (Enterprise Ireland Proof of Concept fund, €93k, Project Manager 2008-2009).
Investigation on surface treatments for Al-Si alloys used in the Pulp & Paper industry. (Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership fund/ABS, €66k, Project Manager 2006-2007).
Current Research Students
PhD: Samira Nazari
MPhil: Farzaneh Khast
Past Research Students
PhD: Jade Stanley Development of thermo-bioplastics with the use of sustainable, alternative, starches. (grad. 2025)
M.Phil.: Lukas Korcak Effects of Thermal Aging on the Performance Reliability of Al- and Cu- Enamelled Wire. (grad. 2025)
PhD: Marta Mroczkowska Development of piscine gelatine-starch blend bioplastic with cutin coating as a replacement for petroleum-based plastic. (grad. 2023),
M.Eng: Luca Brugnetti, Biomimetic Texturing to Enhance Superhydro- Phobic/-Philic Properties of Engineered Surfaces (2017)
M.Phil: Leye Olayiwola, Effect of Laser Shot Peening on Surface Roughness and Wear Properties (2013)
Areas of interest as a supervisor include
Engineering
Surface Degradation Phenomena
Materials Research
3D & CFD Modelling/Simulation
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Nazari, L. A. Zambrano M, E. R. Silva, U. Trdan, D. Culliton · Results in Engineering 12 March 2025, 104627 · DOI: 10.1016/j.rineng.2025.104627 (Open Access; CiteScore of 5.8 IF 6.0)
F. S. Hwang, D. Culliton, et al.; Renewable Sustainable Energy Reviews; 192:114171 (2024); DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2023.114171
J. Stanley, D. Culliton, J. Jovani-Sancho, A. Cunha Neves; Polymer Sci. peer Rev. J. 5(3) (2023); pp.12; DOI: 10.31031/PSPRJ.2023.05.000612
F. S. Hwang, D. Culliton, et al., 2023 IEEE Transport. Electrification Conf. & Expo. (ITEC), Detroit, MI, USA, (2023), pp. 1-6, DOI: 10.1109/ITEC55900.2023.10187086.
J. Stanley, D. Culliton, J. Jovani-Sancho, A. Cunha Neves; WJERT 8 (12) pp.1-19 (2022)
G. Shen, J. Zhang, D. Culliton, R. Melentiev, F. Fang; Frontiers of Mechanical Engineering 17(2): 26 (2022) DOI: 10.1007/s11465-022-0682-6;
M. Mroczkowska, D. Culliton, K. Germaine, A.C. Neves; Clean Technol., 3(2), pp.424-436 (2021); DOI: 10.3390/cleantechnol3020024
L. Korcak, D. Culliton; EEET 2021: 4th Int. Conf. on Electronics and Electrical Engineering Technology December (2021) Pp.64–68 DOI: 10.1145/3508297.3508376
A.C. Neves, H.M. Tew, H. M., M. Mroczkowska, D. Culliton; Adv. Sci. Technol. Eng. Syst. J. 5(6), pp.550-554 (2020); DOI: 10.25046/aj050666
D. Culliton · A.J. Betts; Part I: Effect of Coating/Substrate relationship on the development of galvanic processes in corrosive environments using electrochemical detection techniques · Submitted To : Corrosion Science 2017 (under review)
D. Culliton · A.J. Betts; Part II: Effect of Substrate Alloying Composition on the development of galvanic processes in corrosive environments using electrochemical detection techniques · Submitted To : Corrosion Science 2017 (under review)
M. BuÄko · D. Culliton · A.J. Betts · J. B. Bajat; The electrochemical deposition of Zn–Mn coating from choline chloride–urea deep eutectic solvent · 2017 · Transactions of the Institute of Metal Finishing
D. Culliton · A.J. Betts · S. Carvalho · D. Kennedy; Improving Tribological Properties of Cast Al-Si Alloys through Application of Wear-Resistant Thermal Spray Coatings · 2014 · Journal of Thermal Spray Technology
D. Culliton · D. Kennedy · A.J. Betts; Impact of intermetallic precipitates on the tribological and/or corrosion performance of cast aluminium alloys: A short review · 2013 · International Journal of Cast Metals Research
Conference Proceedings and Papers
A.C.S. Bastos · D. Culliton · M.G.S. Ferreira; A SVET analysis of the galvanic corrosion of LM24 and LM25 cast aluminium alloys coated with thermal sprayed Inconel 625 · 2015 · ASST Conference, Madeira.
D. Culliton · A.J. Betts · D. Kennedy; Localised Galvanic Corrosion Processes in Thermal Spray Coated/Cast Aluminium Alloy systems · 2012 · Matrib Conference, Vela Luka
D. Culliton · A.J. Betts · P. Concannon · D. Kennedy; Thermal Spray Coatings: Effect of Selected Coating Parameters on Corrosion Resistance · 2011 · Matrib Conference, Vela Luka
D. Culliton · A.J. Betts · D. Kennedy; Enhanced corrosion of LM25 caused by the presence of Cathodic Flame Spray Coatings in an NaCl/Aqueous Solutions · 2007 · EuroCorr, Freiburg
Patents
D. Culliton (Inventor) ; A surface treatment for enhanced resistance to corrosion and synergistic wear & corrosion (tribocorrosion) degradation. (Patent No. WO2017005582A1) 29 Jun 2016.
