I am an accomplished materials scientist and engineer with extensive experience in research, development, and teaching. I completed my MSc (1989) and PhD (1992), followed by two years of post-doctoral training at the Joint Research Centre (JRC), Petten, The Netherlands (1995–1997), focusing on advanced materials and high-temperature ceramics. I currently serve as Coordinator of the Materials for Renewable Energies research area at LNEG, I.P., where I am also a Principal Researcher with habilitation, and as an Invited Professor at ISEL, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa. My research focuses on the processing and thermo-mechanical characterisation of advanced ceramics, renewable energy materials, and high-temperature materials. I am a member of the Ordem dos Engenheiros and the Portuguese Materials Society.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Materials Science, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Ceramics and Composites, Metals and Alloys
Mechanical Performance of Ceria-Coated 3D-Printed Black Zirconia Cellular Structures After Solar Thermochemical CO/H2 Fuel Production Cycles Fernando A. Costa Oliveira, Manuel Sardinha, Joaquim M. Justino Netto, Miguel Farinha, Marco Leite, et al. Crystals, 2025 Solar fuels production requires developing redox active materials with porous structures able to withstand thermochemical cycles with enhanced thermal stability under concentrated solar irradiation conditions. The mechanical performance of 3D-printed, macroporous black zirconia gyroid structures, coated with redox-active ceria, was assessed for their suitability in solar thermochemical cycles for CO2 and H2O splitting. Experiments were conducted using a 1.5 kW solar furnace to supply the high-temperature concentrated heat to a windowed reaction chamber to carry out thermal redox cycling under realistic on-sun conditions. The ceria coating on ceramic structures improved the thermal stability and redox efficiency while minimizing the quantity of the redox material involved. Crushing strength measurements showed that samples not directly exposed to the concentrated solar flux retained their mechanical performance after thermal cycling (~10 MPa), while those near the concentrated solar beam focus exhibited significant degradation due to thermal stresses and the formation of CexZr1−xO2 solid solutions (~1.5 MPa). A Weibull modulus of 8.5 was estimated, marking the first report of such a parameter for fused filament fabrication (FFF)-manufactured black zirconia with gyroid architecture. Failure occurred via a damage accumulation mechanism at both micro- and macro-scales. These findings support the viability of ceria-coated cellular ceramics for scalable solar fuel production and highlight the need for optimized reactor designs.
Thermal Shock Resistance of Commercial Oxide-Bonded Silicon Carbide Reticulated Foams under Concentrated Solar Radiation at PSA: A Feasibility Study Fernando de Almeida Costa Oliveira, José Galindo, José Rodríguez, Inmaculada Cañadas, Jorge Cruz Fernandes Inorganics, 2024 Volumetric ceramic receivers can be regarded as a promising technology to heat air above 1000 °C for solar thermal electricity production. In this study, the thermal shock behavior of commercial 10 ppi (A) and 20 ppi (B) oxide-bonded silicon carbide (ob-SiC) reticulated porous ceramic (RPC) foams was evaluated using the SF60 solar furnace at Plataforma Solar de Almería. The foams were subjected to well-controlled temperature cycles ranging from 800 to 1000, 1200, 1300 or 1400 °C, for 25, 100, and 150 cycles. The extent of the damage after thermal shock was determined by crushing tests. The damage was found to be critically dependent on both the bulk density and cell size. Decreasing both the bulk density and cell size resulted in better thermal shock resistance. The B foam exhibited approximately half the stress degradation compared to the A foam when exposed to a temperature difference of 600 K (in the range of 800 to 1400 °C) and subjected to 150 cycles.
Manufacturing and Thermal Shock Resistance of 3D-Printed Porous Black Zirconia for Concentrated Solar Applications Fernando Almeida Costa Oliveira, Manuel Sardinha, José Galindo, José Rodríguez, Inmaculada Cañadas, et al. Crystals, 2023 A novel approach for manufacturing porous materials, foreseen as solar receivers for concentrated sun radiation, used in the power tower technology is presented. In such applications, materials are subjected to steep thermal gradients and thousands of cycles. Yet, materials consisting of honeycombs and ceramic foams showed insufficient thermal performance. By using the fused filament fabrication process, one can design printed parts meeting the requirements for solar receivers, namely dark color and high solar absorptance. This exploratory study unveils data on the retained crushing strength of newly developed 3D-printed porous Black Zirconia cubes after thermal cycling under similar conditions to those experienced by volumetric receivers and catalyst substrates for solar fuels (H2 and/or CO) production via the thermochemical cycle. Unlike dense ceramics, the resistance to thermal shock of 3D-printed cubes underwent a gradual decrease with the increase in the thermal gradient. The thermal shock cycles were performed between 800 °C and 1100, 1200, and 1300 °C, corresponding to a ΔT of 300, 400, and 500 K, respectively. Additionally, water quenching tests were performed at ΔT = 300 K up to 400 K. Crushing strength measurements carried out to evaluate the retained mechanical strength after exposure up to 100 cycles showed that the Black Zirconia cubes can withstand thermal gradients up to at least 400 K.
A New Insight into the Role of Silicate-Type Binders on the Crushing Strength of Alumina Foams Fernando de Almeida Costa Oliveira, Stéphane Pommier, Jorge Cruz Fernandes, Diamantino Dias Crystals, 2022 Semi-closed cell macroporous alumina foams with relative densities ranging from 0.26 to 0.35 have been produced by the well-established replication method based on the coating of a polyurethane (PU) template foam by a ceramic slurry, followed by burnout of the PU template, and sintering of the ceramic skeleton. Collapse of the three-dimensional structure upon the volatilisation of the PU sponge can only be prevented using appropriate binders. Scarce data are available on the slurry formulations of commercial alumina foams. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of silicate-type binders, namely kaolin and bentonite additives, on the crushing strength of alumina foams. The highest crushing strength of around 10 MPa was observed at a porosity of 66 ± 2%. The open-cell model is inadequate to fit the crushing strength data of such semi-closed cell type structures. Both microscopic and macroscopic flaws resulting from the foam processing method contribute to the wide scatter of the strength, thereby explaining the Weibull modulus ranging from 4 to 7. Both flaw populations require further improvement to maximise the crushing strength of these foams with high potential for the design of structured catalyst carriers and molten aluminium filters.
Slow pyrolysis of cork granules under nitrogen atmosphere: by-products characterization and their potential valorization Paula A. Costa, M. Alexandra Barreiros, Ana I. Mouquinho, Pedro Oliveira e Silva, Filipe Paradela, et al. Biofuel Research Journal, 2022 Cork granules (Quercus suber L.) were slowly pyrolyzed at temperatures between 400-700 °C and under N2 flow. While preserving its structure, some cells of the cork biochar became interconnected, allowing such carbon residue to be used as templates for manufacturing ceria redox materials. The pyrolytic char morphology was similar to that of the natural precursor. The produced cork biochar belonged to Class 1 (C > 60%) and possessed a high heating value of 32 MJ kg−1. Other pyrolysis-derived compounds were identified and quantified through GC-FID and GC-MS analyses. The yield of gases released during cork pyrolysis was strongly dependent on the temperature used due to the thermal decomposition reactions involved in the degradation of cork. In particular, rising pyrolysis temperature from 500 to 700 ºC resulted in reducing the total hydrocarbon gases from 74 to 24 vol%. On the other hand, the yield of H2 increased from 0 to 58% by increasing the pyrolysis temperature from 400 to 700 ºC. Due to the presence of suberin in cork, the composition and yield of bio-oil could be regulated by the pyrolysis temperature. Cork bio-oil was found to consist of long-chain hydrocarbons (from C11 to C24). The bio-oil resulting from the slow pyrolysis of cork residues is suitable as an appropriate feedstock for producing aliphatic-rich pyrolytic biofuels or as a source of olefins. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that Quercus suber L. could be a promising feedstock for biochar and biofuel production through the pyrolytic route and could contribute to the environmental and economic sustainability of the cork production industry.
Synthesis of non-cubic nitride phases of va-group metals (V, nb, and ta) from metal powders in stream of nh3 gas under concentrated solar radiation Nobumitsu Shohoji, Fernando Almeida Costa Oliveira, José Galindo, José Rodríguez, Inmaculada Cañadas, et al. Chemengineering, 2021 Using a high-flux solar furnace, loosely compacted powders of Va-group transition metal (V, Nb, and Ta) were reacted with stream of NH3 gas (uncracked NH3 gas) being heated by concentrated solar beam to a temperature (T) range between 600 and 1000 °C. From V, sub-nitride V2N (γ phase) and hypo-stoichiometric mono-nitride VN possessing fcc (face-centered cubic) crystal lattice structure (δ phase) were synthesized. On the other hand, in the reaction product from Nb and Ta, hexagonal mono-nitride phase with N/M atom ratio close to 1 (ε phase) was detected. The reaction duration was normalized to be 60 min. In a conventional industrial or laboratory electric furnace, the synthesis of mono-nitride phase with high degree of crystallinity that yield sharp XRD peaks for Va-group metal might take a quite long duration even at T exceeding 1000 °C. In contrast, mono–nitride phase MN of Va-group metal was synthesized for a relatively short duration of 60 min at T lower than 1000 °C being co-existed with lower nitride phases.
Influence of iron powder characteristics on the granite cutting behaviour of diamond impregnated Co-Fe-Cu based alloys saw-blade segments Proceedings Euro Pm 2015 International Power Metallurgy Congress and Exhibition, 2015
Fabrication of cellular cordierite foams Fernando A. Costa Oliveira, Susana Dias, João M.G. Mascarenhas, José Maria F. Ferreira, S. Olhero, et al. Materials Science Forum, 2004
The oxidation kinetics of a yttria-doped hot-pressed silicon nitride Key Engineering Materials, 1997
In-situ observation of the oxidation behaviour of a silicon nitride densified with the aid of Y2O3 and Al2O3 by hot-stage microscopy Key Engineering Materials, 1996
Effect of temperature and gas composition on the corrosion behaviour of silicon nitrides exposed to sulphidizing environments of low oxygen potential Werkstoffe Und Korrosion, 1990
From Sintering Route to Cutting Response: Circular-Saw Granite Cutting with Microwave-Hybrid Sintered Diamond Segments RS Henriques, PF Borges, A Coelho, PM Amaral, J Cruz Fernandes, ... Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing 10 (5), 161 , 2026 2026
Manufacturing of Diamond Tool Segments via Microwave–Hybrid Sintering FA Costa Oliveira, PF Borges, A Coelho, PM Amaral, J Cruz Fernandes Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing 9 (11), 370 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Comparison of the corrosion of ferritic and austenitic stainless steel (AISI 430 and AISI 316L) with LiNaK carbonate salts for thermal energy storage in CSP/CST applications M Gil, F Pedrosa, T Paiva, I Figueira, FAC Oliveira, TC Diamantino Solar Energy 298, 113743 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Mechanical Performance of Ceria-Coated 3D-Printed Black Zirconia Cellular Structures After Solar Thermochemical CO/H 2 Fuel Production Cycles FA Costa Oliveira, M Sardinha, JMJ Netto, M Farinha, M Leite, ... Crystals 15 (7), 629 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Thermochemical performance of ceria coated-macroporous 3D-printed black zirconia structures for solar CO/H2 fuels production FAC Oliveira, MA Barreiros, M Sardinha, M Leite, JC Fernandes, ... International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 100, 477-490 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
Thermal Shock Resistance of Commercial Oxide-Bonded Silicon Carbide Reticulated Foams under Concentrated Solar Radiation at PSA: A Feasibility Study FA Costa Oliveira, J Galindo, J Rodríguez, I Cañadas, J Cruz Fernandes Inorganics 12 (9), 246 , 2024 2024
Thermal Shock Resistance of Commercial Oxide-Bonded Silicon Carbide Reticulated Foams under Concentrated Solar Radiation at PSA: A Feasibility Study FAC Oliveira, J Galindo, J Rodriguez, I Cañadas, JC Fernandes Inorganics 12 (9), 246 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Manufacturing and thermal shock resistance of 3D-printed porous black zirconia for concentrated solar applications FA Costa Oliveira, M Sardinha, J Galindo, J Rodríguez, I Cañadas, ... Crystals 13 (9), 1323 , 2023 2023 Citations: 9
Thermal decomposition of δ-MoN and ε-Fe2N synthesized under concentrated solar radiation in NH3 gas stream I Cañadas, FAC Oliveira, J Rodriguez, N Shohoji Thermochimica Acta 719, 179394 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
A New Insight into the Role of Silicate-Type Binders on the Crushing Strength of Alumina Foams FAC Oliveira, S Pommier, JC Fernandes, D Dias Crystals 12 (10), 1394 , 2022 2022
Slow pyrolysis of cork granules under nitrogen atmosphere: by-products characterization and their potential valorization PA Costa, MA Barreiros, AI Mouquinho, P Oliveira E Silva, F Paradela, ... Biofuel Research Journal 9 (1), 1562-1572 , 2022 2022 Citations: 20
Synthesis of Non-Cubic Nitride Phases of Va-Group Metals (V, Nb, and Ta) from Metal Powders in Stream of NH 3 Gas under Concentrated Solar Radiation N Shohoji, FAC Oliveira, J Galindo, J Rodríguez, I Cañadas, ... ChemEngineering 5 (2), 19 , 2021 2021 Citations: 4
Solar redox cycling of ceria structures based on fiber boards, foams, and biomimetic cork-derived ecoceramics for two-step thermochemical H2O and CO2 splitting A Haeussler, S Abanades, FA Costa Oliveira, MA Barreiros, APF Caetano, ... Energy & Fuels 34 (7), 9037-9049 , 2020 2020 Citations: 34
Civil Construction Scenario in Brazil during the COVID-19 Pandemic SC Dias, LMC Silva, LG Nascimento, FC Oliveira, SJC Lopes, LM Sousa Research, Society and Development 9 (7), e528974464 , 2020 2020 Citations: 3
Novos avanços no processo de fabrico de espumas de céria para produção de hidrogénio pela via termoquímica solar FA Oliveira, A Mouquinho, MA Barreiros CIES2020-XVII Congresso Ibérico e XIII Congresso Ibero-americano de Energia … , 2020 2020
High performance cork-templated ceria for solar thermochemical hydrogen production via two-step water-splitting cycles FAC Oliveira, MA Barreiros, A Haeussler, APF Caetano, AI Mouquinho, ... Sustainable Energy & Fuels 4 (6), 3077-3089 , 2020 2020 Citations: 42
A Review of Solar Thermochemical CO 2 Splitting Using Ceria-Based Ceramics With Designed Morphologies and Microstructures RC Pullar, RM Novais, APF Caetano, MA Barreiros, S Abanades, ... Frontiers in chemistry 7, 601 , 2019 2019 Citations: 97
Thermal resistance of solar volumetric absorbers made of mullite, brown alumina and ceria foams under concentrated solar radiation FAC Oliveira, JC Fernandes, J Galindo, J Rodríguez, I Cañadas, LG Rosa Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 194, 121-129 , 2019 2019 Citations: 23
Portland cement clinker production using concentrated solar energy–A proof-of-concept approach FAC Oliveira, JC Fernandes, J Galindo, J Rodríguez, I Cañadas, ... Solar Energy 183, 677-688 , 2019 2019 Citations: 58
Pyrolysis of Cork Granules Suitable for Producing Ceria Ecoceramics Used in Water Splitting Under Concentrated Solar Energy A Mouquinho, PO e Silva, P Costa, MA Barreiros, FAC Oliveira Materiais 2019: XIX congress of Sociedade Portuguesa de Materiais and X … , 2019 2019
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Behaviour of open-cell cordierite foams under compression FAC Oliveira, S Dias, MF Vaz, JC Fernandes Journal of the European Ceramic Society 26 (1-2), 179-186 , 2006 2006 Citations: 144
Mechanical and thermal behaviour of cordierite–zirconia composites FAC Oliveira, JC Fernandes Ceramics International 28 (1), 79-91 , 2002 2002 Citations: 127
A Review of Solar Thermochemical CO 2 Splitting Using Ceria-Based Ceramics With Designed Morphologies and Microstructures RC Pullar, RM Novais, APF Caetano, MA Barreiros, S Abanades, ... Frontiers in chemistry 7, 601 , 2019 2019 Citations: 97
Catalytic combustion of toluene on Pt zeolite coated cordierite foams F Ribeiro, JM Silva, E Silva, MF Vaz, FAC Oliveira Catalysis today 176 (1), 93-96 , 2011 2011 Citations: 66
Solar thermochemical CO2 splitting using cork-templated ceria ecoceramics FAC Oliveira, MA Barreiros, S Abanades, APF Caetano, RM Novais, ... Journal of CO2 Utilization 26, 552-563 , 2018 2018 Citations: 62
Portland cement clinker production using concentrated solar energy–A proof-of-concept approach FAC Oliveira, JC Fernandes, J Galindo, J Rodríguez, I Cañadas, ... Solar Energy 183, 677-688 , 2019 2019 Citations: 58
Characterisation of solar-synthesised TiCx (x= 0.50, 0.625, 0.75, 0.85, 0.90 and 1.0) by X-ray diffraction, density and Vickers microhardness JC Fernandes, C Anjinho, PM Amaral, LG Rosa, J Rodrı́guez, D Martı́nez, ... Materials chemistry and physics 77 (3), 711-718 , 2003 2003 Citations: 48
High performance cork-templated ceria for solar thermochemical hydrogen production via two-step water-splitting cycles FAC Oliveira, MA Barreiros, A Haeussler, APF Caetano, AI Mouquinho, ... Sustainable Energy & Fuels 4 (6), 3077-3089 , 2020 2020 Citations: 42
Solar sintering of cordierite-based ceramics at low temperatures FAC Oliveira, N Shohoji, JC Fernandes, LG Rosa Solar Energy 78 (3), 351-361 , 2005 2005 Citations: 40
Structural and thermal characterization of SiO2–P2O5 sol–gel powders upon annealing at high temperatures M Elisa, BA Sava, A Volceanov, RCC Monteiro, E Alves, N Franco, ... Journal of non-crystalline solids 356 (9-10), 495-501 , 2010 2010 Citations: 39
PM materials selection: The key for improved performance of diamond tools FAC Oliveira, CA Anjinho, A Coelho, PM Amaral, M Coelho Metal powder report 72 (5), 339-344 , 2017 2017 Citations: 37
Synthesis of tungsten sub-carbide W2C from graphite/tungsten powder mixtures by eruptive heating in a solar furnace FAC Oliveira, B Granier, JM Badie, JC Fernandes, LG Rosa, N Shohoji International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials 25 (4), 351-357 , 2007 2007 Citations: 37
High meta-stability of tungsten sub-carbide W2C formed from tungsten/carbon powder mixture during eruptive heating in a solar furnace FAC Oliveira, JC Fernandes, JM Badie, B Granier, LG Rosa, N Shohoji International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials 25 (1), 101-106 , 2007 2007 Citations: 36
Numerical and experimental study on improving temperature uniformity of solar furnaces for materials processing B Li, FAC Oliveira, J Rodríguez, JC Fernandes, LG Rosa Solar Energy 115, 95-108 , 2015 2015 Citations: 35
Solar redox cycling of ceria structures based on fiber boards, foams, and biomimetic cork-derived ecoceramics for two-step thermochemical H2O and CO2 splitting A Haeussler, S Abanades, FA Costa Oliveira, MA Barreiros, APF Caetano, ... Energy & Fuels 34 (7), 9037-9049 , 2020 2020 Citations: 34
Newly developed cordierite–zircon composites FA Costa Oliveira, JA Franco, J Cruz Fernandes, D Dias British ceramic transactions 101 (1), 14-21 , 2002 2002 Citations: 34
Elastic moduli of open-cell cordierite foams FAC Oliveira Journal of non-crystalline solids 351 (19-20), 1623-1629 , 2005 2005 Citations: 31
Novel mullite-based ceramics manufactured from inorganic wastes: I. Densification behaviour FAC Oliveira, V Livramento, F Delmas Journal of Materials Processing Technology 196 (1-3), 101-108 , 2008 2008 Citations: 30
Kinetic aspects of reaction between tantalum and carbon material (active carbon or graphite) under solar radiation heating JC Fernandes, FAC Oliveira, B Granier, JM Badie, LG Rosa, N Shohoji Solar Energy 80 (12), 1553-1560 , 2006 2006 Citations: 30
Novel two-step processing route combining mechanical alloying and microwave hybrid sintering to fabricate dense La9. 33Si2Ge4O26 for SOFCs M Santos, C Alves, FAC Oliveira, T Marcelo, J Mascarenhas, A Cavaleiro, ... Journal of power sources 231, 146-152 , 2013 2013 Citations: 28