Engineering two dimensional polymers for membrane-based chemical separation. This project aims to develop novel two-dimensional polymers with precisely controlled pore-sizes for preparing membrane materials which can efficiently separate these gaseous chemicals at ambient temperatures. Key industrial chemical mixtures with similar size and boiling points are difficult to separate by conventional distillation methods. Currently, purification of olefins alone accounts for 0.3% of global energy use ....Engineering two dimensional polymers for membrane-based chemical separation. This project aims to develop novel two-dimensional polymers with precisely controlled pore-sizes for preparing membrane materials which can efficiently separate these gaseous chemicals at ambient temperatures. Key industrial chemical mixtures with similar size and boiling points are difficult to separate by conventional distillation methods. Currently, purification of olefins alone accounts for 0.3% of global energy use. The expected outcomes of the project will have a huge impact on industrial purification processing by providing a disruptive membrane technology, and will significantly reduce energy consumption and open up new routes for resources.Read moreRead less
Bioelectronics: addressing the biointerface challenge. This project aims to develop bioelectronic materials with long operational stability in physiological conditions and enhanced electronic performance that will effectively interface with electroresponsive tissue. These new materials will be integrated into bioadhesives from which simple bioelectronics devices will be fabricated and assessed for their capability to modulate biosignals and to interact with tissue. Disruption in biosignals cause ....Bioelectronics: addressing the biointerface challenge. This project aims to develop bioelectronic materials with long operational stability in physiological conditions and enhanced electronic performance that will effectively interface with electroresponsive tissue. These new materials will be integrated into bioadhesives from which simple bioelectronics devices will be fabricated and assessed for their capability to modulate biosignals and to interact with tissue. Disruption in biosignals causes numerous medical conditions such as epilepsy and heart failure and the development of flexible and biocompatible medical electronics devices that interface with tissue is essential for regaining and modulating these signals.Read moreRead less
Structurally Nanoengineered Antimicrobial Polypeptide Particles (SNAPPs). This project aims to develop a new platform technology for the development of antimicrobial agents by combining expertise in polymer science and antimicrobial studies. It aims to develop new nanoengineered particles for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, investigate the influence of particle architecture on antibacterial properties, and determine the mechanism of action. This may support the development of antibiotic ....Structurally Nanoengineered Antimicrobial Polypeptide Particles (SNAPPs). This project aims to develop a new platform technology for the development of antimicrobial agents by combining expertise in polymer science and antimicrobial studies. It aims to develop new nanoengineered particles for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, investigate the influence of particle architecture on antibacterial properties, and determine the mechanism of action. This may support the development of antibiotic treatments using new polypeptide particles as antibacterial drugs, resulting in advances in nanobiotechnology, polymer therapeutics and advanced materials. The outcomes may revolutionise the synthetic approach to antimicrobial peptides and contribute significantly towards current antibiotic treatments and approaches for advanced antibacterial formulations.Read moreRead less
Engineering drug transportation behaviour in polymeric gel systems. In collaboration with Seagull Technologies, this project aims to engineer, study and mathematically model ultrasound-assisted biomacromolecule transport behaviour within polymeric gel systems, which may be useful in new drug delivery methods. The intended outcome is a novel set of polymeric gel systems, which can reversibly bind a wide variety of drugs (small molecules, nucleic acid based drugs, proteins), in which drug release ....Engineering drug transportation behaviour in polymeric gel systems. In collaboration with Seagull Technologies, this project aims to engineer, study and mathematically model ultrasound-assisted biomacromolecule transport behaviour within polymeric gel systems, which may be useful in new drug delivery methods. The intended outcome is a novel set of polymeric gel systems, which can reversibly bind a wide variety of drugs (small molecules, nucleic acid based drugs, proteins), in which drug release is triggered by an electric potential and drug transport is controlled by means of sonophoresis. The main advantage of drug delivery via sonophoresis is elimination of risks associated with injections such as infection and damage to local tissue, and elimination of patient discomfort, pain and fear.Read moreRead less
Cell facilitated controlled radical polymerisation. This project aims to develop a controlled polymerisation method by combining reversible addition fragmentation chain (RAFT) polymerisation technology and the redox processes within bacterial cells. This polymerisation method will copy biological information in the bacterial cell surface into a growing polymer structure. Variations in the monomer structures and functionality will be used to control the incorporation of cell surface chemistry int ....Cell facilitated controlled radical polymerisation. This project aims to develop a controlled polymerisation method by combining reversible addition fragmentation chain (RAFT) polymerisation technology and the redox processes within bacterial cells. This polymerisation method will copy biological information in the bacterial cell surface into a growing polymer structure. Variations in the monomer structures and functionality will be used to control the incorporation of cell surface chemistry into the new polymer structure. Such cell-enabled controlled polymerisation could advance polymer synthesis resulting in biologically instructed polymer-mimics and new antibacterial agents.Read moreRead less
Smart materials from semi-soft particles. This project will combine precision polymer chemistry to material science to develop structured nanoparticles for applications in photonics and shape memory materials.
Advanced adsorbents for gas separations. Efficient purification of natural gas and separation of similarly-sized molecules in gas mixtures is increasingly important in our drive to develop a more sustainable way of living in an energy-constrained world. This project will develop a new class of adsorbents to deliver a level of separation efficiency much higher than that currently in use.
Using anisotropic thermal expansion in organic semiconductor thin films. This project aims to capitalise upon the recent discovery of negative thermal expansion in high-performance organic semiconductor films. Certain molecules’ chemical structures have a planar conjugated core and flexible sidechains. When highly anisotropic thermal expansion occurs, the sidechains take up most of the thermal expansion. When a negative thermal expansion occurs, the pi-pi stacking distance decreases upon anneali ....Using anisotropic thermal expansion in organic semiconductor thin films. This project aims to capitalise upon the recent discovery of negative thermal expansion in high-performance organic semiconductor films. Certain molecules’ chemical structures have a planar conjugated core and flexible sidechains. When highly anisotropic thermal expansion occurs, the sidechains take up most of the thermal expansion. When a negative thermal expansion occurs, the pi-pi stacking distance decreases upon annealing. This effect has been linked with higher charge mobilities, and a tighter molecular packing is locked in upon cooling. The potential applications of these high performance organic semiconductors includes chemical/biosensors, electronic paper, and radio frequency identification cards.Read moreRead less