Potential PhD projects in Materials Science and New Materials
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Professor Simon Brown, Department of Physics and Astronomy simon.brown@canterbury.ac.nz Project TopicsNanotechnology, Nanoclusters and Nanoparticles, Devices and Scanning Probe Microscopy |
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Associate Professor Michael Reid,Department of Physics and Astronomy mike.reid@canterbury.ac.nz Project Topics |
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Professor Roger Reeves, Department of Physics and Astronomy roger.reeves@canterbury.ac.nz Project Topics |
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Dr Jon-Paul Wells, Department of Physics and Astronomy jon-paul.wells@canterbury.ac.nz Project Topics |
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Associate Professor Owen Curnow, Department of Chemistry owen.curnow@canterbury.ac.nz ProjectNew Ionic Liquids for green battery, pharmaceutical and hydrogen storage applications Ionic Liquids (ILs) are salts with melting points near or below room temperature. Such materials are effectively non-volatile and this eliminates a major pathway for environmental release; thus, they are commonly recognized as “green” solvents. They also display many other useful properties such as high conductivity, ready tuneability, and excellent solubilising properties (even dissolving wood). For these reasons, ILs are being intensively investigated for a large variety of industrial applications, and there is an increasing demand for ILs that exhibit favourable properties. The properties of an IL are determined by the cation and its substituents, the anion, and their mutual interactions, however, properties such as viscosity are rarely predicted with great accuracy due to the complexity of the systems and much work is still to be done on fundamental aspects of ILs. IL technology has been a rapidly developing area since 2000 (there were approximately 2000 papers and almost 250 patents involving ILs in 2006). We have developed an entirely new class of IL with significant differences from “conventional” ILs. Our investigations into the fundamental structure-property relationships of these new materials will allow their utilisation in a wide variety of potential applications, such as battery electrolytes, pharmaceutical synthesis, cellulose dissolution and hydrogen storage. |
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Professor Alison Downard, Department of Chemistry alison.downard@canterbury.ac.nz Project Smart surfaces, surfaces that can reversibly change their properties in response to an external stimulus, have many potential applications in materials science, device fabrication and bioengineering. Examples of properties that can be targeted for switching include porosity, chemical reactivity, charge and wettability. Our research group has expertise grafting methods which generate covalently attached conformal, nanoscale organic films on a wide range of surfaces. Our aim is to design and fabricate switchable surfaces based on these grafting methods. |
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Associate Professor Antony Fairbanks,
Department of Chemistry antony.fairbanks@canterbury.ac.nz Project The project focuses on various synthetic applications of organocatalysis in carbohydrate chemistry to achieve a variety of stereoselective processes not readily achievable by other means. These will include the development of useful de-symmetrization processes, methodology for stereoselective glycosylation and oligosaccharide synthesis, and will also include the development of new generations of organocatalysts for more widespread applications in synthetic organic chemistry. |
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Associate Professor Paul Kruger, Department of Chemistry paul.kruger@canterbury.ac.nz Projects We are particularly interested in the preparation of coordination polymers that may support permanent porosity (metal-organic frameworks, MOFs) as they show promise for applications in catalysis, separation, gas storage and molecular recognition. In contrast to conventional micro-porous inorganic materials such as zeolites, MOFs have the potential for rational design, ranging from the control of the architecture to the functionalisation of the pores. The modularity of an organic ligand (steric-electronic properties, chirality, size and functionalisation etc.) may be fused with the intrinsic physico-chemical properties of transition metals (colour, magnetism, catalysis, chemical and photo-reactivity) to yield 'smart' compounds with manifold potential applications. Metallo Helicate Chemistry We have an active interest in the metallo-supramolecular chemistry of helical complexes (helicates). We are currently developing binuclear metallo-helicate host complexes with two addressable Fe(II) spin-crossover centres (high-spin HS; Low spin, LS) to determine the nature of intra- or inter- molecular cooperativity between spin-centres. We are also looking to develop metallo-helicate host complexes containing an intra-helical cavity of sufficient size to be capable of binding smaller guest molecules within it and to discern whether this host-guest interaction influences HS↔LS switching and to determine the dependence of this switching event upon the nature of the included guest. Ultimately, we wish to determine whether the host-guest interaction falls under magnetic control to develop supramolecular devices. Paramagnetic Polynuclear Metallo-clusters We are concerned with the preparation through self-assembly of small metallo-cluster species containing multiple metal atoms at their core with bridging ligands connecting metal centres. In this way we seek to understand the structure and function of similar clusters found within biology (bio-mimetic chemistry). Similarly, these species may possess interesting and novel magnetic properties (and reactivity) by virtue of the fact that the metal ions typically possess unpaired electrons. We have discovered some unusual and novel cluster species during this work and developed new methods by which to tune the way in which paramagnetic metal ions interact with each other in ferromagnetic fashion. |
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Dr Christopher Fitchett, Department of Chemistry chris.fitchett@canterbury.ac.nz Project Graphenes are a specific type of organic functional material that has been targeted recently due to their unique electronic properties. Azulene is an intensely blue coloured aromatic molecule which is isomeric with naphthalene. Azulenes are ideal targets for the preparation of new graphene-like materials, which often need introduction of chromophore, or coloured groups, to increase their response to light stimulus. Of particular interest for new derivatives synthesised will be their electronic structure, interactions in the solid state and ability to form organometallic and coordination complexes. |
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Dr Vladimir Golovko, Department of Chemistry vladimir.golovko@canterbury.ac.nz Projects The important structural feature of chemical nanoparticle precursors is a preformed metal core of exact (clusters and complexes) or well-defined (colloids) dimensions, allowing control of the resulting nanoparticle size. Such nanoparticle precursors are made in solution, utilizing a wide range of techniques that allow a good degree of control over important features of the product. Deposition of such pre-synthesized nanoparticles onto various solid supports from solution offers immense advantages over alternative methods in producing uniform nanoparticle layers and patterns and also for covering complex 3-D surfaces. Focus:
Studies of catalytic activity of nanostructured materials / catalysis by gold
Expressions of interest in research projects in this area are welcome. Nanotechnology applications - control and structure-property relationships
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Peter Steel, Department of Chemistry peter.steel@canterbury.ac.nz Project Metallosupramolecular chemistry involves the formation of discrete or polymeric species simply by mixing together bridging organic ligands with metal ions. This project involves the synthesis of new types of bridging ligands for use in the construction of novel supramolecular assemblies, such as cages, helicates and coordination polymers. |
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Associate Professor Richard Hartshorn, Department of Chemistry richard.hartshorn@canterbury.ac.nz Projects Exploring the possibilities for modifying the properties of metal surfaces using coordination complexes. (Associate Professor Richard Hartshorn - Department of Chemistry, Associate Professor Ken Morison - Chemical and Process Engineering, Professor Peter Tasker - University of Edinburgh) Synthesis and u se of metal complexes in bio-compatible coatings of implants Many prosthetic implants (e.g. hip joints) are made of titanium. Better incorporation is achieved either when a calcium phosphate (apatite) coating is added to the implant, or when the surface is roughened. Even better results might be expected if both approaches could be used at the same time. Unfortunately most current coating methods are not suitable for use in producing thin films on rough surfaces. Pulsed pressure metal organic chemical vapour deposition is a new technique that may solve this problem. This project involves synthesis, use and evaluation of precursor molecules in this system. (Associate Professor Richard Hartshorn - Department of Chemistry, Associate Professor Susan Krumdieck - Mechanical Engineering) |
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Professor Juliet Gerrard, School of Biological Sciences juliet.gerrard@canterbury.ac.nz Project Proteins are highly versatile molecules and their role in vivo is understood at a very detailed level. We will use this understanding to design proteins for specialist roles outside cells by manipulating their assembly properties. This project will be highly collaborative and multidisciplinary and interfaces with both biochemistry and nanotechnology. |
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Dr Peter Gostomski, Department of Chemical and Process Engineering peter.gostomski@canterbury.ac.nz Projects Cellulose is normally derived from trees and is the main constituent of paper. However certain strains of bacteria excrete cellulose as an extracellular polysaccharide. This cellulose is relatively pure and does not contain the lignin and hemicellulose associated with wood. Its other unique property is that the chain length is much longer and thereby produces much stronger paper. Its uses include high quality speaker cones and headphones and it has novel features as a wound dressing. At present, microbial cellulose is commercially made in low-tech surface cultures but is also has been made with rotating biological contactors (RBC). This project will continue to evluate new reactor configurations for producing microbial cellulose. These reactors will be designed to optimise different aspects of production or the end product. Biofiltration Biofiltration is an air pollution control technology widely used in New Zealand and around the world. It is mainly used for treating high flow rate air streams contaminated with low concentrations of organics (<1000 ppmv). It is especially useful for treating odorous air streams. In this technology, the contaminated air passes through a packed bed reactor filled with biologically active media such as compost or soil. The organic contaminant partitions into the natural biofilm and the organisms present oxidise the organic, producing carbon dioxide and water. While biofilters are rather easy to build, they can be very difficult to operate successfully. This is due to a poor understanding of the engineering aspects of the system such as air and water flow, energy balances and proper control of key parameters. |
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Dr Aaron Marshall, Department of Chemical and Process Engineering aaron.marshall@canterbury.ac.nz Projects Glycerol is a by-product of the continuously expanding bio-diesel industry. Recently we have demonstrated that hydrogen can be produced from glycerol using significantly less electrical power than traditional water electrolysis. The purpose built electrochemical reactor uses similar technology to that used in PEM fuel cells with the reaction occurring on a thin layer of catalytic nanoparticles. The overall objective of this project is to develop novel catalytic nanoparticles to increase the reaction kinetics. Of particular importance will be the selectivity and the degree of reaction completion each catalyst can achieve. The catalytic nanoparticles will be characterised using standard electrochemical methods, electron microscopy and various synchrotron based x-ray techniques. Students interested in catalysis, fuel cells, hydrogen energy or materials science should apply. Intensification of Biodiesel production in microchannel reactors Biodiesel is a renewable fuel which can be produced via the transesterification of vegetable oils. Normally this process is carried out in batch reactors. As the process requires the reaction between two separate phases (the vegetable oil and the alcohol), often the reaction is limited by mass transport across the phase boundaries. Recently microchannel based reactors have been proposed to overcome these mass transport limitations. We will investigate the kinetics and efficiency of these systems for biodiesel production using a range of microchannel patterns and process conditions. |
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Professor Shusheng Pang, Department of Chemical and Process Engineering shusheng.pang@canterbury.ac.nz Projects This project is part of the newly funded research programme to develop new gasification technologies for production of clean, hydrogen-rich syngas from biomass. Both fundamental investigation and experimental studies will be conducted on hydrogen purification and cleaning technology to remove tars and sulphur. This project will be in collaboration with an on-going research of the research programme gGasification technologies, liquid fuel synthesis). The experimental work will be based on the laboratory scale 100 kW gasifier constructed in this department. Pyrolysis of biomass and biosolid wastes for liquid fuels and combustible gases This project will develop a new pyrolysis technology for converting biomass and biosolid wastes into liquid fuels and combustible gases. Oil upgrading will be investigated to improve stability and reduce viscosity of the pyrolysis oil. The department has a lab scale pyrolysis reactor for batch experiments and a new pilot scale pyrolysis reactor has just been constructed and commissioned for this project. Wood-recycled plastics composites This project will develop composite materials using recycled plastics and wood flour. Two processing technologies will be investigated including hot press moulding and injection moulding. Nanoclay blending will also be studied. The target materials produced will be more stable and durable than the original wood but stronger and stiffer than the plastics. The department has a pilot scale twin screw extruder and a hot press which will be available in the project.
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Dr Mark Staiger, Department of Mechanical Engineering mark.staiger@canterbury.ac.nz Projects
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Dr Catherine Bishop, Department of Mechanical Engineering catherine.bishop@canterbury.ac.nz Project Topics
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