Research Group: Particles Surfaces and Interfaces (SI)

The programme undertakes a wide range of interdisciplinary research in the general area of the science and engineering of surface interactions and related phenomena. The current activity has three main themes:

1. The direct study of surface interactions per se;

2. The consequences of these interactions in process and materials engineering;

3. The synthesis of novel nanoparticles and nanostructures. 

For many years it has been our philosophy that it is by understanding the microscopic scale structures and interactions between materials, that their bulk properties can be understood and controlled. For example the difference between non-drip and free-flowing paint is the interactions between the particles, attractive in the non-drip paint case and repulsive in the free flowing paint. In turn this gives rise to a gel type structure which determines the rheology of this system and hence the desired properties of the product. These microscopic interactions can be determined using a variety of techniques including, atomic force microscopy, nano-indentation, inverse chromatography methods, contact angle determination etc, whilst the bulk properties of materials can be determined with rheology, powder rheology and compaction. Structural determination is somewhat more of a challenge, but the program has began to adopt, neutron and x-ray scattering and diffraction methods, magnetic resonance imaging and sedimentation characterization to gain insights. 

A rather new area of research is the synthesis of novel nano-materials, ranging from triggered release nanoparticles to novel composites comprised of carbon nano-tubes. For further information on recent and please click on the link below to access the research programme's website.

Staff Members of the programme

Prof Brian Briscoe
Programme Co-odinator