Research
The interests of the group are centered around materials chemistry, with four main research streams: (i) functional nanomaterials for drug delivery and sensors; (ii) structure and interfacial behaviour of nanoparticles; (iii) plastic as environmental pollution; (iv) chemistry and sensing in the coffee industry.
The impact, behaviour and fate of plastic polymers in the environment is the subject of global concern and debate. It is estimated that 12 billion tonnes of microplastic will be discarded globally by 2050. Additional particles derived through degradation of larger material and the resulting impacts on biota are predicted to cost in excess of $13 billion each year. Traditional plastics, such as low density polyethylene, used extensively for plastic bags, are non-degradable, and this has led to an accelerated search for viable alternatives.
There is a strong interest in understanding not only the biodegradation pathways, but also to develop analytical approaches and methodologies that allow different types of plastic to be compared consistently and new materials to be evaluated under the same conditions prior to bringing to the market.
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Covalently-crosslinked polymeric nanogels are a versatile material being developed for a wide range of applications, including surface coatings, drug delivery and sensing. By changing the chemical structure, using a combination of different monomers and cross-linkers, it is possible to tailor the morphology and physico-chemical properties of the polymers, as well as introducing stimuli-responsive characteristics.
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Advances in nanotechnology are driving progress towards new nanomaterials, with important applications in medicine, especially in imaging, sensing and drug delivery. Precise synthetic methodologies, coupled with highly sensitive characterisation techniques, allow the development of nanosystems that can target different routes of administration while the small size allows the miniaturisation of sensing devices.
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Food quality, defined as the combination of appearance, flavour, and internal properties that make food acceptable for consumers, is a global key priority. There is a strong drive by stakeholders to ensure that the quality of food provided is consistently high from a nutritional point of view, and produced in ways that are economical and sustainable. We have been working with international collaborators like Illy Caffe’ spa and Demus spa, who are key players in the coffee industry, on a number of different projects, designed to develop specific sensing devices, to evaluate the role of specific coffee components like chlorogenic acids, and also to contribute to the optimisation of specific industrial processes important for the coffee industry.
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