A5018183834- Graphene research and applications
- Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques
- Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications
- Membrane Separation Technologies
- 2D Materials and Applications
- MXene and MAX Phase Materials
- Ion-surface interactions and analysis
- ZnO doping and properties
- Ga2O3 and related materials
- Fusion materials and technologies
- Semiconductor materials and devices
- Nuclear Materials and Properties
- Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Graphene and Nanomaterials Applications
- Copper-based nanomaterials and applications
- Hematological disorders and diagnostics
- Metal Extraction and Bioleaching
- Hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion behaviors in metals
- High-Temperature Coating Behaviors
- Cell Image Analysis Techniques
- Magnetic properties of thin films
- Electronic and Structural Properties of Oxides
- Membrane Separation and Gas Transport
- Surface and Thin Film Phenomena
- Semiconductor Quantum Structures and Devices
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
2024-2025
Culham Centre for Fusion Energy
2024
Culham Science Centre
2024
University of Manchester
2014-2022
Sci-Tech Daresbury
2018-2022
Aix-Marseille Université
2022
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
2022
Henry Royce Institute
2017-2022
SuperSTEM
2018-2020
Beijing Graphene Institute
2018
Many layered materials can be cleaved down to individual atomic planes, similar graphene, but only a small minority of them are stable under ambient conditions. The rest react and decompose in air, which has severely hindered their investigation potential applications. Here we introduce remedial approach based on cleavage, transfer, alignment, encapsulation air-sensitive crystals, all inside controlled inert atmosphere. To illustrate the technology, choose two archetypal two-dimensional...
Laminar membranes of two-dimensional materials are excellent candidates for applications in water filtration due to the formation nanocapillaries between individual crystals that can exhibit a molecular and ionic sieving effect, while allowing high flux. This approach has been exemplified previously with graphene oxide, however these suffer from swelling when exposed liquid water, leading low salt rejection reducing their applicability desalination applications. Here, we demonstrate by...
Manipulating the surface energy, and thereby wetting properties of solids, has promise for various physical, chemical, biological industrial processes. Typically, this is achieved by either chemical modification or controlling hierarchical structures surfaces. Here we report a phenomenon whereby vermiculite laminates are controlled hydrated cations on in interlamellar space. We find that can be tuned from superhydrophilic to hydrophobic simply exchanging cations; hydrophilicity decreases...
Abstract Van der Waals assembly of two-dimensional crystals continue attract intense interest due to the prospect designing novel materials with on-demand properties. One unique features this technology is possibility trapping molecules between crystals. The trapped are predicted experience pressures as high 1 GPa. Here we report measurements interfacial pressure by capturing pressure-sensitive and studying their structural conformational changes. Pressures 1.2±0.3 GPa found using Raman...
The development of a simple, scalable and reproducible technique for the synthesis two-dimensional metallic phase MoS<sub>2</sub>nanosheets is paramount importance in field catalysis energy storage devices.
A new series of thin film composite membranes with high CO<sub>2</sub> permeance (up to 8000 GPU) and CO<sub>2</sub>/N<sub>2</sub> selectivity 55.7) was designed fabricated <italic>via</italic> coating PIM-1 solution in a mixture chloroform trichloroethylene on top cross-linked PTMSP gutter layer.
Two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) have been investigated widely for applications in energy storage, including supercapacitors, due to their high specific surface area, potential redox activity, mechanical flexibility. However, electrodes comprising either pure MoS2 failed reach restacking of the layered structure poor electrical conductivity. It has shown previously that composite made from a mixture partially counteract these issues; however,...
Electrical spin injection into semiconductors paves the way for exploring new phenomena in area of physics and generations spintronic devices. However exact role interface states mechanism from a magnetic tunnel junction semiconductor is still under debate. In this Letter, we demonstrate clear transition accumulation to conduction band $n$-Ge. We observe signal amplification at low temperature due followed by towards 200 K up room temperature. regime, reduced value compatible with diffusion...
Understanding how two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials interact with the biological milieu is fundamental for their development toward biomedical applications. When thin, individualized graphene oxide (GO) sheets were administered intravenously in mice, extensive urinary excretion was observed, indicating rapid transit across glomerular filtration barrier (GFB). A detailed analysis of kidney function, histopathology, and ultrastructure performed, along vitro responses two highly specialized...
Vertically stacked van der Waals heterostructures are a lucrative platform for exploring the rich electronic and optoelectronic phenomena in two-dimensional materials. Their performance will be strongly affected by impurities defects at interfaces. Here we present first systematic study of interfaces heterostructure using cross sectional scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) imaging. By measuring interlayer separations comparing these to density functional theory (DFT)...
Carbon nanomaterials, including 2D graphene-based materials, have shown promising applicability to drug delivery, tissue engineering, diagnostics, and various other biomedical areas. However, exploit the benefits of these materials in some areas mentioned, it is necessary understand their possible toxicological implications long-term fate vivo. We previously demonstrated that following intravenous administration, graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were largely excreted via kidneys; however, a...
We report the controlled alloying, oxidation, and subsequent reduction of individual AgAu nanoparticles in scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). Through sequential application beam induced oxidation situ heating quenching, we demonstrate transformation Ag-Au core-shell into: alloyed, Au-Ag core-shell, hollow Au-Ag2O yolk-shell nanoparticles. are able to directly image these morphological transformations real-time at atomic resolution perform energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum...
This work presents the new template matching capabilities implemented in Pyxem, an open source Python library for analyzing four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) data. Template is a brute force approach deriving local crystal orientations. It works by comparing of simulated diffraction patterns to experimental collected with nano-beam and precession (NBED PED). computationally demanding task, therefore implementation combines efficiency scalability utilizing...
In $\mathrm{Co}/\mathrm{CoO}$ nanostructures, of dimensions $l\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}3l$, at small Co thickness ($\ensuremath{\approx}6,10\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{nm}$), a strong increase in the bias field and associated coercive are found as nanostructure size is reduced from $l=120\text{ }\mathrm{nm}$ to $l=30\text{ }\mathrm{nm}$. This property indicates that characteristic length ${D}_{\mathrm{AF}}$ within antiferromagnet which governs exchange-bias effects size. By contrast,...
The response of Ti3SiC2, Ti3AlC2, Ti2AlC and Cr2AlC MAX phases under simulated primary water has been explored for the first time. Samples were tested 28 days in 300 °C with addition 2 ppm LiOH. Ti-based formed oxides TiO TiFeO3. X-ray diffraction scanning electron microscopy showed no evidence a passive Al or Si-based layer forming during testing. A-layer dissolution was observed to cause delamination layered structure. In contrast, little change autoclave testing, suggesting that thin...
In this study we use a membrane photo-reactor (MPR) made of nanosheets graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>), assembled by vacuum filtration, to make low-cost, efficient, easy-to-produce self-catalytic photo-reactors for water treatment under visible light.
Atomically thin black phosphorus (BP) has attracted considerable interest due to its unique properties, such as an infrared band gap that depends on the number of layers and excellent electronic transport characteristics. This material is known be sensitive light oxygen degrades in air unless protected with encapsulation barrier, limiting exploitation electrical devices. We present a new scalable technique for nanopatterning few layered BP by direct electron beam exposure encapsulated...
In situ analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can provide a unique perspective on dynamic reactions in variety of environments, including liquids and gases. this study, TEM techniques have been applied to examine the localised oxidation that occur Ni-Cr-Fe alloy, Alloy 600, using gas environmental cell at elevated temperatures. The initial stages preferential intergranular oxidation, shown be an important precursor phenomenon for stress corrosion cracking pressurized water...
Thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes of polymer intrinsic microporosity PIM-1 incorporating graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets different sizes and chemistries are presented. These show an improved separation performance for the recovery n-butanol from aqueous solutions through pervaporation; improvement ca. a third value achieved pristine thin films is obtained TFN filled with nanometer-sized reduced octyl-functionalized GO. In addition, these fillers lead to maximum increase in total flux...
Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) are a group polymers with molecular sieve behaviour due to their rigid, contorted macromolecular backbones. They show great potential in organophilic pervaporation, solvent-resistant nanofiltration and gas vapour separations. However, they susceptible physical ageing, leading reduction permeability over time. An improvement membrane permeability, control diffusion selectivity the effect ageing is expected by adding graphene as nanofiller. Little...
Cationic pyrene derivatives were studied for exfoliation and stabilisation of graphene in water. The high concentration, stability, biocompatibility cellular uptake the dispersions make them attractive biomedical applications.
Solid phase crystallization offers an attractive route to synthesize Ni nanoparticles on a La2O3 support. These materials have shown great promise as catalysts for methane oxidation and similar reactions. Synthesis is achieved by the reduction of LaNiO3 (LNO) precursor at high temperatures, but pathway can follow variety routes. Optimization catalytic properties such long-term stability has been held back lack understanding factors impacting pathway, its strong influence structure resulting...