Physics Friday Bulletin 2017-09-29

2D Nanomaterials & 3D Printing in Electrochemistry

Friday 6th October 11.30-13.00, FST Training and Development Centre, A76 Science and Technology Building

Professor Martin Pumera (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)
In this talk I will discuss various electrochemical properties of 2D nanomaterials, from graphene to transition metal dichalcogenides to black phosphorus. The electrochemistry of graphene and its related materials is far more interesting and complex than anticipated, especially when one depicts graphene based on the IUPAC definition. This is because the real world graphene-based materials contain defects, adatoms, and various oxygen functional groups. I will discuss our recent research on the electrochemistry of layered transition metal dichalcogenides and black phosphorus. We will show several examples of electrochemical gas sensing, in mixture of gasses as CO2, water vapors, acetone, methanol and others. I will also discuss how 3D printing technology can lead into advances in the electrochemical devices construction.

Further reading:
Xinyi Chia, Alex Yong Sheng Eng, Adriano Ambrosi, Shu Min Tan, Martin Pumera*
Electrochemistry of Nanostructured Layered Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides
Chem. Rev. 2015, 115, 11941. Highlighted on cover.
Xinyi Chia, Adriano Ambrosi, Zdenek Sofer, Jan Luxa, Martin Pumera*
Catalytic and Charge Transfer Properties of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides Arising from Electrochemical Pretreatment, ACS Nano2015, 10.1021/acsnano.00501k
Adriano Ambrosi, James Guo Sheng Moo, Martin Pumera*
Helical 3D-Printed Metal Electrodes as Custom-Shaped 3D Platform for Electrochemical Devices, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2016, 26, 698.

For further details please contact Harry Hoster.
Please confirm attendance for catering purposes. There will be tea, coffee and cakes served from 11.30. You can register here
(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2d-nanomaterials-3d-printing-in-electrochemistry-tickets-37942233241 ).

Presenter, Prof. Martin Pumera is a tenured Associate Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore since 2010. He has been named “2017 Highly Cited Researcher” by Clarivate Analytics (former Thomson-Reuters).
Martin received his PhD at Charles University, Czech Republic, in 2001. After two postdoctor al stays (in the USA, Spain), he joined the National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, in 2006 for a tenure-track arrangement and stayed there until Spring 2008 when he accepted a tenured position at NIMS. In 2009, Prof. Pumera received a ERC-StG award. Prof. Pumera has broad interests in nanomaterials and microsystems, in the specific areas of electrochemistry and synthetic chemistry of carbon nanomaterials, nanotoxicity, micro and nanomachines and 3D printing. He is Editor-in-Chief of Appl. Mater. Today (Elsevier, Cite Score 6.97), member of Editorial board of Chem. Eur. J., Electrochem. Commun., Electrophoresis, Electroanalysis, The Chemical Records, ChemElectroChem and eight other journals. He has published over 500 articles, which received over 20 000 citations (h-index of 70).

Lefteris Danos

 

Engineering Seminar

Title: Advances in membrane engineering and future perspectives  – Case studies at ITM-CNR
Speaker: Dr Lidietta Giorno, Director of the Italian Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR), National Research Council of Italy
Venue: LEC 1, Biology Lecture Theatre
Date and Time: Tuesday 3rd October, 12.00 – 13.30

Abstract:
Membrane science and engineering are recognized strategic in promoting technological solutions to face challenges threatening on a global level.  The increasing demand for water, food, goods, energy and in general the increasing demand of high quality of life contrasts with the shortage of resources and increasing environment pollution. It is understood that knowledge-based development is needed to make progress sustainable. Rational integration and implementation of advanced technologies able to achieve breakthrough benefits in manufacturing and processing, substantially increasing process precision, reducing equipment size, saving energy, reducing costs, minimizing environmental impact are among the worldwide strategic objectives.  Membranes and membrane processes best suit in this context, since they are precise and flexible processing techniques, able to maximize phase contact, integrate conversion and separation processes, with improved efficiency and with significant lower energy requirement compared to conventional techniques.

The core of a membrane process is the membrane, with its chemistry, structure, morphology, intrinsic transport properties. The fluid dynamics of the system in which the membrane operates governs the way the membrane functions. The development of membrane engineering, from materials to processes, promoted at ITM-CNR will be illustrated as well as their applications in major strategic fields (including water, agro-food, biomedical, biotechnology and gas separation).  The current state and advances in membranes and membrane operations will be discussed, in particular referring to three major roles of the membrane: molecular separation, (bio)chemical transformation and phase contactor. Integrated membrane processes for the water purification and by-products valorisation will be presented, with the logic of increasing water and resources availability while preventing environment pollution. The potentialities of advanced membranes (such as bioinspired/biomimic membranes) and processes such as biocatalytic membrane reactors and membrane emulsification will be highlighted. 

Bio: Dr Lidietta Giorno is since 2009 the Director of the Institute on Membrane Technology of the National Research Council of Italy, ITM-CNR . She is expert in membrane science and technology. Her research activity include membrane bioengineering, biocatalytic membrane reactors, nanostructured multifunctional membranes, enzyme immobilization, integrated membrane systems for bioseparations and bioconversions, downstream processing based on molecular separation, membrane chirotechnology, membrane emulsifier, integrated membrane operations for water treatment. She awarded The International Awards “Guido Dorso” for Research in 2011, sponsored by the Italian Senate and the University of Naples Federico II. She awarded the Sapio Red Carpet Award in 2016 among the female scientists of highest scientific profile who are engaged for the development of the Country.  She is co-author of 8 books, over 110 peer reviewed scientific papers in international journals, and co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Membranes, Springer, 2016. She has served on the European Membrane Society Council as the President of the EMS Council and the Editor of the EMS Membrane Newsletter. She is Honorary Member of the European Membrane Society since 2014.

http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/events/advances-in-membrane-engineering-and-future-perspectives-case-studies-at-itmcnr-2017-10-03-2

Dr Nuno Bimbo

 

Is this your book?

A book has arrived from Cambridge University Press called “Exact Solutions in Three-Dimensional Gravity” by Alberto Garcia-Diaz. There is no name on the order so if it’s yours please let me know.

Grainne Wilkinson

 

Location of current safety forms.

A recommendation from the recent safety audit of the Department was to ensure everybody knows where the current blank safety forms are located. They are found on the University safety web pages at http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/depts/safety/index.html . These can be found by looking under safety in any of the University A-Z indexes. All safety form templates can be found here, usually at the end of the individual guidance i.e.  risk assessment, COSHH etc. The link on the Physics web site will be updated to reflect this.

Shonah Ion

 

Safety Inductions

There is no safety induction in September due to holidays.. The next will be part of the PG orientation day on 6th October, with normal service of inductions on the first working Thursday of the month, being resumed in November at 2:30pm on Thursday 2nd in A27 Physics.

Shonah Ion

 

Physics Away Day – Thursday 5th October 2017

The next Physics Away Day will take place on Thursday 5th October at Green Lane Conference Centre, (Lancaster House Hotel). An agenda is not yet available.
Attendance is mandatory for academic staff and all other staff are welcome to attend if they wish. Please confirm your attendance to me with any dietary requirements by Weds 27 September at the latest.

Grainne Wilkinson