HIGH THROUGHPUT INORGANIC NANOMATERIALS DISCOVERY

Lead Research Organisation: Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Materials

Abstract

The current advancement of technology very much depends upon the discovery of new materials. It has been known for some time that combinations of elements not involving carbon (called inorganic materials) can have important uses in areas from electronics, computing and UV protection in products, to harnessing energy from the sun. In particular, when inorganic particles are very small, typically made up of a few hundred atoms (called nanomaterials), they can have unusual and exciting properties. The discovery of such nanomaterials is very much hampered by our inability to make these materials fast enough and then to be able to test them adequately for their properties.The proposed research seeks to develop a new, faster way of making and discovering inorganic nanomaterials that can absorb sunlight (as an free energy source), and use this energy to split water into its constituents, hydrogen and oxygen (in a process known as photocatalysis). The hydrogen can then be used for powering cars or devices of the future. Such a process is important to sustain the energy requirements of mankind on this earth when our fossil fuels (e.g. oil) are exhausted.

Publications

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Thompson K (2009) Screening tests for the evaluation of nanoparticle titania photocatalysts in Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology

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Weng X (2009) Synthesis and characterization of doped nano-sized ceria-zirconia solid solutions in Applied Catalysis B: Environmental

 
Description AMR Ltd 
Organisation AMR Constructions
Country India 
Sector Private 
Start Year 2007
 
Description Chemistry Innovation KTN 
Organisation Chemistry Innovation
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
Start Year 2007
 
Description Johnson Matthey Technology Centre 
Organisation Johnson Matthey
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
Start Year 2007
 
Description Malvern Instruments Ltd 
Organisation Malvern Instruments
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
Start Year 2007
 
Description Sun Chemical 
Organisation Sun Chemical Ltd
Country Canada 
Sector Private 
Start Year 2007
 
Title Co-current mixer and method for precipitating nanoparticles 
Description this is a confined jet mixer that allow mixing of supercritical water and metal salts at room temperature in water. This prevents bloacking and is a major development that is highly scalable and still makes very good quality nanoceramics 
IP Reference EP2576036 
Protection Patent granted
Year Protection Granted 2013
Licensed No
Impact its allowed me to develop the process so well that we have continued to get industry and academic funding to carry out nanomaterials research and develop new research areas