• School of Chemistry
• Our Research
• Research Themes
  • Analytical Science
  • Chemical Biology
  • Energy & Environment
  • Health & Chemical Intervention
  • Materials Chemistry
  • Nanoscience
  • Theory, Computation and Simulation
  • Spectroscopy, Structure & Dynamics
  • Synthesis

Materials Chemistry

Researchers

• Prof Anderson, Michael
• Dr Attfield, Martin
• Prof Budd, Peter
• Dr Coe, Benjamin
• Dr Layfield, Richard
• Dr Mair, Frank
• Dr McDouall, Joseph
• Prof O'brien, Paul
• Dr Pritchard, Robin
• Dr Quayle, Peter
• Dr Thomas, John
• Prof Turner, Michael
• Dr Whiteley, Mark W
• Dr Wong, Lu Shin
• Prof Yeates, Stephen

Research Theme Leader: Professor Mike Turner

Materials Chemistry provides the link between atomic, molecular and supramolecular behaviour and the useful properties of a material. It lies at the core of many chemical-using industries. Its importance for the economic health of the North West is recognised by the creation in 2009 of a Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry (KCMC), which brings together key researchers in the University of Manchester, University of Liverpool, University of Bolton and the Daresbury Laboratory. KCMC carries out translational research from the University base to meet real industry needs as part of a world class scientific activity.

Within the School of Chemistry there are two centres devoted to specific aspects of Materials Chemistry, the Organic Materials Innovation Centre (OMIC), and the
Centre for Nanoporous Materials (CNM). Work in OMIC includes the development of materials for electronics, photonics, molecular separations (including carbon dioxide capture) and other applications. Intellectual property relating to novel polymers developed in Manchester has been licensed commercially through UMIP. Work in CNM includes the development of hierarchically porous materials and detailed studies of crystal growth processes. In addition to these centres there is internationally recognised work on nanomaterials, led by Professor Paul O’Brien, who has founded a highly successful spinout company, Nanoco Technologies Ltd, valued at over £30 million.

Recent highlights in Materials Chemistry research at Manchester include:

• the preparation of new conjugated polymer structures, such as fully planar cylopentadithiophenes (M.L. Turner)
• ink-jet printing of conjugated polymer pixels (S.G. Yeates)
• the synthesis of metal chalcogenide or phosphide nanoparticles using single source precursors (P. O'Brien)
• the observation of room-temperature lasing from ZnO nanocolumns grown by aqueous solution deposition (P. O'Brien)
• the development of nanoporous networks and soluble polymers, termed polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs), which behave like molecular sieves when precipitated in powder form or cast in membrane form (P.M. Budd)
• the synthesis, characterisation and application of nanoporous crystalline materials, particularly the rational design of the void volume in these materials and understanding the crystal growth mechanisms involved in their formation (M.W. Anderson and M.P. Attfield)