Carbon dioxide-induced corrosion of industrial equipment is very common, costly and particularly poses new challenges for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) systems. The role of impurities, such as SOx and NOx, which are also present in the stream, can also be important and has been discussed recently (cf. Corrosion Science, vol. 236, August 2024). A
Prof Mahesh Tirumkudulu from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay has developed a unique method to measure the viscosity of a drop of liquid based on the fluid mechanics of thin films. A drop of liquid is spread over a substrate by contacting a blade with the drop and moving the blade across the
Professor Ljiljana Fruk has been studying the design principles and biomedical applications of organic and hybrid nanomaterials. These can be used for real-time detection of senescent cells in the body. Large concentrations of senescent cells in an organ might be a precursor to cancer, and so detecting these cells in the body might help early
Professor Alex Routh has recently been awarded the Thomas Graham Lecture. The Graham Lecture is awarded to researchers working in the UK, who are in the prime of their research careers, have established an international reputation in colloid science, and have already made distinguished contributions to the field of colloid science. On Tuesday 1st April,
Microencapsulation is used across multiple industrial sectors to immobilise fragrances, flavours, and bioactive compounds. It offers numerous advantages, including enhanced stability and prolonged shelf life of the product, which is safeguarded from harsh environments, pH fluctuations and ultra-violet (UV) radiation. Synthetic materials like polyurethane, polyurea, and polystyrene have emerged as popular choices for microcapsule shells
Today was the last seminar of Lent term, and Part III student James Fidler presented his recent work on new catalyst materials for hydrogen production through electrolysis. Nobel metals are very expensive, and so research is ongoing to find affordable alternatives for catalyst production. Under the supervision of professor Clarke, James has been investigating the
Professor Matthew Davidson is the director of the Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change of the University of Bath. He visited us today and discussed some of the challenges in making the chemical industry more sustainable and less dependent on fossil resources. Whereas decarbonisation of the energy sector is feasible through the development of
Encapsulation is used to deliver materials to specific sites, protect fragile materials from harsh external environments or to delay release of an active compound until a desired time. Mohammed Al Sharabi and professor Alex Routh have been working on an EPSRC-funded project looking at making novel encapsulated materials. The project was joint with the Universities
Professor Alex Routh has long been interested in colloidal suspensions, and today he told us about some of his recent work in the field. When a pool of fluid containing a suspension of particles is left to dry, the liquid slowly evaporates and the particles consolidate into a solid, which eventually cracks. We can see
Professor Alex Routh gave a fascinating seminar this week on the production process of rubber gloves. It’s a subject that not many of us think about, but the scale and significance of rubber glove manufacture is enormous. 300 billion latex gloves are produced globally every year, and the process is far from environmentally friendly or