Research in the Dynamics & Structure grouping
Research in the D&S grouping addresses the physical aspects of chemistry and the chemical aspects of physics. The grouping is well funded with over £2M in current research grants from EPSRC and other funding agencies as well as significant funding for facilities access through STFC. We are currently hosting a Royal Society University Research Fellow as well as a number of postdoctoral research associates.
The D&S grouping is particularly strong in spectroscopy ranging from the gas phase to solids and from ultrafast (femtoseconds) to the ultraslow (kiloseconds). These techniques are used to study a range of exciting chemical problems such as fundamental chemical-reaction dynamics, soft matter (goo), and the interaction of plasmonics with chiral molecules. However, we are not content to only passively studying chemical matter and are developing techniques for actively manipulating matter.
Research in the D&S group is fundamental while addressing global challenges. Technologies are being developed to aid future manufacturing, for example, through research on continuous manufacturing and crystallisation, the development of (chiroptical) sensors, and laser techniques for manufacturing and manipulation. Energy technologies involve, for example, ionic liquids as electrolytes for fuel cells and batteries and synthetic photosynthetic constructs. The work on sensors has additional applications to healthcare technologies (online detection) and addressing global uncertainties through spectroscopic detection of chemicals.
The D&S grouping has extensive international research contacts in the US, Japan, and throughout Europe. We are actively organising international research conferences such as:
- The Ultrafast Chemical Physics meetings (Glasgow, 2008 and 2011)
- A Faraday Meeting on Mesostructure and dynamics in liquids and solutions (Bristol, 2013)
Our work has led to a string of publications in some of the top journals in chemistry and general science such as Angewandte, JACS, Nano Letters, Nature Nanotechnology, and PRL. Members of the D&S group have been guest editors for a special issue of PCCP on ultrafast chemical dynamics and have been invited to speak at numerous international conferences.