Nanostructured Materials and their Applications
This is an area of research which our team plans to attain a national and international reputation in over the next few years. The emergence of nanotechnology has opened up new horizons for electrochemical biosensors and the rapid progress of nano-material based electrochemical biosensors suggests the major impact they may have on diagnostics in the future.
The research activity within out group under this thematic area is based upon the following key projects;
- With the use of the modern surface and electrochemical equipment we have purchased recently we are in a position to characterise polymeric/metallic nanotubes grown from solution using a templated method. This enables nanoparticle deposition and controlled tubule growth which may then be used to entrap chemical/biological materials with resultant sensing applications with enhanced physical and chemical characteristics.
- The construction of organised organic-inorganic hybrid systems on nanoparticle assemblies through the application of the layer-by-layer technique. These systems are then probed by electrochemical and state-of-the-art surface based techniques to elucidate their fundamental behaviour.
- This project involves the development of isopolyanion functionalised transition metal nanoparticles that will possess novel redox activity which can be readily tuned. The major objective for this collaborative project is to then undertake detailed investigations into the conductivity, redox properties, charge transport dynamics and applications of these functionalised nanoparticles. Our findings will underpin developments of functionalised nanoparticles for nanoscience and nanotechnology (i.e.: catalysis, electronic and sensor applications).
