Topological and structural science
Many biologically and technologically important materials ranging from oil-bearing rocks to printing paper have a highly intricate structure involving interconnected labyrinths of pores. The School has several research programs studying the flow properties of these disordered porous media. Improved understanding of the physics of such processes has applications ranging from the petrochemical industries to the design of bubble jet printer inks and papers. The School is a major partner in the CRC for Functional Communication Surfaces. A strong theoretical team and novel experimental facilities such as ultra high resolution computed tomography come together to make the School a leader in this area.
RSPE also undertakes research aimed at understanding the enigmatic processes of long range ordering and self assembly, which for example, enables animals like the sea urchin to construct a skeleton out of polycrystalline elements which collectively exhibit some single crystal properties. Biomineralisation has also many potential commercial applications such as the production of low temperature super ceramics as well as wider scientific implications such as the search for Martian life.
Selected research highlights
Selected available student research projects
Liquid crystals self-assemble to form a variety of designs of varying topological complexity. We are interested in multiply interwoven domain patterns, such as the double-diamond and gyroid structures found in lipid-water, copolymer mixtures and lipid-protein-water assemblies in vivo. A new class of“polyphile” liquid-crystal forming molecules have been made by us. We are exploring the possible self-assemblies these polyphiles can make in the presence of different solvents, with a major interest in making new tricontinuous patterns that we have found. Theoretical study of the relative stabilith of htese patterns is also planned.
3D X-ray imaging involves 3 stages: (i) data collection, (ii)"reconstruction", i.e. synthesis of this data into a 3D image, and (iii)"segmentation", i.e. the interpretation of this 3D image by a computer. This project aims to fuse the second and third steps in this process; improving the quality of the data.
3D X-ray imaging requires the collection of a data set, or"tomogram". This project investigates the possibility of combining multiple tomograms, collected using different imaging techniques, in order to improve image quality.
