Program Overview

Materials and Energy Program

The School of Chemistry has developed a particular strength in Solid State and Materials Chemistry, with a research group dedicated to this exciting area of study. As part of the Chemistry (PhD/MPhil) programme, students can conduct their research within this group.

Overview

Research in Materials Chemistry has a vital role to play in providing solutions to important societal challenges, including the search for new and sustainable energy sources, tackling the climate crisis, and developing new materials for advanced medical and pharmaceutical applications. The School of Chemistry at Cardiff University has well-established research strengths in Materials Chemistry, encompassing both fundamental and applied aspects of research in this field, and with a vibrant cohort of post graduate research students conducting research projects within this group.

Research Areas

Current research in Materials Chemistry is based within three broad themes:

• Developing and advancing new aspects of experimental techniques for investigating properties of materials
• Applying a range of state-of-the-art experimental and computational methods to understand fundamental properties of materials
• Designing new materials and processes for advanced materials applications

Skills and Training

Students studying post graduate research degrees in Materials Chemistry gain a wide range of skills, which typically include experience in a range of experimental methodologies for materials preparation and characterization, expertise in techniques (experimental and/or computational) for gaining detailed insights into fundamental properties of materials, and training in strategies to design new materials for specific targeted applications.

Current Research Directions

Examples of some specific current research directions within our Materials and Energy themes are:

• Development and application of techniques for structure determination of organic materials (including biological and pharmaceutical materials) from powder diffraction data
• Advancing new in-situ solid-state NMR strategies for monitoring the time-evolution of crystallization processes
• Investigating structural properties of anisotropic materials using polarized X-ray beam techniques, including the new X-ray Birefringence Imaging technique
• Development of dynamic X-ray diffraction methodology (particularly relating to photocrystallography) to enable time-resolved measurements of structural properties on timescales ranging from minutes to picoseconds
• Fundamental understanding of exciton/charge generation and transport within molecular assemblies
• Design of functional supramolecular assemblies for applications as organic redox photosensitizers/photocatalysts, organic room-temperature phosphors, and functional porous materials
• Design and properties of light-responsive ferroelectric materials for solar energy applications and photo-switches for pyroelectric energy applications
• Development of formulation methods based on colloidal systems (emulsions, microemulsions and sustainable surfactants)
• Establishing structural properties of macromolecules in solution by neutron and X-ray scattering techniques
• Development of advanced technologies for drug delivery systems and for the degradation of plastics
• Applications of advanced computational methods to understand properties of solid materials, including fundamental phenomena (phase transitions, polymorphism, and crystal nucleation) and applied aspects (thermoelectric materials, battery materials, and materials for applications in gas storage)

Collaborations

Several of these research projects involve cross-disciplinary collaborations with researchers in other academic disciplines (including biosciences, physics, engineering, medicine and dentistry) from institutions in the UK and abroad, as well as collaborations with researchers in a range of industrial sectors. In addition, several research projects benefit significantly from access to state-of-the-art experimental techniques at national and international facilities, including facilities for synchrotron radiation techniques, neutron-beam techniques, and high-field solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Supervisors

PGR supervisors working in this area include:

• Professor Kenneth Harris
• Dr Lauren Hatcher
• Dr Stefano Leoni
• Dr Alison Paul

Funding

You can search our studentships or find out more about funding.

Tuition Fees

Students from the UK

Get the latest information on postgraduate fees.

Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

Get the latest information on postgraduate fees.

Students from the rest of the world (international)

Get the latest information on postgraduate fees.

Programme Information

For programme structure, entry requirements and how to apply, visit the Chemistry programme.

Related Courses

• Taught Chemistry courses
• Research Chemistry programmes

Related Subjects

• Chemistry
• Materials
• Energy
• Materials and Energy