Senior Research Associate (A2513)

This 36-month fixed-term post is part of an EPSRC-funded project focused on developing A novel coating technology based upon polyatomic ions from plasma.

Whilst Plasma polymerisation (pp) has been widely employed across a range of industrial sectors, a lack of understanding of how to select pathways in the PP processes has inhibited its full potential. This cross-disciplinary, international collaborative (Australia) project builds on the new, exciting finding that in higher pressure plasmas, protonated molecular ions of the starting monomer provide an unexplored route to coatings containing large structural units from the monomer or fragile motifs, as demonstrated with a series of O-containing monomers, the nitrosoxy group and α-bromo-isobutyryl motif. We will test the hypothesis that through electrical control of the boundary between the plasma and the substrate the ‘bombarding’ ion energies can be reduced and arriving chemistries tailored to be dominated by the intact, protonated monomer.

The project has two aims:

To advance control of PP coating growth through plasma sheath processes, and 

Demonstrate the utility of coatings derived from this regime in Demonstrator Projects. 

Researchers at Liverpool (under the guidance of Prof James Bradley) will study the plasma sheath, whilst this position will focus on the characterisation and application of novel coatings through demonstrator projects. These concern the fabrication of coatings for use in a novel (quartz-crystal) sensor for detecting residuals materials in waste streams and the use of applied coatings to reduce anti-bacterial colonisation of materials. You will work across a number of laboratories and learn new skills (e.g. in synthetic chemistry with Dr Nicholas Evans, working with micro-organisms under the guidance of Prof Roger Pickup).    

Lancaster University is consistently highly-ranked (~top 10) in the UK university league tables and is in the top 1% of universities globally. It is located on a beautiful campus in the North West of England close to the stunning Lake District National Park. 

You should have, or expect to have, a PhD in ideally chemistry or polymeric materials or a chemically-related sciences, coupled with experience of microbiology, cell culture methods and of the use of plasma technology for thin film coating.

Informal e-mail enquiries prior to making an application are welcome, in which case contact Prof Rob Short (r.d.short1@lancaster.ac.uk) 

The Chemistry Department is committed to flexible working on an individual basis, welcome and embrace diversity, and are committed to the Athena SWAN principles. 

We welcome applications from people in all diversity groups.

Closing Date: 14 Jan 2019
Category: Research