Materials and Interfaces Group

Please use the links provided for individual staff members to find further details of their current research.

Materials and Interfaces Group-Academic Staff Members

Here at Leicester we have a dedicated team of inorganic, organic and physical chemists working together to meet these demands. This research into Ionic Liquids, Supercritical Fluids and Catalysis is of great importance to many industrial processes.
Please see further details of our research, given below.

Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids have been shown to have applications in the field of catalysis, metal deposition, extraction and batteries. Their cost and sensitivity to oxygen and moisture have however, limited their applications to these areas. We have developed a range of ionic liquids that are inert to air and water and are similar in cost to common organic solvents. These fluids have negligible vapour pressures, large liquid ranges and are environmentally benign.

We are currently studying the physical and chemical characteristics of these liquids together with preliminary investigations to assess their suitability for a number of chemical and electrochemical applications. We have set up a joint venture company called ScioniX between Leicester University and Whyte Chemicals in order to explore the potential applications of these liquids. If you would like to discuss the use of these neoteric solvents then please contact us here at Leicester.

Supercritical Fluids

Supercritical fluids can be used as solvents, which enable reactions to be carried out without the use of harsh reagents or other toxic solvents. It is possible to reuse the supercritical solvent due to excellent post reaction recovery. The equipment used in reactions can be made smaller and unwanted side products can be eliminated.

The solvent properties of a number of fluids including CO₂, CH₂F₂ and CF₃CFH₂ are being characterised by a variety of techniques including dielectrometry, UV-Visible spectroscopy and voltammetry. Investigations into solute solubility and a number of reactions in supercritical fluids are also being conducted. In addition extensive research into electrochemical processes has also been carried out.