Our research interests are currently focused on the synthesis and properties of novel biocompatible gels, self-assembling light-modifiable molecules and chemical functionalisation of nanomaterials, especially graphene derivatives.
We approach these problems both in the view of synthesis and characterisation, as well as potential applications in nanomaterials, transportation, capture and detection.
Our background is strongly based on supramolecular and solid state structural chemistry. The previous projects have been, for example, resorcinarene- and crown ether-based host molecules, anion and cation binding, halogen and hydrogen bonding assemblies and foldamers.
Over the years, we have had industrial collaboration projects in graphene functionalization for medicinal purposes, polymorphism and co-crystallization of agrochemicals, applications of X-ray tomography in the visualisation of wood fibre, development of novel cellulose-based antibacterial foams and characterization of emulsification substances. Scientific collaboration has included topics such as antibacterial thin films, graphene functionalisation, gold, silver and copper nanoclusters synthesis, and foldamers as potential molecular tectonics.
