Gallery

This page shows the journal covers that our research has been featured on and a selection of electron microscopy images that we have taken over the years.

Click here for a gallery of table of contents graphics from our publications.

Front cover of Journal of Materials Chemistry B for article 'Visible label-free detection of bacterial DNA using flocculation of sterically stabilised cationic latexes.'

The image highlights the flocculation of polymer latex particles in the presence of amplified bacterial DNA. This work was led by an MRC PhD student in our group, Elisabeth Trinh and the result of several years work in conjunction with several other researchers at The University of Manchester.

Front cover of Chemistry of Materials for article 'Anisotropic pH-Responsive Hydrogels Containing Soft or Hard Rod-Like Particles Assembled Using Low Shear.'

The image highlights the low shear alignment of rod particles within the nanogel matrix, as well as the materials chemistry involved in nanogel interlinking. This work was part of a collaboration between several groups at The University of Manchester and The University of Sheffield.

Inside cover of Advanced Functional Materials for article 'One-pot preparation of conducting polymer-coated silica particles: Model highly absorbing aerosols.'

The image shows micron-sized silica particles (top), polymer-coated silica particles (middle) and broken polymer shells after silica removal (bottom). The polymer-coated silica particles can be used to test instruments installed on satellites searching for micro-meteorites.

Front cover of Chemical Communications for feature article 'Space science applications for conducting polymer particles: Synthetic mimics for cosmic dust and micrometeorites.'

The image shows a graphical representation of the chemical structure of polypyrrole (an electrically conductive polymer), electron micrographs of polypyrrole latex, polypyrrole-coated polystyrene latex and polypyrrole-coated olivine grains, as well as representations of the Cassini and Stardust spacecraft.

'Holey moley'

Micron-sized clusters of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with well-defined holes spaced throughout the structures. These structures were prepared by heating titanium dioxide-covered polymer particles to 800 °C, which removed the polymeric cores of the particles and left the observable holes.

'Trypophobia'

A macro-porous hydrogel prepared by Sergio and imaged using SEM. The pores are highlighted in yellow and the polymeric scaffold is blue,

'Crystal Plant Pot'

Calcite crystal grown in the presence of polymer nanoparticles. The lower ‘box-like’ part of the crystal is regular calcite whereas the upper ‘plant-like’ section has polymer nanoparticles incorporated.

'Crystalline blue cheese'

A calcite crystal grown in the presence of polymer particles. As the calcite (yellow) crystallizes, the negatively charged polymer particles (blue) attach to the surface and become incorporated.

'Flowering worms'

Polymeric ‘worm-like’ micelles (green) and vesicles (yellow). These particles were synthesized by polymerization-induced self-assembly via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer dispersion polymerization. Depending on the particle composition, size and shape, these particles have potential applications in everything from drug delivery to automotive lubrication.

'One in a million'

An intricate hollow silica capsule observed in the presence of colloidal polystyrene/silica nanocomposite particles. The particles were prepared by technique known as aqueous emulsion polymerization.

'Bottomless pit'

Calcite crystal grown in the presence of a polymer additive. This image focuses on the center of a particular crystal that showed a remarkable change in crystal structure.

'Patchy particles'

Micron-sized silica particles coated with an electrically conducting polymer (polypyrrole) to mimic dust. These particles are used in space science experiments to test/calibrate mass spectrometers attached to satellites.