Postgraduate Scholarship in Chemistry Focusing on Smart Polymer Materials

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A funded PhD position is available in the field of Polymer Chemistry in the laboratory of Dr Simon Holder in the Supramolecular, Interfacial and Synthetic Chemistry (SISC) Group at the University of Kent (Canterbury campus).Smart materials, materials whose properties and behaviour can be altered by external stimuli such as temperature, light, moisture and stress have many potential applications particularly in soft robotics, drug delivery and sensors. Since polymers are substantially larger than simple molecules (typically 10 to 100 nanometres in length) changes in their properties upon light irradiation or change in temperature for instance, are often considerably greater than for simple molecules as a consequence of cooperative effects along and between polymer chains. Thus polymers are ideal candidates for future technologies in smart material applications.This project will focus on the design and synthesis of novel polymers and copolymers and involve synthesis, characterisation and studies of their properties including their self-assembling (supramolecular) behaviour. Training will be provided in all aspects of laboratory synthesis, characterisation techniques for polymers such as NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance and GPC (gel permeation chromatography) and physical property measurements such as DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and DLS (dynamic light scattering)