Nanostructured Membranes for Innovations in Liquid Separations

这一平台赠款将支持帝国理工学院化学工程系的研究，开发和应用纳米结构材料作为膜，通过有机溶剂纳滤(OSN)分离有机液体。目前的研究包括膜的制造、结构和传输特性，以及在化学和生物制药合成中的应用。我们将利用平台拨款在以下战略领域开展新的研究：(1)制备具有六边形有序孔的陶瓷膜(2)新颖的制备和修饰技术--(I)大气等离子体处理；(Ii)PolyHIPES(HIPE=高内相乳液)(3)纳米多孔含氟聚合物复合材料(4)膜性能表征(5)寡核苷酸合成一支高技能、对整个领域有广泛了解的博士后研究人员团队是取得国际领先地位和开展令人兴奋的新研究的关键，这一平台拨款将为我们的博士后团队提供必要的稳定性和空间。通过一项计划中的研究计划，他们将在与他们以前工作过的领域几乎完全不同的领域获得宝贵的经验，使他们能够建立和扩大自己的记录。最重要的是，平台资助将使我们能够保留和增加我们集团的宝贵知识和专业知识。这将为保持国际领先地位提供必要的连续性，也为博士后通过计划获取新技能来建立他们的专业知识和多学科视野提供必要的支持。最后，我们希望通过我们在欧盟膜科学和技术卓越网络NanoMemPro的合作伙伴地位，利用我们扩大国际互动的机会。在五年的平台资助期间，我们将使用平台赠款中的一些人员资源来支持我们的博士后，同时他们进行研究，以支持我们在NanoMemPro合作伙伴实验室的投资组合。

This Platform Grant would underpin research in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College into the development and application of nanostructured materials as membranes for separations in organic liquids via Organic Solvent Nanofiltration (OSN). This current research encompasses membrane fabrication, structural and transport characterisation, and applications in chemical and biopharmaceutical synthesis. We will use the platform grant to develop new research in the strategic areas of:(1) Fabrication of ceramic membranes with hexagonally ordered pores (2) Novel fabrication and modification techniques - (i) Atmospheric plasma treatments and; (ii) PolyHIPEs (HIPE = High Internal Phase Emulsion)(3) Nanoporous fluoropolymer composites (4) Characterisation of film properties(5) Oligonucleotide synthesisA highly skilled team of post-doctoral researchers with wide ranging skills and a broad understanding of the whole area is key to taking an internationally leading role, and to developing exciting new research and this platform grant will provide the necessary stability and space to our post-doctoral team. Through a planned programne of research they will gain valuable experience in areas almost completely different from those they have previously worked in, enabling them to establish and broaden their track record. Most importantly, the platform grant will enable us to retain and augment valuable knowledge and expertise in our group. This will provide the continuity necessary to maintain an internationally leading position, and also for the postdocs to build their expertise and multidisciplinary outlook through the planned acquisition of new skills.Finally we wish to exploit our opportunity for expanded international interactions though our partner status in NanoMemPro, an EU Network of Excellence on Membrane Science and Technology. During the five years of Platform funding we would use some of the staff resource from the Platform grant to support our postdocs while they carry out research which supports our portfolio at NanoMemPro partner labs.