Nanostructured Membranes for Innovations in Liquid Separations

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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.