Join Bonlab as a PhD student

2 PhD Studentships

Polymer and Colloid Chemical Engineering

Department of Chemistry

The University of Warwick (http://www.go.warwick.ac.uk/chemistry).

You will be working in the research group of prof.dr.ir. Stefan A. F. Bon, the BonLab (http://www.bonlab.info), on an exciting 4 year project in collaboration with industry in the area of polymer and colloid science. We study the chemistry and physics of colloidal systems in which molecular and/or colloidal entities can be assembled into more complex supracolloidal structures, with the aim to produce innovative advanced materials . Each project will span synthesis of particles and macromolecules with a design tailored to provide function, the development of methods to (self)-organise colloidal matter, and the fabrication and characterization of advanced colloidal materials of use in a variety of industrial applications.

Enquiries, which should include a CV with the names of two referees, should be made to prof.dr.ir. Stefan A. F Bon (s.bon@warwick.ac.uk)

Requirements:

An eligible student must hold, or be predicted to obtain, at least a 2.1 4-year degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or an equivalent scientific discipline. Exceptional students with a 3 year BSc degree only will be considered. This studentship is open to UK and EU nationals and those of equivalent status* (fees paid, plus annum stipend). Availability is for 4 years beginning on 1st October 2016.

*Please note - ELIGIBILITY - We can only offer the stipend to UK citizens who have lived in the UK for over 3 years (e.g. as a student), or EU nationals. Applicants from outside the EU are not eligible for this post due to restrictions on funding.

Join BonLab as a PhD Student

You will be working in the research team of prof. dr. ir. Stefan A. F. Bon (www.bonlab.info) on a collaborative project with industry in the area of polymer and colloid science. The project will deal with the development of stabilisers and porosity control agents for heterogeneous polymerization processes, with a focus on emulsion polymerization. 

Enquiries, which should include a CV with the names of two referees, should be made to prof. dr. ir. Stefan A. F. Bon (s.bon@warwick.ac.uk).

Requirements:

You must hold, or be predicted to obtain, a first class degree (2.1 may be considered) in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or Physics, ideally with some experience in polymer and/or colloid science. This studentship is open to UK and EU nationals and those of equivalent status. Applicants from outside the EU are not eligible for this post due to restrictions on funding.

Start date: As soon as possible from now.

BonLab features on the cover of Materials Horizons

Our manuscript entitled Control of vesicle membrane permeability with catalytic particles has been selected for the jan-feb 2016 cover of Materials Horizons, a premier scientific journal published by the Royal Society of Chemistry which features first reports of exceptional significance across the breadth of materials research at the cutting-edge interface with chemistry, physics, biology and engineering.

Prof.dr.ir. Stefan Bon says: "We are absolutely delighted that our research has made the cover of Materials Horizons. Rong Chen and especially Ross Jaggers worked very hard in the BonLab to fabricate giant polymer vesicles which have membrane-embedded catalytically active manganese oxide particles, hereby using droplet-based microfluidics. We demonstrate that these colloidal particles can regulate the membrane permeability of the polymersomes upon their exposure to, and catalytic reaction with, small amounts of dissolved hydrogen peroxide. Not only can we trigger complete release whereby the vesicle gets destroyed through membrane rupture by the formed oxygen bubbles as illustrated on the cover, exposure to small amounts of dissolved hydrogen peroxide leads to temporary enhanced release until all hydrogen peroxide is consumed by the catalytic particles after which the membrane permeability restores itself to its passive characteristic value." 

More on this can be read on our blog.

The paper (open access) can be read here:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C5MH00093A