Soft Materials Group - PhD Candidates 2009

Alberto GRANERO

Industrial Technical Engineering Degree (Specialised in Industrial Chemistry), Spain
Master in Chemistry, MChem (Hons first class), England

Research Project:

Studying biocompatible conducting polymer/carbon nanotube composites.

Supervisors:

Dr. M. in het Panhuis, Prof. G.G. Wallace

email: ajgr985@uow.edu.au
phone: +61 (02) 4298 1452
fax: +61 (02) 4298 1477
office number: 231.223M (Innovation Campus)

Charles MIRE

BA(Russian), University of Texas, Arlington
MSc Applied Physics, University of Texas, Dallas.

Research Project:

I am investigating inkjet and extrusion printing techniques for the purpose of creating 2D and 3D bioscaffold structures that incorporate conducting polymers, drugs for timed release, and various biopolymers.

Supervisors:

Dr M. in het Panhuis, Prof. G.G. Wallace

email: cm482@uow.edu.au
fax: +61 (02) 4298 1477
office number: 231.235A (Innovation Campus)

Khairul Anuar MAT AMIN

Bachelor of Science in Oleochemistry, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Master of Science (Chemistry(Polyurethane)), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Research Project:

The aim of my research is to build a new biocompatible material preferably film or membrane. A desirable property on the materials will be biodegradability, biocompatibility, antimicrobial, non-toxic in order to be used in biomedical applications such as wound dressing or artificial skin. The raw materials used are chitosan (cationic) and gellan gum (anionic), which both of it are polysaccharides. Then nanoparticles (silver, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) will be added to the system to improve mechanical properties, reduced water swelling, promote cell growth and act as an active antibacterial. The research will be held in different stages, first focusing on the pro-process in order to obtain film and then the process to optimize the properties of films through an extensive characterization process.

Supervisors:

Dr M. in het Panhuis

email: kama937@uow.edu.au
phone: +61 (02) 4221 3482

office number: 18.118                         

Luke SWEETMAN

BNano (Adv.) (Hons.) (First Class), University of Wollongong

Research Project:

Molecular Separation using Carbon Nanotube Membranes

The broad aim of this PhD project is to investigate the use of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) towards the synthesis of highly porous membrane filtration materials. Membranes will be synthesised utilising a wide range of unique functional materials, including various macrocycles, responsive and antimicrobial materials. By retaining such materials into the final structure, we hope to controllably tailor the pore structure and hence selectivity of the produced membranes towards a range of specific analytes.

Supervisors:

Assoc. Prof. S. Ralph, Dr. M. in het Panhuis

email: ljs358@uow.edu.au

phone: +61 (02) 4221 3482
fax: +61 (02) 4221 3114
office number: 18.118

Ali ALDALBAHI

Bachelor of Chemistry, King Saud University (KSA)
Master of Chemistry, University of Wollongong

Research Project:

Synthesis and characterisation of polymer/carbon nanotube composites

Supervisors

Dr. M. in het Panhuis

email: akma365@uow.edu.au 
phone: +61 (02) 4221 3482
office number: 18.118

Cameron FERRIS

Bachelor of Nanotechnology (Advanced), Honours (Class I), University of Wollongong

Research Project:

Fabrication of three-dimensional, cell-laden architectures by the controlled deposition of bio-polymers, conducting polymers, cells and bio-molecules for the engineering of cardiac tissue.

Supervisors:

Dr. M. in het Panhuis, Prof. G.G. Wallace

email: cjf146@uow.edu.au
fax: +61 (02) 4298 1477
office number: 231.241A (Innovation Campus)

Shane ELLIS

Bachelor of Nanotechnology (Advanced), Honours (Class I), University of Wollongong

Research Project:

Utilising Desorption Electrospray Ionisation (DESI) Mass Spectrometry for detection and imaging of biomolecules.

Supervisors:

Dr. M. in het Panhuis, Dr. S.J. Blanksby

email: sre359@uow.edu.au 
phone: +61 (02) 4221 3482
office number: 18.118