The world as we know it has a lot of problems. We are polluting our water, releasing too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and are in dire need of cheap and efficient clean energy. There is one class of materials, however, that could help us address all these issues. And they look very similar to Leerdammer cheese…
They’re not yellow or edible, but much like Leerdammer, nanoporous materials are full of holes. These holes are what give these materials their world-saving potential. From hydrogen storage to water filtration, join Jemma Rowlandson as she delves into the world of tiny holes with big applications. She’ll explore how these surprisingly ancient materials work, where we can use them, and outline two of the biggest research areas in nanoporous materials: choosing the size of the holes, and actually trying to see them in the first place - neither of which are as easy as they might seem.
Jemma Rowlandson is a second year PhD student at the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies based at the University of Bath. Her research under Dr Valeska Ting and Professor Karen Edler focuses on the preparation and characterisation of new activated carbon materials, made from waste feedstocks. Jemma graduated from the University of Southampton with a degree in chemistry, and has a keen interest in public engagement. She won the water zone in the X-factor style online engagement competition I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here! in 2014, made it to the national final of the IET Present around the World competition in 2015, and has participated in Science Show Off, FameLab, and Three Minute Thesis events.
They’re not yellow or edible, but much like Leerdammer, nanoporous materials are full of holes. These holes are what give these materials their world-saving potential. From hydrogen storage to water filtration, join Jemma Rowlandson as she delves into the world of tiny holes with big applications. She’ll explore how these surprisingly ancient materials work, where we can use them, and outline two of the biggest research areas in nanoporous materials: choosing the size of the holes, and actually trying to see them in the first place - neither of which are as easy as they might seem.
Jemma Rowlandson is a second year PhD student at the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies based at the University of Bath. Her research under Dr Valeska Ting and Professor Karen Edler focuses on the preparation and characterisation of new activated carbon materials, made from waste feedstocks. Jemma graduated from the University of Southampton with a degree in chemistry, and has a keen interest in public engagement. She won the water zone in the X-factor style online engagement competition I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here! in 2014, made it to the national final of the IET Present around the World competition in 2015, and has participated in Science Show Off, FameLab, and Three Minute Thesis events.
