Summary of Nanofunc Group Research Areas (click to enlarge)
Ongoing research activities
Graphene-based Electromechanical Biosensors
  • Graphene-based chip for the quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) technique.
  • Studying the adsorption and binding dynamics of biomolecules (phospholipids, proteins, etc.) on various graphene masterials (graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, etc.)
  • Graphene-QCM based immunoassays (antibody tests)
  • Open-source custom QCM system for point-of-care diagnostics.
Graphene Nano-Electro-Mechenical Systems (MEMS) and Sensors
  • Mechanical and electronic properties of graphene-polymer heterostructure membrannes.
  • Strained transfer for pre-tensioned suspended graphene membrannes.
  • MEMS pressure sensor using graphene membrannes.
  • MEMS touch interface using graphene membrannes.
  • MEMS microphones using graphene membrannes.
  • Readout circuit design and sensor packaging.
Graphene dispersions: production, formulations and characterisations
  • Large-scale synthesis of graphene oxide and reduced (r)GO
  • Non-covalent stabilisers for reduced graphene oxide and graphene nanoplatelet aqueous dispersions
  • Graphene-based aqueous printable inks
  • Biocompatible graphene formulations
  • Polymer-stabilised graphene formulations
  • Nanoscale infrared spectroscopy characterisation of functionalised graphene sheets
Graphene-enhanced polymer composites
  • Graphene enhanced natural rubber latex and water-bourne polyurethane composites
  • Dip-moulded thin-film composites
  • Graphene enhanced solid natural and synthetic rubber composites
  • Graphene-enhanced thermoplastic polymer composites
  • Real-world applications of graphene enhanced polymer composites
Graphene bio-mimetic sensors
  • Self-assembled biomimetic phospholipid membrannes on graphene
  • Dip-pen nanolithograpy (DPN) and micro-cantilever spotting (uCS) for nanoscale functionalisation of graphene
  • Quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) to monitor chemical interactions on graphene surfaces
  • Covalent and non-covalent biochemistry on graphene
Graphene based liquid crystals
  • Graphene and lyotropic liquid crystals (e.g. CTAB) hybrid systems
  • Graphene-doped thermotropic liquid crystals
  • Lyoytopic phases in graphene oxide and stabilised graphene
  • Shear-induced flow and textures in graphene liquid crystals
  • Shear-induced polarised light microscopy (SIPLI)
Nano-carbon photonics, plasmonics and optoelectronics
  • Graphene, carbon nanotubes and molecules coupled to plasmonic antennas
  • Raman spectroscopy to investigate plasmonic coupling
  • Graphene oxide surface passivation of silicon solar cells
  • Coupling graphene with silicon waveguides
  • Scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (sSNOM) of 2D materials
Graphene scaffolds for regenerative medicine
  • Peptide-graphene composite hydrogel scaffolds
  • Functionalised graphene coatings for nerve conduits
  • Biopolymer-graphene composite hydrogel scaffolds for musculo-skeletal regeneration
Previous research topics

Exfoliation, Growth and Electronic Devices of Graphene
  • Layer-controlled exfoliation of graphene from graphite - large-scale production of bi-layer and tri-layer graphene.
  • Dielectrphoretic assembly of high-density arrays of individual graphene devices from solution in NMP.
  • Devices characterized by SEM, AFM, Raman and electron transport measurements.
  • As is the case with nanotubes, the assembly is self-limiting to one graphene flake per device.
  • Graphene nano-ribbons are aligned in the desired direction between the electrodes during deposition.

Large-scale Assembly of Sorted Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes
  • This work is directed at integrating and assembling single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) into functional devices using a bottom-up method called Dielectrophoresis (DEP).
  • Important results:
    1. DEP is self-limiting to one SWCNT per device under certain conditions, but can also be used for making thin-films or ensembles of SWCNTs under other conditions.
    2. DEP can selectively deposit metallic SWCNTs at high frequencies.
    3. DEP is scalable. Ultra-high integration densities (> 1 million devices per sq. cm) has been demonstrated
    4. DEP can be combined with SWCNT sorting to make arrays of single-chirality or semiconducting SWCNT devices.

Applications of Chirality-sorted Single-wall Carbon Nanotube Devices
  • Hydrogen sensing
    - Optimum band-gap for H2 sensing is ~1 eV (1.4 nm diameter)
    - ppm sensitivity at room temperature and ambient atmosphere
    - Pulsed gate voltage needed for long-term stable operation

Voltage-Contrast Scanning Electron Micropscopy
  • VC-SEM is a new visual, parallel electronic characterization technique with nanoscale resolution.
  • VC-SEM can be used for:
    1. Distinguishing metallic and semiconducting SWCNTs in device configuration using SEM.
    2. Statistical analysis of large-scale arrays of SWCNT devices.
    3. Locating and characterizing electronically-active defects in individual SWCNTs.
    4. In-situ characterization of defect creation and annealing (defect engineering) (see next section).
    5. Imaging conduction percolation pathways in SWCNT networks

Single-wall Carbon Nanotube based Electronic Devices

Manchester research links

Current collaborations

University of Manchester Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Freie Universität Berlin Oxford University The University of Sheffield Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais University of MelbourneUniversity College London