This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Imaging & Characterisation
Overview
The Imaging and Characterisation research area aims to provide and support access to the cutting-edge techniques applicable across the entire scope of Royce’s research areas. This includes the specific expertise needed to describe and quantify the structure and properties of such a broad range of advanced materials. These techniques provide vital information to accelerate and support materials optimisation to improve performance, production, functionality and sustainability.
Vision
The Imaging and Characterisation research area provides a technique focus, which complements the application-based approach for most of Royce’s other research areas. We aim to:
- Support Royce and partners in providing state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for the imaging and characterisation of a diverse set of advanced materials; including: X-Ray imaging, diffraction and spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, electron microscopy and diffraction, optical microscopy, mass spectrometry, atomic force microscopy and more.
- Champion our technical staff by developing and supporting a comprehensive national network of imaging and characterisation researchers to improve cohesion, support accessible training in communication, management and technical skills, and promote wider understanding of techniques and their capabilities
- Increase external engagement across academia and industry with Royce imaging and characterisation technologies by organising workshops and other networking events
Current and Future Research
The applications of the Imaging and Characterisation capability across the partner institutes spans the entire scope of Royce’s research areas from 2D materials, advanced metals processing, atoms to devices, biomedical materials, chemical materials design, electrochemical systems, materials for demanding environments, nuclear materials and modelling and simulation.
Key areas for growth include:
- Streamlining of equipment access – making it easier to find an expert in your research area and collaborate with them
- Technical support – supporting our technical staff in training and development opportunities to maximise the support they can provide
- Showcasing our equipment – supporting open days, workshops and conferences to highlight our equipment and engage new users from across academia and industry
Introduction and Scope
- The Imaging and Characterisation Research Area encompasses Royce’s elemental mission pillars by providing capability and expertise to describe the behaviour of a wide range of advanced materials. Many of the imaging and characterisation techniques are one-of-a-kind and can provide novel understanding of the performance of materials in different environments.
- The insights gained through these techniques are essential across academia and industry to accelerate material development. These facilities have the scope to provide enhanced optimisation in a host of applications.
- This research area will support and foster relationships across the UK’s pre-existing imaging and characterisation community. To grow and support the community further, the research area will establish new partnerships with learned societies to pursue scientific understanding across the remit of Royce’s materials challenges.
Links
- Royal Microscopy Society
- IOP materials characterisation
- The Rosalind Franklin Institute
- National Nuclear Laboratory
- UKAEA
- National Physical Laboratory
- http://www.ruedi.uk
- https://www.diamond.ac.uk/
- https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Instruments/Imaging-and-Microscopy/ePSIC.html
- https://www.superstem.org/
Research Area Leads
Steering Group
| Name | Institute/Organisation | I&C Techniques | Research Area link |
| Prof Sarah Haigh | University of Manchester | TEM, EDXS, EELS | 2D materials, Atoms to Devices |
| Dr Katie Moore | University of Manchester | NanoSIMS | Materials for Demanding Environments, nuclear materials |
| Dr Alice Pyne | University of Sheffield | AFM | Biomedical materials, Atoms to Devices |
| Dr Colin Johnston | University of Oxford | Molecular spectroscopy, XPS and surface analysis | Electrochemical systems |
| Dr John Walmsley | University of Cambridge | Electron Microscopy | Advanced metals processing |
| Prof B. Layla Medhi | University of Liverpool | TEM | In-situ electrochemistry and energy storage and conversion |
| Dr Shelly Conroy | Imperial College London | TEM, EELS | Atoms to Devices |
| Prof Finn Giuliani | Imperial College London | In Situ mechanical testing in TEM/SEM | Electrochemical systems, Ceramics |
| Dr Rob House | University of Oxford | XRD | Electrochemical systems |
| Dr Nicola Wadeson | University of Manchester | XCT | Range of applications |
| Dr David Eastwood | University of Manchester | XCT, DLS | Electrochemical systems |
| Prof Sven Schroeder | University of Leeds | Spectroscopy, XPS, fluorescence, scattering | Atoms to Devices, Electrochemical systems, Materials for demanding environments, 2D materials, biomedical materials |
| Prof Rob Weatherup | University of Oxford | EM, X-Ray (XAS) | Electrochemical systems |
| Dr Greg Rees | University of Oxford | NMR (Solid) and MRI | Electrochemical systems, biological systems |
| Dr Alex Forse | University of Cambridge | NMR | Electrochemical systems, CO2 capture |
| Dr Joven Lim | UKAEA | TEM | Nuclear |
| Dr Simon Dumbill | National Nuclear Laboratory | EM | Nuclear, Materials for Demanding Environments |
| Dr Nicola Green | University of Sheffield | Non-invasive imaging techniques | Biomedical materials |
| Prof Angus Kirkland | University of Oxford | EM | Bio, nuclear |
| Dr Ben Spencer | University of Manchester | HAXPES, XPS, SIMS, AFM, NanoIR | Electrochemical systems, Advance metals processing, Materials for demanding environments, 2D materials, biomedical materials |