Nanoscale transport mechanisms in zeolites and metal-organic frameworks

The project will build on recent work on the two- and three-dimensional imaging of composition1,2 and nanoscale optical properties3 in metal-organic framework (MOF) glasses. The student will use these tools and develop innovative analytical approaches to investigate chemical transport in a variety of zeolites (microporous silicate materials) and MOF materials.

The project will involve combining multiple cutting edge electron microscopy and focused ion beam techniques (including spectroscopy, tomography, and electron diffraction), sample preparation and processing, and auxiliary analytical tools for bulk characterization. The student will make use of the Leeds Titan Themis transmission electron microscope as well as the Helios G4 DualBeam focused ion beam scanning electron microscope. The student will also join trips to the electron Physical Sciences Imaging Centre at the Diamond Light Source (Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK) and to SuperSTEM, the EPSRC National Facility for Advanced Electron Microscopy (Daresbury, Cheshire, UK). The project will be embedded within a multidisciplinary environment across the School of Chemical and Process Engineering as well as the School of Chemistry and the Bragg Centre for Materials Research.