Objectives and Novelty
This PhD project will explore the photophysical properties of the latest generation of organic photoinitiators used in UV inkjet printing and beyond through spectroscopic studies of excited states and other short-lived intermediates to understand their reactivity. It will focus on gaining fundamentally new knowledge to aid in the development of new molecular designs and industrial formulations.
The project will provide training in cutting-edge research in physical chemistry, featuring advanced spectroscopy, excited states & photochemistry, lasers, kinetics and computational chemistry. Applicants with a degree in chemistry and a strong background and interests in these areas are encouraged to apply.
Background
UV inkjet printing involves the rapid deposition of ink droplets onto a surface and their immediate solidification through photo-curing induced by a UV-absorbing photoinitiator. This versatile technology is used widely in labelling and packaging applications (automotive, pharmaceutical, food, home and personal care products, etc.) and there are also links to the growing 3-D printing market. Collectively, there is a need to increase the speed of printing which is currently limited by the speed of polymerisation, and also by the need to minimise the population of unbound species which could potentially migrate out of the cured film.
Domino is a leading supplier of inkjet technology, and the student will have access to their state-of-the-art facilities in Cambridge for the evaluation of inkjet formulations. The direct link to research & development in a successful UK company will provide opportunities to acquire a wider perspective, along with additional knowledge, skills and experience that may open up a range of career opportunities in academic and industrial sectors.
Experimental Approach
The project will be based at York, where the student will carry out spectroscopic studies across a range of time scales, from ultrafast probing of excited states to steady-state analyses of products, and including the use of pulsed lasers along with UV-vis absorption, emission, infrared or NMR spectroscopy. The experimental programme will be complemented by detailed computational modelling in order to rationalise observations and derive insight into mechanisms, potentially leading to new strategies for formulation.
Training
The student will receive training on photochemistry and a variety of time-resolved, steady-state and computational techniques at York. Domino will provide general training on market relevance, ink formulation and cure evaluation. Visits to Cambridge will also serve as an opportunity to test practical outcomes for formulation and UV curing performance arising from knowledge developed in the fundamental studies at York. The project will provide an opportunity to see how product development and academic research meet at the interface of commercialisation, and thereby to gain insight into the industrial world.
The project is supervised by two experienced academics and it will be supported closely by specialised technical staff who will be available to aid experimental and computational developments as they arise. The student will join a vibrant group of researchers whose work harnesses photochemistry and ranges from exploring the fundamental properties of matter to using the magnetic properties of materials to design contrast agents for medical applications.
All Chemistry research students have access to our innovative Doctoral Training in Chemistry (iDTC): cohort-based training to support the development of scientific, transferable and employability skills: https://www.york.ac.uk/chemistry/postgraduate/idtc/
The Department of Chemistry holds an Athena SWAN Gold Award and is committed to supporting equality and diversity for all staff and students. The Department strives to provide a working environment which allows all staff and students to contribute fully, to flourish, and to excel: https://www.york.ac.uk/chemistry/ed/.
For more information about the project, click on the supervisor's name above to email the supervisor. For more information about the application process or funding, please click on email institution
This PhD will formally start on 1 October 2021. Induction activities will start on 27 September.
To apply for this project, submit an online PhD in Chemistry application: https://www.york.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/courses/apply?course=DRPCHESCHE3
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