Using surface-active helicene dopants to control the formation of quasiparticles in liquid crystal phases: fundamentals and technological development

This project will seek to develop novel surface-active, chiral dopants for use in controlling the mesoscale structure of liquid crystalline states-of-matter. The dopants to be synthesized with be based upon the helicene framework, however, these will also adopt the functional role of a traditional surfactant. The structures will be related those we have developed for catalysis (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ol2001705). Initial results have demonstrated that we can control the formation of exciting and technologically attractive topological entities. For example, our dopants induce the formation of microscale vortices and more complex scroll waves. The project will explore the structure-activity relationship between dopant and mesoscale liquid crystal material. Accordingly, having and wanting to expand your organic synthetic skills will be a key aspect to this project and will complement the extensive structural characterization work required to characterize and fully exploit the exciting technological possibilities. Accordingly, extensive optical microscopic (polarizing and confocal), electron microscopy and x-ray scattering techniques will be applied. The possibility that reaction-diffusion processes control the ordering of the material through processes will be studied in this project. These processes are analogous to heart rhythms, weather patterns and patterns on animals will be researched. Accordingly, the development of technological applications as diverse as secure random number generation for cryptography and switchable self-assembled photonic crystals will be core to your studies.

The project will require a talented scientist with the ability and interest in molecular science but equally wish to learn and explore contemporary characterization techniques.

Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or good Upper Second Class Honours degree, or the equivalent from an overseas university. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.

Informal enquiries should be directed to Dr Dave Carbery, [Email Address Removed]

Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Chemistry:
https://www.bath.ac.uk/samis/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login?process=siw_ipp_app&code1=RDUCH-FP01&code2=0012

More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found here:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/guides/how-to-apply-for-doctoral-study/

Anticipated start date: 1 October 2018

Early application is strongly recommended.