Surface and Interfaces Reactions Group
The Surface and Interfaces Reactions Group, comprising more than 20 academics and researchers, is concerned with understanding the manner in which materials surfaces interact with each other and their environments. Such interactions may enhance their performance, as in the pre-treatment of polymers, protective coatings and polymer to metal adhesion or be deleterious as in the case of metallic corrosion and environmental degradation of plastic materials.
Sponsorship for the research work is obtained from both government and industrial sources and the current portfolio of research projects is split between fundamental scientific investigations and the study of problems directly relevant to industry and the community. The research group has experience of studying the surfaces and interfaces of a vast range of materials used in diverse industrial sectors such as power generation, aerospace, electronics, tooling, pharmaceuticals etc. The surface analytical instrumentation and expertise of the research group are offered to industry and academia for involvement in research projects or problem solving on a daily pro-rata basis.
Principal Group Members -
Current and Recent SIRG Projects
Members of the SIRG group play an important role in the worldwide surface analysis community. Prof. Watts is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Surface and Interface Analysis while Prof. Castle is editor of the journal Surface Science Spectra. Additionally members of the SIRG group fulfill important roles such as sitting on national and international committees (BSIC1160 & ISO TC201), organising international conferences (ECASIA and SIMS) and acting as guest editors and members of editorial boards of international journals. Current and recent projects undertaken in SIRG include;
The adhesion of organic coatings to Hot Dipped Galvanised Steel and other coil stock.
Student ; Siavash Adhami, Supervisors ; John Watts, Marie-Laure Abel. Sponsored by ; Becker Industrial Coatings.
Surface & bulk characterisation of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT).
Student ; Shumaila Babar, Supervisors ; Mark Baker, John Watts. Sponsored by ; University of Surrey.
A study of the degradation mechanisms of carbon/carbon composite heat shield materials for spacecraft applications.
Student ; Alex Helm, Supervisors ; Mark Baker, John Watts. Sponsored by ; EADS Astrium
Interfacial aspects of glass/polymer systems.
Student ; Naoko Sano, Supervisors ; Marie-Laure Abel, John Watts. Sponsored by ; Crown Packaging.
The Interfacial Chemistry of polyurethane/isocyanate metal interactions.
Student ; Kyoko Shimizu, Supervisors ; John Watts, Marie-Laure Abel. Sponsored by ; Huntsman.
Conversion coatings for aluminium Alloys: A surface investigation of corrosion mechanisms.
Student ; Rossana Grilli, Supervisors ; John Watts, Mark Baker. Sponsored by ; European Space Agency.
The surface chemistry of Hot Dipped Galvanise Steel: The effect of modification on the adhesion of radiation curable coatings.
Student ; Paolo Marino, Supervisors ; John Watts, Marie-Laure Abel. Sponsored by ; Becker Industrial Coatings.
Nanocomposite reinforcements for polymer matrix composites.
Student ; Arran Wood, Supervisors ; John Watts, Paul Smith. Sponsored by ; EPSRC.
Nanostructures TiO2 and TiON Photcatalytic Membranes for Water Treatment (NATIOMEM).
Researcher ; Rossana Grilli, Marie-Laure Abel, Principal Investigator ; Mark Baker, Sponsored by ; European Union.
Large Area Deposition of Functional Thin Film Materials.
EngD Research Engineer ; Andrew Yeadon, Supervisor ; Mark Baker, Sponsored by ; Plasma Quest Ltd.
Characterisation of Functional Metal Oxide Thin Films.
KTP Associate ; Hayley Brown, Supervisor ; Mark Baker, KTP Company Partner ; Plasma Quest Ltd.
A Novel In-line X-ray Monochromator for XPS Spectrometers.
KTP Associate ; TBC, Supervisor ; Mark Baker, KTP Company Partner ; Torr Scientific Ltd.
Recent SIRG Publications and Presentations.
Recent publications of or presentations given by members of SIRG include;
S Gravani, K Polychronopoulou, V Stolojan, Q Cui, P N Gibson, S J Hinder, Z Gu, C C Doumanidis, M A Baker, C Rebholz. Growth and characterization of ceria thin films and Ce-doped γ -Al2O3 nanowires using sol–gel techniques. Nanotechnology, 21 (2010).
M.A. Baker, M.A. Monclus, C. Rebholz, P.N. Gibson, A. Leyland, A. Matthews. A study of the nanostructure and hardness of electron beam evaporated TiAlBN Coatings. Thin Solid Films, 518, (2010), 4273–4280
M.-L. Abel, M. Amini Dahaghi, J.F. Watts, Andrew Slark, Richard G. White, Paul Mack, Eddie Grant. Effect of flame treatment on formulated polyvinylchloride surface: A study using ARXPS. Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 178–179, (2010), 409–414.
J.E. Castle. Developments in expert systems for automatic examination of samples by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 178–179, (2010), 347–356.
Rossana Grilli, Mark A. Baker, James E. Castle, Barrie Dunn, John F. Watts. Localized corrosion of a 2219 aluminium alloy exposed to a 3.5% NaCl solution. Corrosion Science, 52, (2010), 2855–2866.
Kyoko Shimizu, Christopher Phanopoulos, Raf Loenders, Marie-Laure Abel, John F.Watts. The characterization of the interfacial interaction between polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate and aluminum: A ToF-SIMS and XPS study. Surface and Interface Analysis, 42, (2010), 1432–1444.
Steven J. Hinder, John F. Watts. SIMS fingerprint analysis on organic substrates. Surface and Interface Analysis, 42, (2010), 826–829.
J. Bertho, V. Stolojan, M.-L. Abel, J.F. Watts. The effect of silane incorporation on a metal adhesive interface: A study by electron energy loss spectroscopy. Micron, 41, (2010), 130–134.
D.R. Baer, A.S. Lea, J.D. Geller, J.S. Hammond, L. Kover, C.J. Powell, M.P. Seah, M. Suzuki, J.F.Watts, J.Wolstenholme. Approaches to analyzing insulators with Auger electron spectroscopy: Update and overview. Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 176, (2010), 80–94.
John F. Watts. The potential for the application of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in forensic science. Surface and Interface Analysis, 42, (2010), 358–362.
M.A. Baker, S.L. Assis, O.Z. Higa, I. Costa. Nanocomposite hydroxyapatite formation on a Ti–13Nb–13Zr alloy exposed in a MEM cell culture medium and the effect of H2O2 addition. Acta Biomaterialia, 5, (2009), 63–75.
K. Polychronopoulou, C. Rebholz, M.A. Baker, L. Theodorou, N.G. Demas, S.J. Hinder, A.A. Polycarpou, C.C. Doumanidis, K. Böbel. Nanostructure, mechanical and tribological properties of reactive magnetron sputtered TiCx coatings. Diamond & Related Materials, 17, (2008), 2054–2061.
J.E. Castle. The Composition of Metal Surfaces After Atmospheric Exposure: An Historical Perspective. The Journal of Adhesion, 84, (2008), 368–388.
R. Flamia, A. M. Salvi, L. D’Alessio, J. E. Castle, A. M. Tamburro. Transformation of Amyloid-like Fibers, Formed from an Elastin-Based Biopolymer, into a Hydrogel: An X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy Study. Biomacromolecules, 8, (2007), 128-138.
D. Alamarguy, J. E. Castle, M. Liberatore, F. Decker. Distribution of intercalated lithium in V2O5 thin films determined by SIMS depth profiling. Surface and Interface Analysis, 38, (2006), 847–850.
Areeya Aeimbhu, James E. Castle, Pisith Singjai. Accounting for the size of molecules in determination of adsorption isotherms by XPS; exemplified by adsorption of chicken egg albumin on titanium. Surface and Interface Analysis, 37, (2005), 1127–1136.
S.J. Hinder, C. Lowe, J.T. Maxted, J.F. Watts. The morphology and topography of polymer surfaces and interfaces exposed by ultra-low-angle microtomy. Journal of Materials Science, 40, (2005), 285– 293.
Steven J. Hinder, Chris Lowe, James T. Maxted and John F. Watts. A ToF-SIMS investigation of a buried polymer/polymer interface exposed by ultra-low-angle microtomy. Surface and Interface Analysis, 36, (2004), 1575–1581.
James E. Castle. A wizard source of expertise in XPS. Surface and Interface Analysis, 33, (2002), 196–202.