Summer Student Makes Uniquely Patterned Polymers
Wednesday 18 August 2010
A student working over the summer, Alex Nicholas, has made patterns of microscopic bumps on a surface using a newly invented technique.
Alex Nicholas, an MPhys student at the University of Kent, has completed an eight-week research project within the Soft Matter Group. Alex was a recipient of a Summer Studentship funded by the South East Physics Network (SEPnet). The Summer Studentships provide a stipend for undergraduate students at a SEPnet University to carry out a project at another SEPnet University or in a regional industry. Working under the supervision of Prof. Joe Keddie, Alex investigated a newly-invented method for creating patterns on polymer coatings. This method uses a mask to direct infrared light to specific positions on a polymer surface where it locally heats the material. An example of a patterned surface is shown in the 3-D image here, which Alex obtained using a stylus profilometer. The "hills" on the surface are about 50 micrometers high, and they are spaced 1.5 mm apart. The research team are exploring applications of the coatings in optics and mechanics.
On November 19, Alex will be presenting his results at a SEPnet conference to be held at the Royal Society in London. He has already made a presentation at a meeting of the Soft Matter Group. As a result of the studentship, Alex has gained practical laboratory experience, while he developed skills in teamworking and communication, and also spent an enjoyable time at a SEPnet partner university. In previous years, other undegraduates have won summer stipends for research projects from other funders, such as the Nuffield Foundation.