Research: Smart Surface Structures

The Smart Surface Structures research group at Flinders is primarily interested in technology enabling surface architectures, which are achieved through exploiting the physics and chemistry of surfaces and interfaces. We seek to understand atomic and molecular mechanisms that take place and with knowledge of these, produce enhanced surfaces or interfaces with properties that are tailored and optimised for their specific application. At the moment, our group's research effort is concentrated in the following areas:

• Atomic and Molecular Surface Nanostructures: Nanoscale surface phenomena, mechanisms of assembly, structural transitions and kinetic processes in atomic and molecular surface clusters, nanoparticles and thin films

• Surface Attachment: supporting structures for sensor design materials

• Surface Modification: tailoring the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of surfaces and interfaces for compatibility in their specific application

• Corrosion protection: alternatives to currently used, hazardous, inorganic treatments

• Catalysis: the influence of morphology and particle size upon catalytic behaviour of surfaces

• Polymer Physics: the influence of crystallinity and morphology on material properties

• Molecular Electronics: aimed at producing atomic and molecular-scale wires on surfaces and involves a range of spectroscopic and surface science techniques, such as (but not limited to) electron spectroscopy (XPS, AES), streaming zeta-potential measurement (SZP), mass spectrometry (ToFSIMS), scanning probe microscopies (STM, AFM) and synchrotron measurements.

Assoc Prof Joe Shapter
Dr Jamie Quinton

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