My research interests lie in area of Surface Chemistry with projects in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis and corrosion inhibition. Much of our research utilises ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) techniques. Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) is used to provide atomic-scale information on surface structure, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provides information on surface composition. Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and surface vibrational spectroscopy (reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS)) probe the reactivity and orientation of molecular adsorbates. Recent work has mainly focused on the adsorption of triazoles and N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) on metallic and bimetallic surfaces with the aims of understanding the operation of existing corrosion inhibitors and of developing new molecular corrosion inhibitors. The adsorption of chiral NHCs on metal surfaces has been investigated with the objective of developing new chiral modifiers for enantioselective heterogeneous catalysis. Techniques are also available for characterisation of surfaces at the liquid-solid interface or under controlled gas environments to facilitate measurements on samples under more realistic conditions.  For example, the use of IR-based techniques to probe molecular adsorption on powder catalysts. In addition, the predictions from UHV-based model investigations on chiral surfaces are tested by carrying out hydrogenation reactions on novel catalysts at high pressure.

Development of new molecular corrosion inhibitors

Development of novel enantioselective heterogeneous catalysts

Catalysis

Corrosion

Nanotechnology