CfAM News
The following news items will give you an idea as to the range of activities CfAM is engaged in.
CfAM collaboration programme to reduce food wastage
CfAM is hosting a Short Term Scientific Mission as part of the COST FA0904 programme on Eco-sustainable Food Packaging Based on Polymer Nanomaterials. The photo shows Dr Marilena Pezzuto from the Instituto di Chimica e Tecnologia dei Polimeri of the CNR in Pozzuoli (Naples) http://www.ictp.cnr.it/ who is undertaking the mission to use the facilities in CfAM. In particular, Marilena is studying the dispersion of nano-clays in isotactic polypropylene to develop food packaging materials with restricted permeability to oxygen to reduce food wastage during storage. We are able to image the nano clay platelets in the polymer matrix by preparing ultrathin samples using the ultramicrotome preparation laboratory. The images are obtained using transmission electron microscopy; the clay contains elements of higher atomic number than the carbon and hydrogen of the polymer and provides contrast through absorption.
This programme is part of a long standing collaboration between the Director of CfAM, Professor Mitchell and the Instituto di Chimica e Tecnologia dei Polimeri of the CNR in Pozzuoli (Naples) on polymer structure and a number of researchers from Pozzuoli have spent time in Reading studying polymer morphology. Professor Mitchell said 'it is great to be part of a European-wide programme looking to reduce food wastage by the development of safe nanostructured polymers for food packaging and training the next generation of young European Scientists'. Dr Pezzuto said "I have spent two weeks in CfAM (University of Reading) and had a good opportunity to improve my knowledge on specimen preparation using the ultramicrotome equipment for morphological characterization of polymeric materials by electronic microscope, thanks for the good suggestions and big experience of CfAM stuff. I would also like thank the Cost Action FA0904 (www.costfa0904.eu) for giving me this possibility."
CfAM Director at SLAC
Professor Geoffrey Mitchell, Director of CfAM gave a lecture in the Photon Science Series at SLAC, the Stanford Accelerator Centre in California USA titled 'Directing polymers using nanoparticles'. The lecture showed recent work carried in CfAM using advanced microscopy techniques. Professor Mitchell also has the opportunity to visit the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory where Reading Alumni Dr John Pople heads up the SAXS beamline.
Prof Maria Tomoaia-Cotisel visits CfAM
The photograph shows Professor Geoffrey Mitch
ell, Director of CfAM with Professor Dr. Maria Tomoaia-Cotisel a Technical Adviser for the EU FP7 Programme. Professor Dr. Maria Tomoaia-Cotisel is also the Head of Physical Chemistry at Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Professor Mitchell said 'We were delighted to show Professor Tomoaia-Cotisel the comprehensive facilities available in CfAM, in particular the Cryo-SEM instrumentation which has been used in the EU NanoCelluComp Project. It was very interesting to hear about the recently developed Excellency Research (CEEX) Consortium at Babes-Bolyai University which houses advanced imaging facilities.
CfAM hosts Romanian visitor
CfAM is hosting a month long visit of Dr Raluca Dumitru from the "P
etru Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Iasi in Romania. The Institute is the leading institute in Romania for polymer science and forms part of the Romanian Academy of Sciences. Dr Dumitru's visit is part of a EU COST programme FA0904 on Eco-sustainable food packaging based on polymer nanomaterials . Professor Mitchell, Director of CfAM said ' We are pleased that we can bring the powerful facilities available in CfAM to bear on this international programme which impacts on our everyday life as well as its connection with the University's programme on Climate Change Mitigation and carbon reduction'.
CfAM Visitor wins Award
Professor Mahadevappa Y. Kariduraganavar at Karnatak University, in India has been awarded the Sir CV Raman Award in recognition of his outstanding work on polymers. Professor Kariduraganavar was a recent visitor to the Centre for Advanced Microscopy. Professor Mitchell, Director of CfAM said 'We have a continuing collaboration with Professor Kariduraganavar using microscopy to understand polymer membranes and we are very pleased that his work has been recognised with this award'
CfAM User awarded 2012 McBain Medal
Dr Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy, Reader in Pharmaceutical Materials at Reading's School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy, has won the 2012 McBain Medal for his 'visionary' work in the field of colloid, polymer and interface science. Dr Khutoryanskiy whose research is focused on novel materials which could provide new ways of administering vital drugs, makes extensive use of the CFAM Facilities. The Director of CfAM, Professor Geoffrey Mitchell, said 'Dr Khutoryanskiy is a major user of CfAM facilities including both transmission and scanning electron microscopy and we are delighted to hear of his award'.
CfAM welcomes Professor Al Ammar
CfAM were pleased to host a four day visit from Professor Khalid Al Ammar of Babylon University in Iraq. The photograph shows the Director, Professor Geoffrey Mitchell describing the different techniques available on the powerful Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope in CfAM to Professor Al Ammar. Professor Al Ammar, who is a former student at Reading, said 'It is wonderful to be back in Reading, everyone has been most welcoming and I look forward to building substantial research collaborations between our two Universities'.
Director to present "Imaging for Life Science Research" seminar
The Director of CfAM, Professor Geoffrey Mitchell will present a seminar titled 'Imaging for Life Science Research' in Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research at the University of Reading. The seminar will be held on Monday 16 January at 1pm in the Seminar Room in the Hopkins Building.
Dust, Glaciers and Climate Chan
ge
The Director of CfAM, Professor Geoffrey Mitchell and Dr Maria Shahgedanova in the Earth System Science Group, in the School of Human and Environmental Sciences have been successful in their application for a UROP Placement in the summer of 2012. This provides an opportunity for an undergraduate to undertake a short research project before the start of their final year.
The Project is titled 'Investigating mineral dust deposited on glaciers using advanced microscopy'. This project is focused on the impacts of dust on glaciated environments and brings together two major issues that are in the focus of climate change research: glacier shrinkage and impacts of mineral aerosol (dust) on the climate system. Dust deposited on glaciers intensifies their melting and adds nutrients to water. Analysis of the dust will help evaluate the impact on glaciated environments and its origin and atmospheric pathway.
Image: © Wrangel