Category Archives: Collaborations

Conference activities

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It has been a busy and productive time for the Faul Research Group over the past week, with members actively participating in two key events: the EPoMM Conference in Bath and VIVO Hub research workshop in Bristol!

At the 2nd Conference on Engineering Porous Materials at Multiple Scales (EPoMM), held at the University of Bath, PhD students Jerry Mintah, Aya Abdo, Mary Donkor, and MRes student Jun Yao presented their research posters, contributing to the growing dialogue on porous material design and applications.

Meanwhile, Charl Faul, Research Associate Xinzhen Fan, and PhD student Junru Chen attended the VIVO Hub two-day research workshop at the Engineering House Conference Venue in Bristol. It was a fantastic opportunity for fruitful discussions and to connect with researchers across a wide range of disciplines!

EPoMM at Bath
VIVO Hub workshop at Bristol

Prof. Yulan Chen visits Bristol from Jilin University

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It was a pleasure to host Professor Yulan Chen from the Collage of Chemistry, Jilin University, to give a research seminar as part of the “Functional Molecules and Materials” research theme. Her group works on polymer mechanochemistry and mechano-responsive polymeric materials.

Prof. Yulan Chen is currently visiting Bristol, accompanying the 40 senior UG students from Julin University participating in our Advanced Experimental Chemistry summer school here in Bristol.

Paper published in J. Mater. Chem. A

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A new study entitled “One-pot scalable production of conjugated microporous polymers with exceptional functionality“, authored by collaborators from Engineering Research Centre of Reactive Distillation of Fuzhou University, John Worth, and Charl Faul, has now been published Open Access in Journal of Materials Chemistry A !

Here we report on a one-pot scalable synthesis method using autoclaves to produce conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) with enhanced surface area and exceptional adsorption capabilities for CO2 and heavy metal ions. With degas-free and facile scale-up opportunities, this method opens real possibilities for wide industrial applications of CMPs.

Funded PhD position available

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A new PhD position starting in September 2025 is available within the Faul Research Group. We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled student to join a dynamic team working on the synthesis and application of smart functional materials for mobility assistance and digital healthcare technologies. This funded 3.5-year position is available for both UK and international students.

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This role supports the £14 million EPSRC-funded project, “The VIVO Hub for Enhanced Independent Living”, co-led by Prof. Charl F. J. Faul, in collaboration with numerous partners, including the Song laboratories (UCL), the NHS, leading UK and international research institutions, and industry leaders.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in chemistry or in a related discipline (materials science or engineering). Please see the details of the position here, or contact Prof. Charl F. J. Faul (charl.faul@bristol.ac.uk) directly for further information. Please ensure that your email subject line reads “PhD Application Enquiry – Vivo Hub”.

Please note that the closing date for applications will be on 17/03/2025.

Funded postdoc position available

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 A new research associate position with fixed funding for three years is available within the Faul Research Group, as part of the new £14 million EPSRC-funded project “The VIVO Hub for Enhanced Independent Living”. This project within the Faul Research Group will focus on novel functional and smart materials synthesis for applications to soft robotics and digital healthcare.This position is open ended. Feel free to click here to watch a short animated video about the Vivo Hub!

Please note that the closing date for applications will be at 23:59 UK time on 25/02/2025.

VIVO Hub (https://www.thevivohub.com/)

Prof. Olli Ikkala visits Bristol from Aalto University

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Professor Olli Ikkala is a faculty member in the Department of Applied Physics at Aalto University (previously known as Helsinki University of Technology) in Espoo, near Helsinki. His research focuses on creating functional materials through hierarchical self-assemblies, biomimetics, and natural starting materials. Trained initially in physics, he spent ten years in the chemical industry, primarily working on the development of polymer blends and electrically conducting polymers before returning to academia. The Faul Group hosts him as he visits.

Prof. Ikkala is photographed giving a lecture on life-inspired soft matter dynamics and functionalities below.

Tsinghua University visit

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Prof Faul was recently invited to spend some time at Tsinghua University Xuetang International Chemistry Summer School. Charl spent 6 years here as adjunct professor (2013–2019). Group member Jerry Mintah joins for on his first trip to China! M. Carmen Galan from the University of Bristol also joins for interactions and scientific discussions with students from China and across the world.

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Ulia returns from Japan

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This week, the Faul Group is welcoming back Ulia as she returns from her two-month visit to the National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. During this collaborative period, her skills concerning in situ measurements for evaluating material performance in carbon dioxide reduction were honed.

Welcome back.

Introducing Mixterial

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Pleased to announce that Faul Group member Sam Deeks, Prof Faul and Dr Lennox have co-founded Mixterial.

Sam and co-founders have developed an innovative range of conductive composites suitable for use in electrosynthesis, aerospace, sensors, and various other applications. The materials and technology were developed and refined during Deeks’ PhD and proved to be commercially viable.

Funding for market research and viability assessment was made possible with the Innovate UK ICURe EXPLORE initiative – a comprehensive 12-week market exploration program. It offers financial backing of up to £35,000 to cover the Entrepreneurial Lead’s salary, assumption testing, and customer discovery endeavours. Its primary objective is to assist research teams from various regions of the UK in exploring technology applications and validating value propositions through extensive global market engagement.

More information can be found at https://www.mixterial.com/.

Charl back in China!

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After almost 4 years, Charl is back in China, enjoying meeting collaborators, teaching, joining ChinaNano23, and visiting Chinese partner universities.

His trip has started on a high note with two days at the CAS National Centre for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST) in Beijing, hosted by collaborators Prof Zhixiang Wei and Dr Kamran Amin. Charl spent two mornings with enthusiastic NCNST MSc and PhD students in interactive “From Project to Publication” workshop-style lectures.

Great to be back again!