Dr Steve Eich
horn
Steve Eichhorn graduated in Physics from the University of Leeds in 1993 and subsequently completed a Masters degree in Paper and Forestery Industries Technology at Bangor and UMIST in 1994/5. He then went on to do a PhD degree, graduating in 1999 on the subject of the "Deformation Micromechanics of Regenerated Cellulose Fibres". His academic appointments have been as a temporary Lecturer in the Department of Paper Science (then seperate from the School of Materials) in 1997-8 and as a Visiting Research Scientist from 1998-1999. After this period he went to work under the supervision of Professor Bob Young as a postdoctoral research associate (1999-2002) and was appointed as a Lecturer in the Materials Science Centre in 2002. His research interests are the interface between natural and biomaterials research with particular emphasis on cellulosic materials and composites. He has research projects that also investigate the structure property relationships of seashells and fingernails. In terms of techniques, Dr Eichhorn has particular expertise in the use of Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron x-ray diffraction and molecular dynamics/mechanics modelling of polymeric materials. He is a member of the ACS Cellulose and Renewable Materials division and the Institute of Physics
Research Associates
Dr Kenny Kong
Kenny Kong is from Hong Kong. He graduated in MPhys degree with Mathematics and Physics from Victoria University of Manchester. He finished his PhD in Materials Science from University of Manchester, and was then offered a research associate position in the same department. His currently research topics are microstructure and micromechanics of regenerated cellulose and pyrolysied carbon fibres.
Dr Yat-Tarng Shyng (Tommy)
He came to Manchester in 2001 from Taiwan for his PhD studies. His first degree is in Textile Engineering which led him into composite materials. His initial studies include high performance fibres and composite materials and his recent work is focusing on preparation of carbon nano-structures and electrospinning based on natural cellulose polymers.
Research students
Franck Quero
He is from the north west of France, from a city called Lorient. He graduated in applied physics from the University of Nantes (France) and in Eco-design in polymers and composites from the University of South Brittany (France). As a master student he has been involved in the characterisation of polyamide 6/sepiolite nanocomposites (Queen Mary, University of London) and the optimisation of the performances of high performance differentail scaning calorimetry or HPer DSC (DSM Resolve, the Netherlands). Now his research is oriented in the use of Raman spectroscopy to investigate the micromechanical properties of bacterial cellulose/poly(L-lactic) acid composites.
Supachok Tanpichai
Supachok Tanpichai graduated in Polymer Science from the department of Materials Science, Chulalorngkorn University, Thailand, and then finished a Master Degree at the same department in 2006 on the subject of "Preparation of Polymer Blend Powder between Polypropylene and PET from Consumed-bottles by Pulverisation Technique". After that, he has been awarded a scholarship from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand, to pursue a PhD degree at the University of Manchester, School of Materials, and has been supervised by Dr S. Eichhorn. His research focuses on Nano and Micro fibrillated cellulose.
Rafeadah Rusli
Rafeadah is from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She graduated in Analytical Chemistry from Universiti Sains Malaysia (University of Science, Malaysia ) and obtained her Master degree from Universiti Putra Malaysia (Putra University, Malaysia ) on the subject of "Graft copolymerisation of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate onto sago starch". She is now working for Forest Research Institute Malaysia, and they are currently funding her PhD degree in the area of interfacial micromechanics of natural cellulose whisker polymer nanocomposites.
Tanittha Pullawan
Tanittha graduated in Material Science (Polymers) from the science faculty of Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. During the fourth year of her studies she worked on a project within Preparation of Modified Cellulose Films from Waste Cotton Fabrics Using Microwave Energy. She was granted a scholarship from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Thailand to study in MSc - PhD degrees in the area of polymer composites. She is now working on all-cellulose nanocomposite by using Raman spectroscopy to investigate the micromechanical properties of the films.
Jim Dugan
Jim Dugan graduated with a BSc in Chemistry from The University of Manchester in 2005. He subsequently spent three years in the chemical industry where he gained experience in organic synthesis, polymer synthesis and colloid science. He then returned to the University of Manchester to the School of Materials to undertake a PhD project supervised by Dr Steve Eichhorn and Dr Julie Gough. His work involves the investigation of the interactions between human cells and cellulosic materials that display organisation at different length scales.
Luis Ribeiro
Luis Ribeiro came to Manchester from Portugal after he completed a MEng degree in Biotechnology Engineering at the university of Algarve (Universidade do Algarve) in Faro, Portugal. Now he is studying towards to a PhD degree, under the supervision of Dr Steve Eichhorn, on the subject "Biomimetic routes to crystals with superior mechanical properties".
Antonios Oikonomou Antonios holds a diploma (MEng Hons) degree in Mechanical Engineering, with specialization in Renewable Energy Sources and Environment, from the UoWM, Greece. He has been involved in projects concerning nanostructured/composite materials for energy applications under the supervision of Dr Sofoklis Makridis, UoWM and in the thermal insulation of bioMEMS using porous silicon at the Institute of Microelectronics, NCSR "Demokritos". Currently he is studying at the University of Manchester for the degree of MPhil in Biomedical Materials under the supervision of Dr Steve Eichhorn.
