Publications

Summary of and links to publications I have been involved with, since 2018

Enhancing Stability and Efficacy of Trichoderma Bio-Control Agents Through Layer-by-Layer Encapsulation for Sustainable Plant Protection

Agricultural fungicide pollution poses environmental and health challenges. Potential alternative bio-control agents, such as Trichoderma fungi, face storage limitations. A new encapsulation method using biobased lignin derivatives improves spore stability significantly. Encapsulated Trichoderma spores show enhanced efficacy in cultivating tomatoes, suggesting a promising and sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides for commercialization.

Microfluidically Produced Microcapsules with Amphiphilic Polymer Conetwork Shells

Amphiphilic Polymer Conetwork (APCN) microcapsules based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate)-linked by-polydimethylsiloxane (PHEA-l-PDMS) are produced by double emulsion microfluidics. The characteristics of the APCNs allow the microcapsules to be dried and rehydrated multiple times or shrunk without damage. The microcapsules serve as microreactors for catalytic active platinum nanoparticles and their surface can be selectively functionalized with a cholesterol-based linker.

ChemDiverse: A Chemistry Careers Activity Showcasing Diversity

Through profiles of under-represented “success stories” from academia and industry, the ChemDiverse project was developed to encourage under-represented groups to pursue the chemical sciences at higher education level by providing teachers with an easy and structured way of encouraging Scottish high school students into Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) higher education.

Peptide‐Reinforced Amphiphilic Polymer Conetworks

The mechanical properties of bioinspired amphiphilic polymer conetworks (APCNs) are tailored through the reinforcement with peptide-polydimethylsiloxane-peptide triblock copolymer crosslinkers and characterized through physical, morphological, and mechanical characterization. The obtained results are compared with non-peptidic APCNs which show there is significant improvement in stress, strain, and toughness.