Computational Modelling and Design of Nanoporous Silica Materials

Porous silica materials have great potential in a variety of applications including drug delivery, catalysis and gas separation, but thus far the scale-up of their production is inhibited by a costly and unsustainable synthesis process. Bio-inspired synthesis pathways for porous silica offer a low-cost and environmentally friendly alternative however these routes are currently poorly understood. This project aims to use multi-scale computational modelling to better understand the synthesis of bio-inspired silica and predict ways in which these high-value materials can be made under scalable and sustainable conditions. This project is carried out in collaboration with experimental partners at the University of Sheffield.

For more information about the project contact Dr Miguel Jorge (miguel.jorge@strath.ac.uk), Senior Lecturer at the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Strathclyde.