EPSRC Reference: |
GR/M50850/01 |
Title: |
X-RAY SYSTEM FOR STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF SURFACTANTS, LIPIDS & STERICALLY-STABILISED DISPERSIONS UNDER SHEAR |
Principal Investigator: |
Seddon, Professor JM |
Other Investigators: |
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Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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Project Partners: |
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Department: |
Chemistry |
Organisation: |
Imperial College London |
Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
Starts: |
01 July 1999 |
Ends: |
30 June 2003 |
Value (£): |
366,640
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EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
Instrumentation Eng. & Dev. |
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EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
Manufacturing |
Chemicals |
Food and Drink |
Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology |
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Related Grants: |
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Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
We plan to construct a laboratory based x-ray cell for structural studies of surfactants, lipids and sterically-stabilised dispersions undergoing either steady or oscillatory shear flow. The equipment will incorporate a rotating-anode x-ray source, mirror-monochromator optics, a polycarbonate Couette cell driven by a computer-controlled stepper motor and an optoelectronic two-dimensional x-ray detector. We will use this apparatus to determine the effect of varying shear rate on the location of the liquid-crystalline phase boundaries in a number of surfactant and lipid systems and on the nature of the alignment of lyotropic lamellar, hexagonal and cubic phases, of both normal and inverse topologies. This latter aspect may be useful in deducing the structure of new phases, and will allow us in future to carry out systematic investigations of the epitaxial relationships between various lyotropic phases. We also plan to investigate the properties of defects in lamellar phases close to bicontinuous cubic phase boundaries and their response to shear. The structural measurements as a function of shear rate will be complemented by rheological measurements, where appropriate. Finally, we will determine the structure and interparticle potentials of sterically-stabilised dispersions undergoing shear flow and correlate this with surface measurements and rheology on the same systems.
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Key Findings |
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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Impacts |
Description |
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Summary |
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Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Project URL: |
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Further Information: |
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Organisation Website: |
http://www.imperial.ac.uk |