Dr Tom Hasell, from the University’s Department of Chemistry, has been awarded a prestigious University Research Fellowship from the Royal Society.
The scheme is for outstanding scientists in the UK who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field. It is extremely competitive and provides researchers with the opportunity to build an independent research career.
Dr Hasell’s research focuses on porous materials – these are permeable, high surface area materials with applications in gas storage, catalysis, and filtration.
He said: “There has been considerable interest in porous materials over the last ten years, and metal-organic frameworks and porous polymers with incredible properties have been reported. However, many of these new materials are limited in application due to the high cost of production.
“The aim of my Fellowship will be to develop new porous materials from inorganic waste and other low cost or renewable resources. The target is to produce materials with superior properties, but at a cost that makes them useful for widespread practical applications – especially filtration of toxic pollutants from water and air flows.”