Joe Lowson

Project: Automated Approaches for Efficient, Scalable, and Sustainable Synthesis of Material Precursors

Industry Partner: Baker Hughes

What inspired you to pursue this project and join the DAMC CDT?

Before beginning my PhD, I worked in chemical industry for 3 years. I enjoyed my work, but often felt that strict time pressures and highly focused objectives of research campaigns limited my ability to investigate interesting data as much as I wanted to.

I was interested in investigating how technology and chemistry could be combined to not only optimise reaction chemistry but also to optimise ‘how’ we do chemistry. Working in industrial chemistry, I became aware of some basic methodologies for optimising a synthesis and some basic technologies for high-throughput chemistry but was aware of the limitations of both. The ability to perform investigative chemistry in an environment where I would be able to access cutting edge technology in both robotics and automation, as well as work with experts in the field of algorithmic reaction optimisation was a very attractive proposition.

What is your research project about, and what impact do you hope it will have?

Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are an exciting class of material, which have shown potential in gas storage (H2, CO2 entrainment) and separation (direct air CO2 capture). Because they generally bind CO2 via phys-adsorption and not chemosorption, less energy is required to release the captured gas when compared to traditional methods, improving the sustainability of carbon capture. Despite this, MOF’s have seen limited uptake largely due to having a prohibitive cost. I will use high-throughput methodologies to optimise the syntheses of MOF linkers, reducing costs and facilitating their deployment at scale.

What has been the most exciting or rewarding part of your PhD journey so far and how does your project benefit from being part of an interdisciplinary CDT?

I’ve enjoyed engaging with the digital side of the course, reacquainting myself with programming, learning about laboratory automation and algorithmic reaction optimisation, and beginning to think about how these ideas could be used in my project. Being in a co-working space with mathematicians and programmers has helped me broaden my horizons to the possibilities available to me in research and has allowed me to progress in my technical understanding of the digital aspects of my research faster than if I had done it alone.