Ionic liquids Rheology of self-assembly materials Polymerisable and polymeric surfactants Small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS) Emulsions Surfactant self-assembly at interfaces

Our research is aimed at understanding the behaviour of amphiphilic compounds in bulk phases (solutions, liquid crystals, complex fluids), in colloidal systems (emulsions, foams, dispersions), and at interfaces. We have been pursuing a wide range of projects examining the structure and dynamics of bulk phases and dispersions using techniques including neutron and x-ray scattering (SANS and SAXS), optical microscopy, rheology and calorimetry, and interfacial structure by neutron reflectometry, atomic force microscopy, and surface force measurements. By combining these techniques we are discovering new structures formed when surface-active molecules adsorb at the solid/liquid interface or when complex fluids abut an interface, and use this to design new nanostructured materials.

Murphy, T., Callear, S., Yepuri, N., Shimizu, K., Watanabe, M., Canongia Lopes, J., Darwish, T., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2016). Bulk nanostructure of the prototypical 'good' and 'poor' solvate ionic liquids [Li(G4)][TFSI] and [Li(G4)][NO3]. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18(26), 17224-17236. [More Information] Murphy, T., Callear, S., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2016). Dissolved chloride markedly changes the nanostructure of the protic ionic liquids propylammonium and ethanolammonium nitrate. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18(26), 17169-17182. [More Information] Murphy, T., Hayes, R., Imberti, S., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2016). Ionic liquid nanostructure enables alcohol self assembly. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18(18), 12797-12809. [More Information] McDonald, S., Elbourne, A., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2016). Metal ion adsorption at the ionic liquid-mica interface. Nanoscale, 8(2), 906-914. [More Information] Elbourne, A., McLean, B., Voitchovsky, K., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2016). Molecular resolution in situ imaging of spontaneous graphene exfoliation. Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 7(16), 3118-3122. [More Information] Chen, Z., McLean, B., Ludwig, M., Stefanovic, R., Warr, G., Webber, G., Page, A., Atkin, R. (2016). Nanostructure of deep eutectic solvents at graphite electrode interfaces as a function of potential. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Part C, 120(4), 2225-2233. [More Information] Bryant, S., Atkin, R., Warr, G. (2016). Spontaneous vesicle formation in a deep eutectic solvent. Soft Matter, 12(6), 1645-1648. [More Information] Chen, Z., McDonald, S., Fitzgerald, P., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2016). Structural effect of glyme-Li+ salt solvate ionic liquids on the conformation of poly(ethylene oxide). Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18(22), 14894-14903. [More Information] Chen, Z., Kobayashi, Y., Webber, G., Ueno, K., Watanabe, M., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2015). Adsorption of polyether block copolymers at silica-water and silica-ethylammonium nitrate interfaces. Langmuir, 31(25), 7025-7031. [More Information] Wydro, M., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2015). Amplitude-modulated atomic force microscopy reveals the near surface nanostructure of surfactant sponge (L3) and lamellar (L-alpha) phases. Langmuir, 31(19), 5513-5520. [More Information] Chen, Z., Fitzgerald, P., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2015). Conformation of poly(ethylene oxide) dissolved in the solvate ionic liquid [Li(G4)]TFSI. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17(22), 14872-14878. [More Information] McDonald, S., Wood, J., Fitzgerald, P., Craig, V., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2015). Interfacial and bulk nanostructure of liquid polymer nanocomposites. Langmuir: the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, 31(12), 3763-3770. [More Information] Elbourne, A., Voitchovsky, K., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2015). Ion structure controls ionic liquid near-surface and interfacial nanostructure. Chemical Science, 6(1), 527-536. [More Information] Akamatsu, M., Fitzgerald, P., Shiina, M., Misono, T., Tsuchiya, K., Sakai, K., Abe, M., Warr, G., Sakai, H. (2015). Micelle structure in a photoresponsive surfactant with and without solubilized ethylbenzene from small-angle neutron scattering. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Part B, 119(18), 5904-5910. [More Information] Chen, Z., Fitzgerald, P., Kobayashi, Y., Ueno, K., Watanabe, M., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2015). Micelle structure of novel diblock polyethers in water and two protic ionic liquids (EAN and PAN). Macromolecules, 48(6), 1843-1851. [More Information] McLean, B., Li, H., Stefanovic, R., Wood, R., Webber, G., Ueno, K., Watanabe, M., Warr, G., Page, A., Atkin, R. (2015). Nanostructure of [Li(G4)] TFSI and [Li(G4)] NO3 solvate ionic liquids at HOPG and Au(111) electrode interfaces as a function of potential. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17(1), 325-333. [More Information] Elbourne, A., McDonald, S., Voitchovsky, K., Endres, F., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2015). Nanostructure of the ionic liquid-graphite stern layer. ACS Nano, 9(7), 7608-7620. [More Information] Elbourne, A., Cronshaw, S., Voitchovsky, K., Warr, G., Atkin, R. (2015). Near surface properties of mixtures of propylammonium nitrate with n-alkanols 1. nanostructure. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17(40), 26621-26628. [More Information] Murphy, T., Atkin, R., Warr, G. (2015). Scattering from ionic liquids. Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science, 20(4), 282-292. [More Information] Liu, C., Warr, G. (2015). Self-assembly of didodecyldimethylammonium surfactants modulated by multivalent, hydrolyzable counterions. Langmuir: the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, 31(10), 2936-2945. [More Information]