This PhD research is focused on the preparation of colloidal cubes and the study of their optical properties and their interactions with polymers. Well defined model cubes are obtained by coating cuprous oxide nanocubes with a silica shell, followed by removal of the cuprous oxide core. The properties of the resulting hollow silica cubes are determined with electron microscopy, light scattering, and spectroscopy. The silica cubes can be functionalised with thermoresponsive polymers, to obtain colloidal shapeshifters. The thermodynamic properties of concentrated dispersions of colloidal cubes, with and without non-adsorbing polymers, are studied with static light scattering. Also we demonstrate how the hollow cubes can be used to produce thin-film antireflective coatings on glass.

Study of behaviour of hollow silica nanocubes on the water-air interface.

The batch synthesis of gold nanoparticles to investigate their compatibility with automated systems.

Practicum begeleiding geven aan middelbare scholieren.

Bijles geven aan leerlingen en studenten in de vakken: scheikunde, wiskunde, en natuurkunde

As board member my day to day activities were, keeping contact with members and external contacts, arranging various activities and representing the association.