Dr Alberto Saiani

Dr. Alberto Saiani was awarded a European PhD in 1997 by the Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France. Following his PhD he was awarded a Fellowship by the Japanese Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS), which allowed him to spend one year as Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Osaka University, Department of Macromolecular Science. In 1998 he was recruited as Postdoctoral Research Associate at Imperial College in the department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology where he stayed two years. In September 2000 he was appointed to a lectureship at the Laboratoire de Thermodynamic des Solutions et des Polymères, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France and in September 2002 he was appointed to a lectureship in Materials Characterisation in the Molecular Materials Centre (MMC), The University of Manchester. This lectureship is a joint appointment between the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science and the School of Materials.

Dr Saiani research interests focus on understanding thermodynamic - structure - properties correlations in complex polymeric systems. His research work encompasses a variety of polymeric and non-polymeric materials including: thermoplastic polyurethanes, poly(lactide-co-glycolide), stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate) gels, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) solutions, polystyrene / proteins complexes, surfactants solutions and peptide gels.

• In Vitro degradation of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) [PLGA] block copolymers: Influence of morphology, molecular weight, composition and processing conditions.
• Studies of model segmented polyurethanes: thermodynamic - structure - properties correlations.
• Role of chemical architecture on the physical properties of model thermoplastic polyurethanes elastomers.
• Gelation dynamics and mechanism(s) in stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate)s.
• Associative and bio-adhesive properties of responsive polymers.
• Stereoregular polyelectrolyte/protein interactions: effect of polymer chirality.
• Gelation properties of model peptides.
• Engineering the properties of spray-dried detergent granules.

• Jones, J.W.; Lue, L.; Saiani, A.; Tiddy, G.J.T. "Density measurements through the gel and lamellar phase transitions of di-tetradecanoyl- and di-hexadecanoyl-phosphatidylcholines; observation of slow relaxation processes; mechanisms of phase transitions", accepted for publication in Liquid Crystals 2005.
• A. Saiani "Gelation Dynamics and Mechanism(s) in Stereoregular Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)s", accepted for publication in Macromolecular Symposia 2005.
• Saiani, A.; Rochas, C.; Eeckhaut, G.; Daunch, W. A.; Leenslag, J. W.; Higgins, J. S. "Origin of Multiple Melting Endotherms in a High Hard Block Content Polyurethane. 2. Structural Investigation" Macromolecules 2004, 37, 1411-1421.
• Saiani, A.; Daunch, W. A.; Verbeke, H.; Leenslag, J.-W.; Higgins, J. S. "Origin of Multiple Melting Endotherms in a High Hard Block Content Polyurethane. 1. Thermodynamic Investigation" Macromolecules 2001, 34, 9059-9068.
• Saiani, A.; Guenet, J. M. "Nanostructure and Helicity in Syndiotactic Poly(methyl methacrylate) Thermoreversible Gels" Macromolecules 1999, 32, 657-663.
• Saiani, A.; Spevacek, J.; Guenet, J. M. "Phase Behavior and Polymer/Solvent Interactions in Thermoreversible Gels of Syndiotactic Poly(methyl methacrylate)" Macromolecules 1998, 31, 703-710.
• Saiani, A.; Guenet, J. M. "On the Helical Form in Syndiotactic Poly(methyl methacrylate) Thermoreversible Gels As Revealed by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering" Macromolecules 1997, 30, 966-972.