Dr Brian Saunders

The research conducted within the Saunders group has three themes: polymer colloids, biomaterials and solar energy. The unifying theme for each area is polymer colloid and interface chemistry. The group has extensive collaborations with other schools at Manchester and UK universities. Recent focus areas of the group include: using microgels to repair damaged intervertebral discs (IVDs), injectable thermoresponsive dispersions for delivering cells, morphology control within hybrid and block copolymer solar cells and applied polymer colloid research with industry. A microgel particle is a crosslinked latex particle that is swollen by a good solvent. We have shown that injection of a pH-responsive microgel into degenerated IVDs resulted in an increase in disc height under biomechanically meaningful loads. That programme of research is now supported by one postdoc and four PhD students. Thermally-responsive polymer colloids change from fluids to gels when heated. Our group established a collaborative EPSRC-funded programme to deliver cells into the body as an injectable scaffold that forms in response to temperature change. We have also used atom transfer radical polymerization to develop a new range of cationic thermally responsive copolymers that confer responsive to a wide range of anionic dispersions. In the last two years the group established a solar cell research activity, due to two large collaborative EPSRC grants. The group has expertise in preparing inorganic quantum dots and is now working to establish the principals governing the morphology of photoactive layers within hybrid polymer solar cells. The morphology of these layers is a key factor determining solar cell efficiency. There are also students working on collaborative projects with UK polymer and colloid companies. The Saunders group has a strong track record of working in collaboration with industry

Dr Saunders welcomes applications for PhD positions in any of the three research areas that the group is currently working in (above). Applications from students with a strong background in chemistry are especially encouraged. When postdoctoral positions are available they will be advertised on the School website. The solar energy area is a targeted area for future expansion within the group. For overseas students seeking funding please go to the main research page of the School of Materials or the University of Manchester to determine what scholarships are available. Dr Saunders encourages collaborations with industry. He is grateful to the EPSRC, industry and The Royal Thai government for funding.

• Biomaterials Research
• Microgels for repairing degeneration with intervertebral discs
• Thermally-triggered colloidal cell delivery systems
• Solar Energy
• Improving the morphology within hybrid polymer solar cells
• Block copolymer solar cells and inkjet printing of solar cells (with School of Chem.)
• Polymer Colloids
• Structure-property relationships within synthetic nitrile rubber films
• Controlling the particle size distribution of heteroaggregate particles

• Polymer films prepared using ionically-crosslinked soft core-shell nanoparticles: a new class of nanostructured ionomers, O. Pinprayoon, R. Groves, P. A. Lovell, S. Tungchaiwattana and B. R. Saunders.* Soft Matter. In Press, 2010. [DOI: 10.1039/c0sm00447b]
• Responsive particulate Dispersions for Reversible Building and Deconstruction of 3D Cell Environments, R. C. Al Ghanami, B. R. Saunders, C. Bosquillon, K. M Shakesheff and C. Alexander.* Soft Matter. In Press, 6, 5037, 2010. [DOI: 10.1039/c0sm00059k]
• Aggregation of zinc oxide nanoparticles: From non-aqueous dispersions to composites used as photoactive layers in hybrid solar cells, R. Rhodes, M. Horie, H. Chen, Z. Wang, M. L. Turner and B. R. Saunders*. J. Coll. Interf. Sci. 344, 261, 2010. [doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2009.12.062]
• Thermally-triggered gelation of PLGA dispersions: Towards an injectable colloidal delivery system, M. R. Fraylich, R. Liu, S. M. Richardson, P. Baird, J. Hoyland, A. J. Freemont, C. Alexander, K. Shakesheff, F. Cellesi and B. R. Saunders.* J. Coll. Interf. Sci. 344, 61, 2010. [doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2009.12.030]
• A study of structure and temperature-triggered breakdown of particle gels prepared by pH-triggered heteroaggregation, D. Hui, D. Morris, M. Edwards and B. R. Saunders,* J. Coll. Interf. Sci. 342, 230, 2010. [doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2009.10.070]
• Colloidal thermoresponsive gel forming hybrids, R. Liu, N. Tirelli, F. Cellesi and B. R. Saunders, J. Coll. Interf. Sci. 349, 527, 2010. [doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2010.05.080]
• Poly(thienylenevinylene) prepared by ring-opening metathesis polymerization: Performance as a donor in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic devices, M. Horie, I. -W. Shen, S. M. Tuladhar, H. Leventis, S. A. Haque, J. Nelson, B. R. Saunders* and M. L. Turner*, Polymer. 51, 1541, 2010. [doi:10.1016/j.polymer.2010.01.049]
• Thermally-responsive surfaces comprising grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) chains: surface characterisation and reversible capture of dispersed polymer particles, R. Liu, P. De Leonardis, N. Tirelli* and B. R. Saunders*, J. Coll. Interf. Sci., 340, 166, 2009. [doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2009.08.039]
• Thermoresponsive surfaces prepared using adsorption of a cationic graft copolymer: A versatile method for triggered particle capture, R. Liu and B. R. Saunders*, J. Coll. Interf. Sci., 338, 40, 2009. [doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2009.05.073]
• Branched peptide acuators for enzyme responsive hydrogel particles, T. O. McDonald, H. Qu, B. R. Saunders and R. V. Ulijn*, Soft Matter, 5, 1728, 2009. [DOI: 10.1039/b818174h]
• Particulate ionomer films prepared from dispersions of crosslinked polymer colloids: A structure-property study, O. Pinprayoon, A. Saiani, R. Groves and B. R. Saunders*, J. Coll. Interf. Sci., 336, 73, 2009. [doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2009.03.081]
• A study of thermoassociative gelation of aqueous cationic poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) graft copolymer solutions, R. Liu, F. Cellesi, N. Tirelli and B. R. Saunders,* Polymer. 50, 1456, 2009. [doi:10.1016/j.polymer.2009.01.035]