RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.
RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.
RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.
RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.
RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.
RSC Applied Interfaces, Materials Advances and Soft Matterwere pleased to sponsor the Best Poster Awards and a Best Talk prize at TriboUK 2025. The awards recognised outstanding early-career research, and we extend our warmest congratulations to all the winners!
Learn more about our poster prize awardees below:
Muhammad Aulia Rahman (Imperial College London)
Poster title: “Molecular Insights into Stress-Driven Ammonia Production via Mechanocatalysis”.
Muhammad Aulia Rahman is a PhD student in the Tribology Group at Imperial College London, supervised by Prof. Daniele Dini and Dr. James Ewen. His research focuses on molecular modelling of mechanocatalysis in energy systems, exploring how mechanical force influence catalytic processes at the nanoscale. He earned his MSc in Advanced Mechanical engineering from Imperial College London in 2021 and BEng from Gadjah Mada University in 2019. Prior to his PhD, he has also worked as a lecturer at Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia, where he taught and conducted studies in multiscale heat and thermal transport. His research interests include tribology, molecular simulation, and sustainable energy technologies.
Poster title: “A study of maximum spreading ratio at zero impact velocity of mixed oils with Bayesian Optimisation”.
Qianrong Liu is a PhD student at the School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham. She holds an MEng degree from the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Xi’an University of Science and Technology, where she also conducted research on fluorescent nanoparticles and microfluidics at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She later earned an MSc in Operational Research and Applied Statistics with Distinction from Cardiff University. Her current doctoral research focuses on applying Bayesian optimisation to the development of complex formulated products, integrating formulation science, surface analysis, microfluidics, automation, and both single- and multi-objective Bayesian optimisation.
Poster title: “Tribological Testing of Menstrual Pads under Realistic Moisture Conditions”
Nicola Yau is a Biomedical Engineering student who has just completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Hull. She’s passionate about applying engineering to real-world challenges in women’s health, with a focus on comfort, inclusivity, and material science. Inspired by the everyday experiences often overlooked in design, she’s on a mission to make research more human, more inclusive – and just a little bit more sparkly ✨.
RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.
In this post, we hear from Marcella Salvatore, Francesco Reda, Fabio Borbone and Stefano Luigi Oscurato at University of Naples Federico II, as they discuss their recently published communication article entitled ‘Multilevel azopolymer patterning from digital holographic lithography‘.
RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.
I am a PhD researcher in physics at the University of Liège (ULiège), working under the supervision of Prof. Nguyen, head of the SPIN (Solid State Physics, Interfaces and Nanostructrures) research group. Our research focuses on the physics of materials for energy applications. This highlighted work has been performed within the framework of the INSTEAD project. This collaborative effort is funded by the European M.ERA-NET program and brings together with ULiège a consortium of four partners contributing with their expertise to the development of new materials for smart windows : LMGP Grenoble INP, Université de Grenoble Alpes (Prof. D. Bellet); ICMCB, Université de Bordeaux, (Dr. A. Rougier); Middle East Technical University in Turkey, (Prof. H. Emrah Ünalan).
About the INSTEAD Project
The INSTEAD project aims to develop innovative coatings with advanced functionalities, particularly through the use of heterostructures that combine different materials, including chromogenic compounds. These materials have the potential to dynamically regulate their properties in response to environmental changes, making them highly promising for energy-efficient applications such as smart windows. Additionally, this project explores the incorporation of silver nanowire networks into these complex material stacks, utilizing them as transparent electrodes for electrochromic materials. In the discussed paper, we also investigate their potential as low-emissivity coatings for thermochromic stacks, highlighting their multifunctional role in enhancing the performance of thermochromic stacks for window panes. Our work within this project is part of a broader, coordinated effort to understand and optimize these materials through theoretical and experimental approaches.
What Excites Me About This Research
Working in the field of energy materials is incredibly rewarding, as it allows me to contribute—however modestly—to addressing pressing global challenges. I find great satisfaction in working on abstract physical concepts that have tangible real-world applications. From a scientific perspective, one of the most exciting aspects of this work is the ability to explore complex physical interactions within heterostructure coatings, shaped by both material composition and morphological features. One of the central challenges in our field lies in reconciling two typically opposing properties: electrical conductivity and optical transparency. This trade-off is clearly illustrated by the contrasting behavior of metals, which are excellent conductors but optically opaque, and dielectrics, which are often transparent but insulating. Our research leverages computational modeling to gain deeper insights into these interactions, providing a cost-effective means of understanding their behavior at a fundamental level and paving the way for material-efficient application designs. The coupling of multiple physical phenomena within these materials also opens up fascinating discussions and challenges, making the research both stimulating and impactful.
The Challenges We Face
One of the most challenging aspects of this work lies in interpreting and comparing simulation results with experimental data and existing literature. Ensuring that our models accurately capture the intricate behaviors of these materials requires a careful balance of theoretical insight and empirical validation. Overcoming these challenges is an integral part of the scientist’s work, pushing us to refine our approaches and deepen our understanding of the physical mechanisms at play. Of course, these challenges are not just obstacles but the very essence of scientific research—they fuel our curiosity, drive our passion, and push us to expand, even marginally, the boundaries of human knowledge.
What’s Next?
As part of my ongoing PhD research, I will continue exploring additional physical mechanisms within these materials, with a particular focus on their thermal emissivity properties, a subset of phenomena related to the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiations. This aligns with the perspectives outlined in our recent publication, where we discuss strategies for optimizing the balance between optical transparency and electrical conductivity. After completing my PhD, I intend to continue conducting research and will therefore be looking for postdoctoral opportunities to further develop my expertise in this area.
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Professor Ryan Richards (Colorado School of Mines & NREL, USA) Associate Editor for RSC Applied Interfaces is delighted to share with you some of his top research highlights published in the journal so far.
Matthew E. Potter, Evangeline B. McShane, Nienke L. Visser, Johannes D. Meeldijk, Lisa J. Allen, Stephen M. King, Marina Carravetta, Petra E. de Jongh, Bart D. Vandegehuchte and Robert Raja
Chuanmu Tian, Clément Maheu, Xiaochun Huang, Freddy E. Oropeza, Márton Major, Joachim Brötz, Marcus Einert, Wolfgang Donner, Kelvin Hongliang Zhang and Jan P. Hofmann
Xiaolong Liu, Guangying Fu, Qiaolin Lang, Ruiqin Ding, Qiangsheng Guo, Ke Liang, Shuman Gao, Xiaobo Yang and Bing Yu
Ryan also shared a video earlier this year discussing a paper by Liyong Ding and Juncheng Hu et al on the construction of a hierarchical heterojunction for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution:
Find out more about Ryan Richards
Ryan M. Richards is a Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science at the Colorado School of Mines (Mines) and holds a joint appointment at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) both in Golden, Colorado USA. Additionally, Prof. Richards is the Mines lead for the Mines/NREL Nexus which coordinates, facilitates and promotes all joint activities and appointments. Prof. Richards received his BS from Michigan State University, MS from Central Michigan University and PhD from Kansas State University. During his PhD studies, he was a visiting scientist at the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis in Novosibirsk, Russia. From 2000-2002 he was a Max Planck Fellow at the Max Planck Institute für Kohlenforschung in Mülheim, Germany. In 2002 Ryan joined the International University of Bremen (now Constructor University) then joined Mines in 2007. Prof. Richards has received numerous awards throughout his career including being selected as a Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Mines Faculty Senate Distinguished Lecturer, ACS Nanoscience Chair and ACS International Affairs Committee (ACS liaison to Nigeria and South Africa). Prof. Richards was accepted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in November 2023.
Research in the Richards group is focused on new synthetic methods to control the size, shape and composition of nanoscale materials and apply them in systems integral to alternative energy technologies, pharmaceuticals, biomass upgrading, batteries, and environmental remediation.
Discover some of Ryan’s research published in RSC journals:
Professor Jianbin Huang (Peking University, China) Associate Editor for RSC Applied Interfaces is delighted to share with you some of his top research highlights published in the journal so far.
Christian Fischer, Florian Born and Andreas Terfort
Jianbin also shared a video earlier this year discussing a paper by Yaxun Fan and Yilin Wang et al. on surfactant mixed systems:
Find out more about Jianbin Huang
Jianbin Huang is a Professor and Chief of surfactant and colloid research and development at Peking University. He is interested in the physical chemistry of surfactants, especially in mixed surfactant systems. His group mainly focuses on molecular organized assemblies in aqueous solutions, such as vesicles or micelles, and the formation, molecular structures and phase behaviours of amphiphilic systems. Professor Huang has published over 180 articles in international and Chinese academic journals.
Discover some of Jianbin’s research published in RSC journals:
Poster title: “Molecular Insights into Stress-Driven Ammonia Production via Mechanocatalysis”.
Poster title: “A study of maximum spreading ratio at zero impact velocity of mixed oils with Bayesian Optimisation”.
Poster title: “Tribological Testing of Menstrual Pads under Realistic Moisture Conditions”
