Dr Jerónimo Terrones Portas
- Postdoctoral Research Associate
Contact
About
I have a BSc in Engineering Physics from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City where my final research project was focused on the synthesis and characterisation of single-walled carbon nanotubes, doped with various chemical elements. I did my Master's and PhD research in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy of the University of Cambridge; where I investigated a series of electro-structural phenomena in CNT fibres immersed in various liquids. As a part of the MML, I have also been working in a collective project on the optimisation of the reactant delivery systems of our CVD reactor which has resulted in fibres with improved mechanical and electrical properties. My current postdoctoral project involves the development of experimental techniques and computational models to study the thermal properties of our CNT fibres.
Research
My main interest is the understanding of structure-property relations in macroscopic assemblies of carbon nanotubes and the physicochemical interactions of these assemblies with their surrounding environments. Understanding these interactions will give us tools to manufacture composite materials of tailored functionality. I am particularly interested in the synergistic interactions between nanotube assemblies and different polymeric matrices. Such interactions may enhance the intrinsic properties of our fibres, resulting in a stronger, tougher, and more conducting (both electrically and thermally) material.
I am also interested in making multifunctional composite fibres; I investigate the use of Cambridge-made fibres as hosts for different functional materials. Our fibres could be used to carry a wide variety of guests: superconductors, catalysts, polymers, sensing and responsive materials are just a few examples. My aim is to select the most promising candidate materials, develop a methodology for adding them to the fibres, and test the composites.