Description of the organisation
The Centre for Water Advanced Technologies and Environmental Research (CWATER) is part of the Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre within the College of Engineering at Swansea University. There is a close integration between the different disciplines at the University and the Centre involves academics from a range of disciplines (engineering, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine) and a central suite of laboratories housing state-of-the-art facilities. Therefore, the Centre is able to draw upon a wide variety of scientific, technical and administrative skills and expertise for its projects. The College has a strong experience of managing international research and knowledge transfer projects. The College of Engineering is ranked among the top 10 Engineering Schools in the UK and has international collaborations with several countries across the world.
The Centre is internationally leading in the fields of membrane separation processes, bioprocess technology, food technology, rheometry, colloids and interfaces, atomic force microscopy and nanotechnology. The Centre has excellent facilities for experimental and theoretical work and comprises 8 academics, 9 research fellows and over 25 PhD students. The Centre is internationally recognised for its expertise with a proven track record of collaboration with large and small companies, and particularly in advanced water treatment and application of AFM to the study of membrane surfaces in both air and liquid environments. The Centre receives extensive funding from the UK research Councils, the European Union, the regional development agency and industry. The Centre is the recipient of a prestigious EPSRC platform grant awarded to world leading groups with continuity of funding for longer term research and international networking.
Contribution to the project
The Swansea University (SU) has long-time experience in AFM characterisation in process engineering and membrane separation. Therefore, SU will provide invaluable expertise in the optimisation and integration of laboratory membrane prototypes (WP6) by characterising them with AFM and SEM. This characterisation will be done right after the preparation of the membranes but also after tests with model waters (containing organic contaminants and salts as well as foulant representatives) under air and in liquid in order to optimise the properties of these newly developed membranes. SU will also support the experimental work packages (WP3, WP4 and WP5) with characterisation of the prepared surfaces and nanomaterials using AFM and SEM.
