个人简介

I graduated in 1983 from Edinburgh University with a 2.1 in chemistry and went on to do a PhD at Glasgow University in the area of reactive intermediates and biosynthesis of sulphur containing heterocycles with Professor Gordon Kirby. This was followed in 87-89 by post doctoral research at Newcastle University with Dr Phil Brown on anti-cancer compounds aimed at hypoxic cells in solid tumours. In 1990 I moved even further south to Hull University and switched to postdoctoral research in the field of liquid crystal materials synthesis and evaluation. This has covered a wide range of topics. I am currently an Experimental Officer.

研究领域

Materials Chemistry

My research has focussed on liquid crystalline materials, which involves varied techniques: molecular design and synthesis, liquid crystal phase analyses, molecular modelling and examining electrooptic switching; akin to mimicking the behaviour in a liquid crystal display. The fast switching ferroelectric liquid crystal display is a continuing topic of research and has led to an interest in asymmetric synthesis. Chirality is required to reduce the symmetry of the chiral smectic C phase and allow an electrically reversible spontaneous polarisation to be generated. Reversing the direction of the polarisation enables the dark and bright pixels required in a display. Other areas of interest include materials that exhibit nematic, cholesteric, smectic, discotic and cubic phases. The driving force is often, but not always, an applications. In addition to the now commonplace large LC dispays, we have a particular interest in microdisplays which can be found in cameras and immersive displays. Other applications employ liquid crystals to manipulate light signals in telecommunication fibre optic networks. Initial studies have examined the feasibility of liquid crystals for devices that work with 'light' in the GHz-THz (mm waveband) frequency range. This opens up a large area of technology that can benefit from the fascinating properties of liquid crystals. This type of research cannot proceed without collaborating with scientists in many disciplines: physicists, electronic engineers, mathematicians and computer modellers. I am also a Director of Kingston Chemicals, a spin-out that supplies liquid crystal materials and intermediates world wide to commercial organisations and academics

近期论文

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Spontaneous Periodic Deformations in Nonchiral Planar-Aligned Bimesogens with a Nematic-Nematic Transition and a Negative Elastic Constant, V. P. Panov, M. Nagaraj, J. K. Vij, Y. P. Panarin, A. Kohlmeier, M. G. Tamba, R. A. Lewis, and G. H. Mehl, Phys. Rev. Lett., 2010, 105, 167801. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.167801 The influence of an alkenyl terminal group on the mesomorphic behaviour and electro-optic properties of fluorinated terphenyl liquid crystals, J. S. Gasowska, S. J. Cowling, M. C. R. Cockett, M. Hird, R. A. Lewis, E. P. Raynes, and J. W. Goodby, J. Mater. Chem., 2010, 20, 299-307. doi: 10.1039/b914260f Molecular complexity and the control of self-organising processes, J. W. Goodby, I. M. Saez, S. J. Cowling, J. S. Gasowska, R. A. MacDonald, S. Sia, P. Watson, K. J. Toyne, M. Hird, R. A. Lewis, S. E. Lee, and V. Vaschenko, Liq. Cryst., 2009, 36, 567-605. doi: 10.1080/02678290903146060 Isothiocyanato-calix[4]phyrin-(1,1,1,1): a useful intermediate for the synthesis of derivatised anion sensors, S. C. Jha, M. Lorch, R. A. Lewis, S. J. Archibald, and R. W. Boyle, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2007, 5, 1970-4. doi: 10.1039/b703646a Spontaneous Periodic Deformations in Nonchiral Planar-Aligned Bimesogens with a Nematic-Nematic Transition and a Negative Elastic Constant, V. P. Panov, M. Nagaraj, J. K. Vij, Y. P. Panarin, A. Kohlmeier, M. G. Tamba, R. A. Lewis, and G. H. Mehl, Phys. Rev. Lett., 2010, 105, 167801. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.167801 The influence of an alkenyl terminal group on the mesomorphic behaviour and electro-optic properties of fluorinated terphenyl liquid crystals, J. S. Gasowska, S. J. Cowling, M. C. R. Cockett, M. Hird, R. A. Lewis, E. P. Raynes, and J. W. Goodby, J. Mater. Chem., 2010, 20, 299-307. doi: 10.1039/b914260f Molecular complexity and the control of self-organising processes, J. W. Goodby, I. M. Saez, S. J. Cowling, J. S. Gasowska, R. A. MacDonald, S. Sia, P. Watson, K. J. Toyne, M. Hird, R. A. Lewis, S. E. Lee, and V. Vaschenko, Liq. Cryst., 2009, 36, 567-605. doi: 10.1080/02678290903146060 Isothiocyanato-calix[4]phyrin-(1,1,1,1): a useful intermediate for the synthesis of derivatised anion sensors, S. C. Jha, M. Lorch, R. A. Lewis, S. J. Archibald, and R. W. Boyle, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2007, 5, 1970-4. doi: 10.1039/b703646a The effect of carborane, bicyclo[2.2.2] octane and benzene on mesogenic and dielectric properties of laterally fluorinated three-ring mesogens, A. Januszko, K. L. Glab, P. Kaszynski, K. Patel, R. A. Lewis, G. H. Mehl, and M. D. Wand, J. Mater. Chem., 2006, 16, 3183-92. doi: 10.1039/b600068a Self-assembled uniaxial and biaxial multilayer structures in chiral smectic liquid crystals frustrated between ferro- and antiferroelectricity, V. P. Panov, N. M. Shtykov, A. Fukuda, J. K. Vij, Y. Suzuki, R. A. Lewis, M. Hird, and J. W. Goodby, Phys. Rev. E, 2004, 69, 060701. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.69.060701 Publisher's Note: Molecular orientation and the infrared dichroism of a chiral smectic liquid crystal in a homogeneously aligned cell at different temperature and bias fields (vol 68, art no 031707, 2003), A. A. Sigarev, J. K. Vij, R. A. Lewis, M. Hird, and J. W. Goodby, Phys. Rev. E, 2003, 68, 059902. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.68.059902 Molecular orientation and the infrared dichroism of a chiral smectic liquid crystal in a homogeneously aligned cell at different temperature and bias fields, A. A. Sigarev, J. K. Vij, R. A. Lewis, M. Hird, and J. W. Goodby, Phys. Rev. E, 2003, 68, 031707. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.68.031707 The fascinating influence of fluoro substituents on the synthesis and properties of liquid crystals, M. Hird, J. W. Goodby, R. A. Lewis, and K. J. Toyne, Mol. Cryst. Liquid Cryst., 2003, 401, 115-32. doi: 10.1080/15421400390243138 The design, synthesis and structure-property relationships of ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystal materials, M. Hird, J. W. Goodby, P. Hindmarsh, R. A. Lewis, and K. J. Toyne, Ferroelectrics, 2002, 276, 219-37. doi: 10.1080/00150190190027870 Dielectric and optical rotatory power investigations of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal 12OF1M7 in a homeotropic cell: implications for models of the structure of ferrielectric phases, N. M. Shtykov, J. K. Vij, R. A. Lewis, M. Hird, and J. W. Goodby, Liq. Cryst., 2001, 28, 1699-704. doi: Trans-1,2-difluorostilbenes: Promising materials for high dielectric biaxiality ferroelectric mixtures, J. W. Goodby, P. Hindmarsh, M. Hird, R. A. Lewis, and K. J. Toyne, Mol. Cryst. Liquid Cryst., 2001, 364, 889-98. doi: Field-induced phase transitions in an antiferroelectric liquid crystal using the pyroelectric effect, N. M. Shtykov, J. K. Vij, R. A. Lewis, M. Hird, and J. W. Goodby, Phys. Rev. E, 2000, 62, 2279-87. doi: A twist grain boundary phase with a local antiferroelectric structure, A. S. Petrenko, M. Hird, R. A. Lewis, J. G. Meier, J. C. Jones, and J. W. Goodby, J. Phys.-Condes. Matter, 2000, 12, 8577-93. doi: Electrooptic and ionic measurements of a novel AFLC mixture, D. D. Parghi, H. Zhang, K. D'Have, R. A. Lewis, M. Matuszczyk, H. Pauwels, and G. Heppke, Ferroelectrics, 2000, 244, 501-10. doi: Ferroelectric liquid crystalline materials: Hosts, dopants and gels for display applications, J. W. Goodby, K. J. Toyne, M. Hird, P. Styring, R. A. Lewis, A. Beer, C. C. Dong, M. E. Glendenning, J. C. Jones, K. P. Lymer, A. J. Slaney, V. Minter, and L. K. M. Chan, Mol. Cryst. Liquid Cryst., 2000, 346, 169-82. doi: