Prof. Julie Macpherson
Professor
My research covers a number of application-driven themes centered around electrochemistry, materials science, and new characterization techniques.
(1) Understanding the link between the material properties and electrochemical properties of carbon-based materials
(2) Development of synthetic diamond electrochemical based sensors for a variety of different applications in healthcare and environmental monitoring (often in collaboration with industry).
(3) Metal electrodeposition: Production of novel nanostructures and understanding early stage nucleation and growth. For a recent talk on the subject see https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SSlaxoyvHw4
(4) Understanding electrocatalyst activity and deactivation mechanisms of metal nanoparticles, important in energy conversion.
(5) Development of new analytical measurement techniques
The group uses a range of electrochemical techniques, but also works with scanned probe and scanning and transmission electron microscopy for high-resolution imaging of nanostructures. Fabrication of sensors and electrochemical cells using 3D printing, laser writing, and lithographic techniques.
I am significantly involved in the UK's first Collaborative Doctoral Training (CDT) Centre in Diamond Science and Technology (DST), I held a Royal Society Industry Fellowship with Element Six (2014-2018), aimed specifically at the development of BDD electrochemical sensors. I was awarded (2017) the Royal Society Innovation award for my work in this area.
Contact: j.macpherson@warwick.ac.uk
For more information on the CDT in Diamond Science and Technology visit www.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/dst
For anyone wanting to get into the use of boron-doped diamond in electrochemistry, please read: A Practical Guide to Using Boron Doped Diamond in Electrochemical Research, PCCP, 2015, 17, 2935 DOI: 10.1039/c4cp04022h
Our most recent review on BDD as an electrode material is: Boron Doped Diamond: A Designer Electrode Material for the Twenty-First Century, Ann. Rev. Anal. Chem. 2018, 11, 463 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-061417-010107
j dot macpherson at warwick dot ac dot uk
02476 5 73886
Office A1.06
Groups at Warwick
I am working on the following projects at the moment:
- Project number 1
- Project number 2
- Project number 3
Royal Society of Chemistry Geoffrey Barker Award (2020)
Royal Society Innovation Award for Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) Electrochemical Sensors (2017)
Royal Society Industry Fellow, in partnership with Element Six Ltd (2014-18)
Winner of the Warwick University Award for Teaching Excellence (2009)
McBain Medal (2006), Royal Society of Chemistry and Society of Chemical Industry
Marlow Medal and Prize of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2005)
Royal Society University Research Fellow (1999-2007)
Five times winner of Andrew McCamley Prize for best undergraduate lecturer in the Chemistry Department, University of Warwick (2017-18, 2012-13, 2006-07, 2002-03, 2000-01).
Julie teaches on the undergraduate modules CH273 Statistical Mechanics and Electrochemistry and CH406 Electrochemistry and Nanotechnology.
For postgraduate she teaches on CH914 Electroanalysis and Sensors
Representative recent publications
T. L. Read, S. J. Cobb and J. V. Macpherson, An sp2 Patterned Boron Doped Diamond Electrode for the Simultaneous Detection of Dissolved Oxygen and pH, ACS Sensors, 2019, 4, 756-763
S. J. Cobb, Z. J. Ayres, M. E. Newton and J. V. Macpherson, Deconvoluting surface-bound quinone proton coupled electron transfer in unbuffered solutions: towards a universal voltammetric pH electrode, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 1035-1044
H. E. M. Hussein, R. J. Maurer, H. Amari, J. J. P. Peters, L. Meng, R. Beanland, M. E. Newton and J. V. Macpherson, Tracking Metal Electrodeposition Dynamics from Nucleation and Growth of a Single Atom to Crystalline Nanoparticle, ACS Nano, 2018, 12, 7388-7396
Electrochemical Synthesis of Nanoporous Platinum Nanoparticles Using Laser Pulse Heating: Application to Methanol Oxidation, H.E.M. Hussein, H. Amari and J. V. Macpherson, ACS Catalysis 2017, 7, 7388-7398