Dr Jason Stafford
Associate Professor
Dr Jason Stafford's research fields span thermofluids, multiphase fluid dynamics, and the mechanochemical processing of advanced materials (e.g. graphene, h-BN, transition metal dichalcogenides, etc).
Scaling 2D materials
Advanced materials, produced sustainably, are being translated into real world solutions that can clean up polluted water and reduce energy needs for data centres.
Advanced materials such as graphene have long had the potential to transform industries, but turning this potential into practical, scalable applications remains a challenge. Dr Jason Stafford, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering is developing more sustainable ways to produce these materials, and new ways to use them.
“Even though advanced materials have been around for 20 years in academia, they're still on the fringes of being used in the real world, so we’re working to make it easier for companies to integrate them,” says Dr Stafford.
His research combines fluid mechanics, synthesis processes, and material outcomes; a common theme is the use of fluid mechanics to mechanically synthesise advanced and two-dimensional (2D) materials, removing the reliance on toxic solvents used in conventional chemical processing.
Dr Stafford and his team have developed a scalable, sustainable method for producing graphene and other 2D materials that uses mechanical force rather than chemicals.
The approach can produce a broad range of formats, including some that can be synthesised in a liquid dispersion to produce conductors, semiconductors and insulators, the building blocks of digital devices and technology.
“Since we can process them in these diverse phases, from liquid to powder, our materials are very robust for industrial applications across a wide range of environments,” says Dr Stafford. “We're interested in working with companies that have applications in mind for these novel materials, even if they currently have formulation challenges.”
Cleaning up water pollution
Dr Stafford has shown this method can produce 2D catalysts that are activated by sunlight and degrade toxic pollution in wastewater. Working with researchers from other Birmingham institutes, the team tested this approach using textile dyes, which are the second-largest contributor to water pollution worldwide.
This ‘photocatalytic’ method has potential to clean up other types of pollution too. Through an EU Horizon project, his team is working with a West Midlands startup on the treatment of chemical leachates from microplastics that remain in solution after earlier treatment stages.The creation of these 2D photocatalytic materials through mechanical force rather than chemical processes using solvents is central to their utility in wastewater treatment.
“If we want to create a sustainable solution for treating water, the last thing we want to do is create more downstream issues with pollutants and toxic chemicals,” Dr Stafford says. “Instead, our technology is able to treat some of the most persistent pollutants found in water systems, like carbon-fluorine bonds, which are found in PFAS and PFOS.”
Photocatalytic materials can degrade soluble, persistent pollutants that remain after earlier water treatment stages.
Beyond water treatment
Dr Stafford is working with 2D Nano, a spin-out company he co-founded at Imperial College, to scale up the production of 2D materials for thermal fluid applications. These materials could improve the thermal performance of fluids used to cool high-density electronics, potentially reducing the energy needed to remove heat from data centres and AI infrastructure.
His team is collaborating on particle characterisation with a large multinational company based in the West Midlands which is looking to explore cutting-edge advanced materials. “Manufacturing is a key area for many different companies in the West Midlands,” says Dr Stafford. “It’s a really good time to drive the sector forward even further across the UK, because of the government's focus on advanced manufacturing and its ambition to translate these materials into real-world applications.”
University of Birmingham Enterprise has played an important role in moving this research towards commercialisation, supporting IP development, patent applications and engagement with potential industry partners. Dr Stafford is a co-inventor on 20 patents, and the University has filed patent applications protecting his approaches and their applications.
“Enterprise helped a lot in terms of developing the IP, writing the IP, and supporting patent development,” he says. “One of their key strengths is the willingness to adapt and change, and to think about new ideas to accelerate commercialisation. It means you can test whether your ideas are commercially viable before taking that big step towards creating a spin-out. That approach to getting academic ideas out into the real world is something I hadn't seen at other universities, and it's a real strength.”