Team members

I got my PhD degree in Chemistry in 2012. My expertise includes crystal growth and instrument development. I have skills in chemical synthesis, handling high pressure and low temperature setups, and some engineering skills.

email: ivan.timokhin@manchester.ac.uk 

I got my PhD degree in Plasmonics in 20​19. My main expertise is the optical properties of noble metal nanostructures and nano-optics in 2D materials. During my career I have developed a diversity of skill that includes experience with pulsed lasers and optics, optical spectroscopy, scanning near-field optical microscopy, nano-FTIR spectroscopy, and FDTD simulations. I am currently working on the characterization of 2D materials using scanning near-field optical microscopy and nano-FTIR spectroscopy in inert atmosphere.
email: pablo.diaznunez@manchester.ac.uk 

I have expertise in nanofabrication, 2D material optics, graphene transport phenomena (room temperature), confined water system, etc. My skills include Raman and IR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, room temperature electron transport measurement, photo- and electron beam-lithography, etc. My main projects are: Spectroscopic investigation on 2D water sheets confined in layered mineral, graphene-water interface, Ion migration and memristor behaviour in 2D systems.

email: ziwei.wang@manchester.ac.uk

I am currently a research associate at the University of Manchester. Prior to coming to Manchester, I completed my PhD in physical chemistry at the University of Geneva in 2017. My research focus has been on various aspects of surface science, with a particular emphasis on 2D materials. Currently, my research involves understanding liquid-solid charging dynamics, with a specific focus on water-graphene interfaces.  

email: mohsen.moazzamigudarzi@manchester.ac.uk

My research experience focuses on applying efficient and accurate computational and physical chemistry methods (spans Artificial Intelligence, Density Functional Theory, and Molecular Dynamics simulations) to understand the structure and dynamics of chemical systems. My current project focuses on AI-assisted 2D materials discovery. The research involves using machine learning to search for novel van der Waals materials with desirable properties by analysing their electronic band structures from databases and literature.

Email: xiangwen.wang@manchester.ac.uk

I started my PhD September 2022. I got my bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. I try to learn theories, model in simulations, and do experiments. Currently, I’m working on the low-temperature Quantum transport measurement in 2D materials. I’m interested in machine learning, van der Waals materials (graphene and graphite-based), the Quantum Hall effect (Fractional QHE), Neuromorphic computing, and nanoelectronics.  

email: amit.singh@manchester.ac.uk 

I started my PhD in January 2023. My expertise is studying physical chemistry phenomena by using chemical and electrochemical methods, including ion transport, separation technology, and energy harvest. My research is focused on the electrokinetic phenomena at the water-graphene interface.

Email: zhijia.zhang@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk 

I joined the group in April 2023 and currently working as a first-year PhD student. My project focuses on discovering the possible interaction(s) between a flowing liquid and graphene.

email: chuhongxu.chen@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk 

Recently graduating with a Master's degree in Physics from the University of Manchester, I'm now a first year PhD student starting in Sep. 2023.  From my Master's degree, I have some experience with 2D heterostructure fabrication & Raman spectrometry, and my PhD project will be focusing on synthesising new 2D materials via 2D reactions. 

Email: stephen.tipper@student.manchester.ac.uk

I started my PhD in January 2024. My interests are exotic electric and magnetic phenomena in 2D van der Waals materials. I try to study them from theories, experiments and simulations.

Email: yihao.wei@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

I started my PhD in April 2024. In my master's program, I explored some 2D van der Waals heterostructures’ applications in photodetector and ferroelectricity. I am interested in the different ion transport of nanochannels and their nanoconfinement effects based on SPM technology. I try to learn to fabricate nanochannels and explore their novel applications in various fields.

Email:  jiatong.mao@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

I joined the group in April 2024 and currently work as an MPhil student. I'm working on 2D high entropy material for water splitting catalyst.

Email: zhixuan.wang@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

I started my PhD in September 2024, shortly after obtaining my master's degree from Tsinghua University earlier this year. During my Master's, I gained some experience in the design and simulations of macroscopic two-dimensional nanofluidic membranes. My current PhD project focuses on the exploration of strong light-matter coupling through the innovative use of nanocapillaries and near-field optical microscopy.

Email: yifu.gao@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

I started my PhD in September 2024. During my bachelor's and master's degree, I gained rich lab experience in the research field of two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures and perovskite solar cells. Now, I am interested in exploring light-matter interaction at the nanoscale using tip-enhanced spectroscopic approach.

Email: yuanji.gao@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk