James was a PhD researcher in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering  at the University of Sheffield, UK. He was co-supervised by Dr Brant Walkley, and was a member of both the Functional Materials and Devices (MSE, where he was supervised by Professor Derek C. Sinclair) and Sustainable Materials at Sheffield (CBE) research teams.

James spent his undergraduate years at the University of Plymouth studying for a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry. It was here in his Inorganic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry lectures where he became fascinated with the materials that surround us in everyday life. His undergraduate years culminated with a research project focused on methanol fuel cells, and the reduction of oxygen by a conducting polymer as a potential electrode material.

James joined the University of Sheffield to study a Master’s of Science and Engineering in Aerospace Materials, with an interest in moving into industry. It wasn’t until a module on Advanced Materials Manufacture, more specifically a small lecture series on SOFCs and lithium batteries, that he found an area that truly captivated him.

James’  PhD research focused on the cold sintering of lithium chemistries to create electrolytes for solid state lithium cells. Cold sintering remains in its infancy, with little known about the fundamental physical and chemical interactions occurring during the process. James aimed to explore these mechanisms to gain a deeper understanding of the technique.

Find out more about James here.