Expertise

I am a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow in the School of Engineering. My research interests include gas separation using membranes and sorbents, typically applied to carbon capture and storage. I am also interested in catalysis, surface chemistry, vibrational spectroscopy, tomography and micro-fabrication.

My publications can be found on Google Scholar, and you can follow my social media on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Potential PhD students are always welcome, please get in touch using the email address above.

Biography

• Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, 2020 - current.
• Newcastle University Academic Track Fellow, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, 2019 - 2020.
• EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellow, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, 2016 - 2019.
• PhD in Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Aberdeen, 2013 - 2016.
• MChem (1st Class) in Chemistry (elected Physics & Biology), Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, 2008 - 2013.

Research

I develop clean energy generation and catalytic processes across length scales and disciplines. My research interests include gas separation using membranes and sorbents, typically applied to carbon capture and storage. I am also interested in catalysis, surface chemistry, vibrational spectroscopy, tomography and micro-fabrication.

At the nanoscale I interrogate surfaces with an aim to control interfacial processes, and investigate molecular structure using vibrational spectroscopy. At the microscale I employ micro-fabrication and tomographic techniques (X-ray micro-CT) to fabricate and understand devices. At the macroscale I develop apparatus for in-situ studies of materials under reaction conditions and test their potential in bench-scale reactors. My work is underpinned by a first degree in Chemistry and a second in Chemical Engineering.

Outreach

I am passionate about STEM communication and outreach. My research has been covered in the Royal Society of Chemistry magazine 'Chemistry World' and I have contributed expert commentary to the Science Media Centre. I have appeared on Leading Britain's Conversation (LBC) radio and gave a Royal Society of Chemistry International Year of the Periodic Table public lecture, as well as numerous public talks in bars and cafes for e.g. Palace of Science and Pint of Science.

Lectures

• Principles of Chemical Engineering, CME1025

Supervision

Current

• I. Ahmed, PhD Candidate (NU)
• J. Penn, PhD Candidate (NU)
• V. Win, MEng Candidate (NU)
• A. Kazi, MEng Candidate (NU)

• M. Kazakli, PhD (NU)
• L. McNeil, PhD (NU)
• M. Purdy, MEng (NU)
• S. Tsochataridou, PhD (NU)
• Y, Ji, PhD (NU)
• R. Walker, MChem (UoA)
• T. Heinze, BSc (UoA)
• D. Ulrich, BSc (UoA)

• Kazakli K, Mutch GA, Triantafyllou G, Gouveia Gil A, Li T, Wang B, Bailey JJ, Brett DJL, Shearing PR, Li K, Metcalfe I. Controlling molten carbonate distribution in dual-phase molten salt-ceramic membranes to increase carbon dioxide permeation rates. Journal of Membrane Science 2021, 617, 118640.
• Grima L, Mutch GA, Oliete PB, Bucheli W, Merino RI, Papaioannou EI, Bailey JJ, Kok MD, Brett DJL, Shearing PR, Metcalfe IS, Sanjuan ML. High CO₂ permeability in supported molten-salt membranes with highly dense and aligned pores produced by directional solidification. Journal of Membrane Science 2021, epub ahead of print.
• Kazakli M, Mutch GA, Qu L, Triantafyllou G, Metcalfe IS. Autonomous and intrinsic self-healing Al₂O₃ membrane employing highly-wetting and CO₂-selective molten salts. Journal of Membrane Science 2020, 600, 117855.
• McNeil LA, Mutch GA, Iacoviello F, Bailey JJ, Triantafyllou G, Neagu D, Miller TS, Papaioannou EI, Hu W, Brett DJL, Shearing PR, Metcalfe IS. Dendritic silver self-assembly in molten-carbonate membranes for efficient carbon dioxide capture. Energy & Environmental Science 2020, 13(6), 1766-1775.
• Tsochataridou S, Mutch GA, Neagu DN, Papaioannou EI, Sanjuan ML, Ray B, Merino RI, Orera VM, Metcalfe IS. Measuring Membrane Permeation Rates through the Optical Visualization of a Single Pore. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2020, 12(14), 16436-16441.
• Mutch GA, Qu L, Triantafyllou G, Xing W, Fontaine M-L, Metcalfe IS. Supported molten-salt membranes for carbon dioxide permeation. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2019, 7(21), 12951-12973.
• Mutch GA, Shulda S, McCue AJ, Menart MJ, Ciobanu CV, Ngo C, Anderson JA, Richards RM, Vega-Maza D. Carbon Capture by Metal Oxides: Unleashing the Potential of the (111) Facet. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2018, 140(13), 4736-4742.
• Mutch GA, Anderson JA, Vega-Maza D. Surface and bulk carbonate formation in calcium oxide during CO₂ capture. Applied Energy 2017, 202, 365-376.
• Mutch GA, Anderson JA, Walker R, Cerrato G, Morandi S, Operti L, Vega-Maza D. In-situ infrared spectroscopy as a non-invasive technique to study carbon sequestration at high pressure and high temperature. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 2016, 51, 126-135.
• Mutch GA, Morandi S, Walker R, Anderson JA, Vega-Maza D, Operti L, Cerrato G. Cation Dependent Carbonate Speciation and the Effect of Water. Journal of Physical Chemistry C 2016, 120(31), 17570-17578.
• McCue AJ, Mutch GA, McNab AI, Campbell S, Anderson JA. Quantitative determination of surface species and adsorption sites using Infrared spectroscopy. Catalysis Today 2016, 259(Part 1), 19-26.