Tommy Whewell

Tommy-Lee Whewell’s thesis, ‘Structural Investigations of Organic Functional Materials using NMR Crystallography’, was awarded 06-03-2024. It investigates the advantages and disadvantages of organic functional materials as battery anodes, and whether they offer socially and materially effective alternative to current technologies when seen from a bigger picture view. No battery chemistry is perfect, with all types varying in their performance and recyclability from a sustainability point of view. Using a ‘combinatorial’ approach (i.e., multi-method), the thesis investigates the chemical and crystallographic structure of alternative materials, and socio-material consequences of a sub-set. With sustainable materials being relatively new, the thesis devises improved methodologies for their detailed understanding with the aim of allowing future research to further improve organic materials and their sustainability. His has published on his findings in Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry. Tommy has taken on a Cleanroom Technician role at The National Graphene Institute, University of Manchester and hopes to use this to expand his repertoire of analytical methods. He says of the MSF: ‘My MSF PhD has given me a much more thorough understanding of the scope of material / social science research, and how they can and should interact. It's also driven my interest in sustainable materials science, where something like Graphene (and working at the NGI) presents the opportunity to help shape the future. I hope my future career steps reflect that this aspect of my research at the MSF’.