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Dr Ali Zarbakhsh

Ali

Senior Lecturer

Email: a.zarbakhsh@qmul.ac.uk
Room Number: Room 1.13, Joseph Priestley Building

Profile

Dr. Ali Zarbakhsh, a Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry and admission tutor for Chemistry at Queen Mary, University of London, possesses an interdisciplinary research background.

His primary focus is on resolving structure-function relationships for self-assembling surfactants and polymeric materials at interfaces. Dr. Zarbakhsh specializes in developing experimental scattering techniques, notably neutron and X-ray methods, to uncover molecular structures at buried interfaces. His current research spans two main areas: soft matter and lubrication. In soft matter, his group concentrates on unravelling molecular conformation at interfaces, particularly in nanogels and amorphous nanosheets for drugs and DNA/RNA delivery, contributing significantly to advancements in cell expansion and bioreactor design. In lubrication, Dr. Zarbakhsh delves into studying the adsorption and tribological properties of lubricant additives at oil-metal interfaces, utilizing sophisticated techniques such as polarised neutron reflectometry. Supported by sources including the European Commission, UKRI, and BP International, his work not only advances fundamental understanding but also offers practical applications in formulation chemistry and industrial processes.

Dr. Zarbakhsh's teaching areas encompass surfactants, interfaces, electrochemistry, colloidal formulations and nanomaterials, reflecting his expertise in these domains.

Undergraduate Teaching

  • Essential Skills for Chemists (Tutorials) (CHE100)
  • Practical Chemistry (CHE201)
  • Advanced Practical Chemistry 1 (CHE301)
  • Topics in Physical Chemistry (CHE304U)
  • Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry (CHE404U)

Research

Research Interests:

Structural studies of biological and polymeric systems at buried fluid-fluid interfaces. The current area of interest is a model for lipid emulsion drug delivery systems and interaction of a lipid monolayer with negatively charged polyelectrolytes such as DNA.

Techniques used are X-ray and neutron scattering, reflectivity, in-plane diffraction and small angle scattering in addition to vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy, ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy.

Research Department

Publications

  • Chrysanthou A, Bosch-Fortea M, Nadal C et al. (2024). Interfacial mechanics of β-casein and albumin mixed protein assemblies at liquid-liquid interfaces. nameOfConference


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  • Traldi F, Liu P, Albino I et al. (publicationYear). Protein-Nanoparticle Interactions Govern the Interfacial Behavior of Polymeric Nanogels: Study of Protein Corona Formation at the Air/Water Interface. nameOfConference


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  • Gautrot JE, Chang L, Alexis C et al. (2022). The Architecture of Oligonucleotide-Polycationic Brush Complexes – A Neutron Reflectometry Study. nameOfConference


  • Liu P, Freeley M, Zarbakhsh A et al. (2022). Adsorption of soft NIPAM nanogels at hydrophobic and hydrophilic interfaces: Conformation of the interfacial layers determined by neutron reflectivity. nameOfConference


  • Araki M, Park S-J, Dauerman HL et al. (2022). Optical coherence tomography in coronary atherosclerosis assessment and intervention. nameOfConference


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  • Kong D, Peng L, Bosch-Fortea M et al. (2022). Impact of the multiscale viscoelasticity of quasi-2D self-assembled protein networks on stem cell expansion at liquid interfaces. nameOfConference


  • Aguirre JE, Murray SG, Pascua R et al. (2022). Validation of the HERA Phase i Epoch of Reionization 21 cm Power Spectrum Software Pipeline. nameOfConference


  • Judah HL, Liu P, Zarbakhsh A et al. (publicationYear). Influence of Buffers, Ionic Strength, and pH on the Volume Phase Transition Behavior of Acrylamide-Based Nanogels. nameOfConference


  • ZARBAKHSH A, RESMINI M, ZIELINSKA K et al. (2018). Interactions of NIPAM nanogels with model lipid multi-bilayers: A neutron reflectivity study. nameOfConference


  • ZARBAKHSH A, RESMINI M, HuiHui S (2018). Interaction of thermal responsive NIPAM nanogels with model lipid monolayers at the air-water interface. nameOfConference


  • Zielińska K, Campbell RA, Zarbakhsh A et al. (2017). Adsorption versus aggregation of NIPAM nanogels: new insight into their behaviour at the air/water interface as a function of concentration.. nameOfConference


  • Welbourn RJL, Truscott CL, Skoda MWA et al. (2016). Corrosion and inhibition of copper in hydrocarbon solution on a molecular level investigated using neutron reflectometry and XPS. nameOfConference


  • Esmaeilzadeh P, Sadeghi MT, Bahramian A et al. (2016). Superamphiphobic Surfaces Prepared by Coating Multi-functional Nanofluids. nameOfConference


  • Wood MH, Casford MT, Steitz R et al. (2016). Comparative Adsorption of Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids at the Iron Oxide/Oil Interface. nameOfConference


  • Zielińska K, Sun H, Campbell RA et al. (2016). Smart nanogels at the air/water interface: structural studies by neutron reflectivity. nameOfConference


  • ZARBAKHSH A, Bahramian A (2015). Interfacial equation of state for ionized surfactants at oil/water interfaces. nameOfConference


  • Wood MH, Welbourn RJL, ZARBAKHSH A et al. (2015). Polarized Neutron Reflectometry of Nickel Corrosion Inhibitors. nameOfConference


  • Campana M, Hosking SL, Petkov JT et al. (2015). Adsorption of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) at the Oil/Water Interface: A Neutron Reflection Study. nameOfConference


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  • Welbourn RJL, Lee SY, Gutfreund P et al. (2015). Neutron Reflection Study of the Adsorption of the Phosphate Surfactant NaDEHP onto Alumina from Water. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Campana M, Webster JRP (2014). Structural Studies of Nonionic Dodecanol Ethoxylates at the Oil–Water Interface: Effect of Increasing Head Group Size. nameOfConference


  • Wood MH, Welbourn RJL, Charlton T et al. (2013). Hexadecylamine Adsorption at the Iron Oxide–Oil Interface. nameOfConference


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  • Lee SY, Welbourn R, Clarke SM et al. (2013). Adsorption of sodium hexanoate on α-alumina. nameOfConference


  • ZARBAKHSH* A, Campana M, Webster JRP et al. (2013). Surfactant mixtures at the oil–water interface. nameOfConference


  • Zarbakhsh A, Resmini M, Servant A et al. (2013). Organic nanogels with enzyme-like activity: structural studies and correlation between morphology and catalytic efficiency. nameOfConference


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  • Servant A, Rogers S, Zarbakhsh A et al. (2013). Polymeric organic nanogels: structural studies and correlation between morphology and catalytic efficiency. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Lawrence, MJ, Webster JRP et al. (2012). Structural conformation of lipids at the oil–water interface. nameOfConference


  • Campana M, Teichert A, Clarke S et al. (2011). Surfactant adsorption at the metal-oil interface.. nameOfConference


  • Zarbakhsh A, Campana M, Webster JRP et al. (2010). Stabilization of alkylated azacrown ether by fatty acid at the air-water interface.. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Campana M, Mills D et al. (2010). Structural studies of aliphatic substituted phthalocyanine-lipid multilayers.. nameOfConference


  • Zarbakhsh A, Webster JRP, Wojciechowski K (2009). Neutron reflectivity study of alkylated azacrown ether at the air-liquid and the liquid-liquid interfaces.. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Webster JRP, Eames J (2009). Structural studies of surfactants at the oil-water interface by neutron reflectometery.. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Webster JR, Eames J (2009). Structural Studies of Surfactants at the Oil-Water Interface by Neutron Reflectometery (dagger).. nameOfConference


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  • Richardson RM, Webster JRP, Zarbakhsh A (1997). Study of Off‐Specular Neutron Reflectivity Using a Model System. nameOfConference


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  • Bowers J, Zarbakhsh A, McLure IA et al. (2007). Composition profile of a wetting film in a binary mixture. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Webster JRP (2007). Effect of counter ion size and charge on the structure of amphipiles adsorbed at a liquid-liquid interface using neutron reflectometry. nameOfConference

    DOI: doi

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  • Bower C, Froggatt S, Laycock R et al. (1995). Transitions in a Spread Film of a Side-Chain Liquid Crystal Polymer. nameOfConference


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  • Chavda S, Coumbarides GS, Dinglan M et al. (2006). A convenient laboratory synthesis of deuterium-labelled trimethyl tetradecyl ammonium sulphate. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Querol A, Bowers J et al. (2005). Neutron reflection from the liquid-liquid interface: Adsorption of hexadecylphosphorylcholine to the hexadecane-aqueous solution interface. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Bowers J, Webster JRP (2005). Width of the hexadecane-water interface: A discrepancy resolved. nameOfConference


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  • Adya AK, Zarbakhsh A, Bowers J et al. (2005). Neutron reflectivity study of grafted poly(ethylene glycol) in the presence of an aqueous bovine serum albumin solution. nameOfConference

    DOI: doi

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  • Bowers J, Zarbakhsh A, Christenson HK et al. (2005). Neutron reflectivity studies of critical adsorption: Behavior of the surface scaling function. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Querol A, Bowers J et al. (2005). Structural studies of amphiphiles adsorbed at liquid-liquid interfaces using neutron reflectometry. nameOfConference


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  • Bowers J, Zarbakhsh A, Querol A et al. (2004). Adsorption from alkane plus perfluoroalkane mixtures at fluorophobic and fluorophilic surfaces. II. Crossover from critical adsorption to complete wetting. nameOfConference


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  • Bowers J, Zarbakhsh A, Christenson HK et al. (2003). Adsorption from alkane plus perfluoroalkane mixtures at fluorophobic and fluorophilic surfaces. I. Nature of the noncritical adsorption profiles. nameOfConference


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  • Loste E, Diaz-Marti E, Zarbakhsh A et al. (2003). Study of calcium carbonate precipitation under a series of fatty acid Langmuir monolayers using brewster angle microscopy. nameOfConference


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  • Cosgrove T, Patel A, Semlyen JA et al. (1993). A study of chemisorption of poly(hydrogen methylsiloxane) using neutron reflectometry and small-angle neutron scattering. nameOfConference


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  • Cosgrove T, White SJ, Zarbakhsh A et al. (1995). Small-Angle Scattering Studies of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Interactions with Gelatin. 1. nameOfConference


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  • Bowers J, Zarbakhsh A, Webster JRP et al. (2001). Neutron Reflectivity Studies at Liquid−Liquid Interfaces: Methodology and Analysis. nameOfConference


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  • Bowers J, Zarbakhsh A, Webster JRP et al. (2001). Neutron reflectivity studies at liquid-liquid interfaces: Methodology and analysis. nameOfConference


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  • Bowers J, Zarbakhsh A, Webster JRP et al. (2001). Structure of a spread film of a polybutadiene-poly(ethylene oxide) linear diblock copolymer at the air-water interface as determined by neutron reflectometry. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Bowers J, Webster JRP (1999). A new approach for measuring neutron reflection from a liquid/liquid interface. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Cowlam N, Highmore RJ et al. (1990). A study of the amorphisation reaction in Ni-Zr multilayers by neutron reflectometry. nameOfConference


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  • Clifton BJ, Cosgrove T, Richardson RM et al. (1998). The structure of block copolymers at the fluid/fluid interface. nameOfConference


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  • Calpin-Davies S, Clifton BJ, Cosgrove T et al. (1998). The Structure of Block Copolymers of Ethylene Oxide and Butylene Oxide at Fluid/Fluid Interfaces. nameOfConference


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  • PHILLIPS PL, RICHARDSON RM, ZARBAKHSH A et al. (1997). An investigation of the porosity and surface roughness of liquid crystal alignment layers using neutron reflectivity. nameOfConference


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  • Penfold J, Richardson RM, Zarbakhsh A et al. (1997). Recent advances in the study of chemical surfaces and interfaces by specular neutron reflection. nameOfConference


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  • Webster JRP, Zarbakhsh A, Richardson RM (1996). Offspecular scattering from optical gratings. nameOfConference


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  • Cosgrove T, White SJ, Zarbakhsh A et al. (1996). Small-angle neutron scattering studies of sodium dodecyl sulfate interactions with gelatin. Part 2.—Effect of temperature and pH. nameOfConference


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  • Cosgrove T, Luckham PF, Richardson RM et al. (1994). The measurement of volume fraction profiles for adsorbed polymers under compression using neutron reflectometry. nameOfConference


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  • Cosgrove T, Zarbakhsh A, Luckham PF et al. (1994). Adsorption of polystyrene–poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers on quartz using a parallel-plate surface-force apparatus and simultaneous neutron reflection. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Cowlam N, Convert P et al. (1993). Neutron diffraction study of a Ni-42.2 at.% Zr alloy made by the multilayer amorphisation reaction and of Ni-42.2 at.% Zr metallic alloy glass. nameOfConference


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  • Zarbakhsh A, Cowlam N, Highmore RJ et al. (1990). An investigation of the solid state reaction in NiZr multilayers by neutron reflectometry. nameOfConference


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Supervision

Current PhD opportunity

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