Dr Richard J. Darton

Title: Lecturer in Physical Chemistry
Phone: (+44) 01782 7 33345
Email: r.j.darton@keele.ac.uk
Location: Lennard-Jones 0.08
Role:
Contacting me: Try my office, or email me to make an appointment
Darton_Richard

I obtained my MChem degree from the University of St Andrews in 2001 and remained there to undertake a PhD with Prof. Russell Morris entitled “Structural Studies of Zeolites by Solid State NMR and Microcrystal X-ray Diffraction”.  In 2005 I moved to the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada to undertake a Post Doctoral Research Fellowship with Prof. Colin Fyfe in porous materials chemistry, before returning to the UK in 2008 to work with Dr. Richard Walton at the University of Warwick on the hydrothermal synthesis of complex metal oxides.  In October 2008 I was appointed as a Lecturer in Physical and Analytical Chemistry at Keele.

 

molecular structure My research is in the area of materials chemistry with a specific focus on understanding the relationships between synthesis, structure and applications of a wide-range of functional inorganic and inorganic-organic hybrid materials. 

In particular I am interested in the hydrothermal synthesis and structural characterization of porous materials such as zeolites and metal-organic frameworks for use in catalysis, sensors and for gas storage.  

To fully understand these types of materials and their synthesis mechanisms, we employ a wide range of characterization techniques including solid state NMR, and both X-ray and neutron diffraction.

Further information about our research can be found on the Catalysis Sustainable Materials Group website: https://sites.google.com/a/keele.ac.uk/csmg/

Selected Publications

  • Fyfe CA, Lin ZS, Tong C, Darton RJ. 2012. Simple, efficient syntheses of zeolite ZSM-11 (MEL) at temperatures below 100 degrees C using very dense gels. MICROPOROUS AND MESOPOROUS MATERIALS, vol. 150(1), 7-13. link> doi>
  • Fyfe CA, Darton RJ, Mowatt H, Lin ZS. 2011. Efficient, low-cost, minimal reagent syntheses of high silica zeolites using extremely dense gels below 100 degrees C. MICROPOROUS AND MESOPOROUS MATERIALS (vol. 144, pp. 57-66). link> doi>
  • Darton RJ, Turner SS, Sloan J, Lees MR, Walton RI. 2010. Hydrothermal Synthesis of a B-Site Magnetic Ruthenate Pyrochlore. CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN, vol. 10(8), 3819-3823. link> doi>
  • Fyfe CA, Darton RJ, Schneider C, Scheffler F. 2008. Solid-state NMR investigation of the possible existence of "Nanoblocks" in the clear solution synthesis of MFI materials. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 112(1), 80-88. link> doi>
  • Al-Ani A, Darton R, Sneddon S, Zholobenko V. 2017. Nanostructured Zeolites: The Introduction of Intracrystalline Mesoporosity in Basic Faujasite-Type Catalysts. ACS Applied Nano Materials. doi> full text>

Full Publications List show

Journal Articles

  • Al-Ani A, Darton R, Sneddon S, Zholobenko V. 2017. Nanostructured Zeolites: The Introduction of Intracrystalline Mesoporosity in Basic Faujasite-Type Catalysts. ACS Applied Nano Materials. doi> full text>
  • Marshall WG, Jones RH, Knight KS, Clews J, Darton RJ, Miller W, Coles SJ, Pitak MB. 2017. Structural organization in the trimethylamine iodine monochloride complex. CRYSTENGCOMM, vol. 19(35), 5194-5201. link> doi>
  • Brace SL, Wormald P, Darton RJ. 2015. The Effect of Structure Directing Agents on the Ordering of Fluoride Ions in Pure Silica MFI Zeolites. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. doi> full text>
  • Staniforth J, Evans SE, Good OJ, Darton RJ, Ormerod RM. 2014. A novel perovskite based catalyst with high selectivity and activity for partial oxidation of methane for fuel cell applications. Dalton Trans, vol. 43(40), 15022-15027. link> doi>
  • Ormerod RM, Evans SE, Staniforth JZ, Darton RJ. 2014. A nickel doped perovskite catalyst for reforming methane rich biogas with minimal carbon deposition. Green Chemistry, 4587-4594. doi> link>
  • Evans SE, Good OJ, Staniforth JZ, Ormerod RM, Darton RJ. 2014. Overcoming carbon deactivation in biogas reforming using a hydrothermally synthesised nickel perovskite catalyst. RSC ADVANCES, vol. 4(58), 30816-30819. link> doi>
  • Jones RH, Knight KS, Marshall WG, Clews J, Darton RJ, Pyatt D, Coles SJ, Horton PN. 2014. Colossal thermal expansion and negative thermal expansion in simple halogen bonded complexes. CRYSTENGCOMM, vol. 16(2), 237-243. link> doi> link>
  • Fyfe CA, Lin ZS, Tong C, Darton RJ. 2012. Simple, efficient syntheses of zeolite ZSM-11 (MEL) at temperatures below 100 degrees C using very dense gels. MICROPOROUS AND MESOPOROUS MATERIALS, vol. 150(1), 7-13. link> doi>
  • Barnett C, Gueorguieva M, Lees M, Darton R, McGarvey D, Hoskins C. 2012. Effect of hybrid composition on physicochemical properties and morphology of iron oxide-gold nanoparticles. Journal of Nanoparticle Research. doi>
  • Brouwer DH, Moudrakovski IL, Darton RJ, Morris RE. 2010. Comparing quantum-chemical calculation methods for structural investigation of zeolite crystal structures by solid-state NMR spectroscopy. MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN CHEMISTRY, vol. 48, S113-S121. link> doi>
  • Sardar K, Playford HY, Darton RJ, Barney ER, Hannon AC, Tompsett D, Fisher J, Kashtiban RJ, Sloan J, Ramos S, Cibin G, Walton RI. 2010. Nanocrystalline Cerium-Bismuth Oxides: Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Redox Properties. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS, vol. 22(22), 6191-6201. link> doi>
  • Darton RJ, Turner SS, Sloan J, Lees MR, Walton RI. 2010. Hydrothermal Synthesis of a B-Site Magnetic Ruthenate Pyrochlore. CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN, vol. 10(8), 3819-3823. link> doi>
  • Modeshia DR, Darton RJ, Ashbrook SE, Walton RI. 2009. Control of polymorphism in NaNbO(3) by hydrothermal synthesis. Chem Commun (Camb), 68-70. link> doi>
  • Fyfe CA, Darton RJ, Schneider C, Scheffler F. 2008. Solid-state NMR investigation of the possible existence of "Nanoblocks" in the clear solution synthesis of MFI materials. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 112(1), 80-88. link> doi>
  • Burton A, Darton RJ, Davis ME, Hwang S-J, Morris RE, Ogino I, Zones SI. 2006. Structure-directing agent location and non-centrosymmetric structure of fluoride-containing zeolite SSZ-55. J Phys Chem B, vol. 110(11), 5273-5278. link> doi>
  • Darton RJ and Morris RE. 2006. High resolution Si-29 MAS NMR study of the thermal behaviour of the aluminosilicate zeolite ferrierite. SOLID STATE SCIENCES, vol. 8(3-4), 342-345. link> doi>
  • Brouwer DH, Darton RJ, Morris RE, Levitt MH. 2005. A solid-state NMR method for solution of zeolite crystal structures. J Am Chem Soc, vol. 127(29), 10365-10370. link> doi>
  • Zones SI, Darton RJ, Morris R, Hwang SJ. 2005. Studies on the role of fluoride ion vs reaction concentration in zeolite synthesis. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B, vol. 109(1), 652-661. link> doi>
  • Darton RJ, Brouwer DH, Fyfe CA, Villaescusa LA, Morris RE. 2004. Solid-state NMR studies of the fluoride-containing zeolite SSZ-44. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS, vol. 16(4), 600-603. link> doi>
  • Darton RJ, Wormald P, Morris RE. 2004. Variable temperature high resolution Si-29 MAS NMR of siliceous zeolite ferrierite. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY, vol. 14(13), 2036-2040. link> doi>
  • Darton RJ. Enhanced methane reforming activity of a hydrothermally synthesised co-doped perovskite catalyst. Sustainable Energy and Fuels.

Other

  • Haxton KJ and Darton RJ. 2016. International Group Work For Sustainable Development. full text>
  • Haxton KJ and Darton RJ. 2016. Bring Back Pen Pals: International Group Work for Sustainable Development. Horizons in STEM Education Conference 2016.
  • Fyfe CA, Darton RJ, Mowatt H, Lin ZS. 2011. Efficient, low-cost, minimal reagent syntheses of high silica zeolites using extremely dense gels below 100 degrees C. MICROPOROUS AND MESOPOROUS MATERIALS (vol. 144, pp. 57-66). link> doi>
  • Darton RJ, Brouwer DH, Fyfe CA, Villaescusa LA, Morris RE. 2004. Measuring the silion fluoride bond distance in zeolites. RECENT ADVANCES IN THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF ZEOLITES AND RELATED MATERIALS, PTS A - C (vol. 154, pp. 1319-1323). link>
  • Villasescusa LA, Lightfoot P, Darton RJ, Morris RE. 2004. Microcrystal X-ray diffraction and NMR studies of thermal expansion properties of pure silica zeolites FER and a comparison with IFR. RECENT ADVANCES IN THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF ZEOLITES AND RELATED MATERIALS, PTS A - C (vol. 154, pp. 1168-1172). link>
  • Darton RJ, Ormerod RM, Staniforth J, Evans SE, Good OJ. New crystalline metal oxide having unit cell structure comprising strontium at A site, zirconium and/or hafnium at B1 site and nickel at A and/or B1 sites used in composition, catalyst and product and to reform e.g. petroleum and diesel.