The University of Sheffield
Chemical and Biological Engineering

Michal Rusin MEng

Michal Rusin
Michal's cover

Postgraduate Research Student
Particle Products Group: Crystallisation
Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4910
E-mail: m.rusin@sheffield.ac.uk

Biography

I joined the department in 2005 as an undergraduate student in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry (dual honours degree programme). It was during the final year of my undergraduate studies, while carrying out a project on the polymorphic transformation of amino acids, when I developed a keen interest in the field of crystallisation and crystal engineering. After graduating with a First Class MEng degree, given the opportunity to pursue a PhD in Dr Ristic’s group, I decided to stay in Sheffield for longer to investigate the phenomena governing the processes of crystallisation from supersaturated solutions.

Research

In my PhD project I investigate the influence of external conditions, such as temperature, solution supersaturation or the presence of molecular additives, on the crystallisation of L-glutamic acid. The insights from my research will contribute to an improved understanding of phase transition in diverse polymorphic systems and design of new synthetic nucleation/growth modulators. Ultimately, this would allow better control of the transformation process between polymorphs of crystalline materials in a wide range of consumer goods, from food products, through cosmetics to pharmaceuticals.

I primarily work with Dr Rile Ristic, who is my academic supervisor, but also with Dr Bruce Ewan and Dr Karl Travis of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Additionally, during my PhD project, I developed a successful collaboration with scientist from the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin, Germany.

Experimental Techniques

X-Ray Diffraction, Synchrotron WAXS, Raman Spectroscopy, Differential Thermal Analysis, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Thermogravimetry, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Polarised-Light Microscopy, Acoustic Levitation, Laser Light Scattering, Molecular Dynamics Modelling

Publications / Presentations

M. Rusin, B.C.R. Ewan and R.I. Ristic (2013) The Glycine-Stimulated Nucleation and Solution-Mediated Polymorphic Transformation of L-Glutamic Acid, CrystEngComm, 15, 2192-2196.

M. Rusin, B.C.R. Ewan and R.I. Ristic (2012) The Glycine-Stimulated Nucleation and Polymorphic Transformation of L-Glutamic Acid, 4th European Conference on Crystal Growth, 17th-20th June, Glasgow, Oral presentation.

M. Rusin and R.I. Ristic (2012) Nucleation and Polymorphic Transformation of Amino Acids with and without Additives, Seminar, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Oral presentation.

M. Rusin, B.C.R. Ewan and R.I. Ristic (2011) The Unexpected Nucleation and Polymorphic Transformation-Promoting Effect of Glycine on Crystallisation of L-Glutamic Acid, AIChE Annual Meeting, 16th-21st October, Minneapolis, MN, Oral presentation.

M. Rusin, B.C.R. Ewan and R.I. Ristic (2011) The Unexpected Nucleation and Polymorphic Transformation-Promoting Effect of Glycine on Crystallisation of L-Glutamic Acid, Annual PhD Progress Review Session, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Poster presentation.

M. Rusin, L.L. DeMatos and R.I. Ristic (2010) The Influence of Amino Acid Additives on the Crystallisation of L-Glutamic Acid, BACG Annual Conference, 5th-7th September, Manchester, Poster presentation.

Awards