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Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry

 

Dr Stephen Cox

 

Research Interests

The behavior of liquids and their interfaces underlies many important phenomena across the biological and physical sciences. I use molecular simulations and statistical mechanics to elicit the microscopic details of interfacial systems, with an emphasis on perhaps the most important of all liquids: water and its salt solutions. 

Recent research has focused on improving simulations methods to give a better description of ions adsorbed to charged interfaces [1], which is important for tackling complex problems such as ice nucleation [2]. I also have a keen interest in understanding dielectric response in water [3,4] and its implications for aqueous ion solvation [5].

Dr Cox discusses his research

[1] T Sayer & SJ Cox, J. Chem. Phys. 153, 164709 (2020) [publisher,arXiv]

[2] T Sayer & SJ Cox, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 21, 14546 (2019) [publisher,arXiv]

[3] SJ Cox, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 117, 19746 (2020) [publisher,arXiv]

[4] SJ Cox & M Sprik, J. Chem. Phys. 151, 064506 (2019) [publisher,arXiv]

[5] SJ Cox, DG Thorpe, PR Shaffer & PL Geissler, Chem. Sci. 11, 11791 (2020) [publisher,arXiv]

 

Recruitment

Possible PhD projects involve improving simulation methodology to understand the structure and dynamics of charged interfaces in solution; using molecular simulations to understand how polar crystals grow; or pursuing theoretical approaches to improve our understanding of complex fluids. 

If you are interested in joining the team, please get in touch to discuss opportunities.

 

Biography

  • 2021-present: Royal Society University Research Fellow, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
  • 2017-2021: Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellow, visiting Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
  • 2018-present: College lecturer, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, UK
  • 2020-2021: Undergraduate Tutor, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, UK
  • 2015-2017: Postdoctoral research fellow, Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Ca. USA
  • 2010-2014: PhD student, Department of Chemistry, University College London, UK

 

Awards

Publications

Mechanism of ion adsorption to aqueous interfaces: Graphene/water vs. air/water
DL McCaffrey, SC Nguyen, SJ Cox, H Weller, AP Alivisatos, PL Geissler, RJ Saykally
– Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
(2017)
114,
13369
(doi: 10.1073/pnas.1702760114)
Active sites in heterogeneous ice nucleation-the example of K-rich feldspars.
A Kiselev, F Bachmann, P Pedevilla, SJ Cox, A Michaelides, D Gerthsen, T Leisner
– Science (New York, N.Y.)
(2016)
355,
367
(doi: 10.1126/science.aai8034)
Toward Accurate Adsorption Energetics on Clay Surfaces.
A Zen, LM Roch, SJ Cox, XL Hu, S Sorella, D Alfè, A Michaelides
– J Phys Chem C Nanomater Interfaces
(2016)
120,
26402
(doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b09559)
Crystal Nucleation in Liquids: Open Questions and Future Challenges in Molecular Dynamics Simulations.
GC Sosso, J Chen, SJ Cox, M Fitzner, P Pedevilla, A Zen, A Michaelides
– Chem Rev
(2016)
116,
7078
(doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00744)
Can Ice-Like Structures Form on Non-Ice-Like Substrates? The Example of the K-feldspar Microcline
P Pedevilla, SJ Cox, B Slater, A Michaelides
– J Phys Chem C Nanomater Interfaces
(2016)
120,
6704
(doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b01155)
The Many Faces of Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation: Interplay Between Surface Morphology and Hydrophobicity.
M Fitzner, GC Sosso, SJ Cox, A Michaelides
– J Am Chem Soc
(2015)
137,
13658
(doi: 10.1021/jacs.5b08748)
Molecular simulations of heterogeneous ice nucleation. I. Controlling ice nucleation through surface hydrophilicity
SJ Cox, SM Kathmann, B Slater, A Michaelides
– J Chem Phys
(2015)
142,
184704
(doi: 10.1063/1.4919714)
Molecular simulations of heterogeneous ice nucleation. II. Peeling back the layers
SJ Cox, SM Kathmann, B Slater, A Michaelides
– The Journal of chemical physics
(2015)
142,
184705
(doi: 10.1063/1.4919715)
Benchmarking the performance of density functional theory and point charge force fields in their description of sI methane hydrate against diffusion Monte Carlo.
SJ Cox, MD Towler, D Alfè, A Michaelides
– Journal of Chemical Physics
(2014)
140,
174703
(doi: 10.1063/1.4871873)
The microscopic features of heterogeneous ice nucleation may affect the macroscopic morphology of atmospheric ice crystals.
SJ Cox, Z Raza, SM Kathmann, B Slater, A Michaelides
– Faraday discussions
(2013)
167,
389
(doi: 10.1039/c3fd00059a)
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Research Group

Research Interest Group

Telephone number

01223 336384 (shared)

Email address

sjc236@cam.ac.uk

College

Churchill College

    Study at Cambridge

    About the University

    Research at Cambridge