And we are back!

11 June 2020

After 12 weeks of closure, we are delighted to be (partially) back in the department.

Technical staff putting safety measures in place for department return to UCL

Keeping safe on campus digital screen message

As part of only three departments or groups throughout UCL, the Department of Chemical Engineering was selected to take part in a pilot testing our procedures for a measured and phased return to campus.

Image of Chemical Engineering lab with safety tape outlined on the floor

After very carefully preparations, taking into account all the required additional safely measures, including social distancing, face covering etc, a team of senior researchers were able to restart their work on 10 June 2020.

The researchers are members of our Electrochemical Innovation Lab (EIL) and are working on battery cell manufacturing, and on examining the long term cycling of various battery chemistries, to optimising water electrolysis for hydrogen gas production and the testing of fuel cells for power generation, work that is funded by The Faraday Institution, Innovate UK, EPSRC and the EC.

Image of x-ray CT facility back-up and running at UCL Chemical Engineering

The department is particularly pleased to get our world leading X-ray CT facility back up and running to continue the work examining the structures of electrochemical systems in 3D on a micro and nano scale.

The researchers are not compelled to return to UCL for this pilot if they do not wish to do so, and are supported by a team of departmental support staff, including a dedicated lab manager, our facilities manager and our safety officer, as well as UCL Estates and UCL Security. They seem happy to be back though!

The department hopes to be able to reopen our remaining laboratory facilities, within diverse areas such as catalysis, multi-phase flow and advanced materials, very soon.