Macleod Wins EPSRC Photography Competition

James Macleod at the University of Cambridge has won top prize in the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s (EPSRC’s) national science photography competition.

Conductive graphene ink wins science photography competitions top prize. Courtesy of EPSRC.

Macleod’s image of swirling graphene ink in alcohol, which can be used to print electrical circuits onto paper, came first in the two categories of Innovation and Equipment & Facilities, in addition to its overall win.

"We are working to create conductive inks for printing flexible electronics and are currently focused on optimizing our recipe for use in different printing methods and for printing onto different surfaces," Macleod said. "This was the first time we had used alcohol to create our ink, and I was struck by how mesmerizing it looked while mixing."

The ink is forced at high pressure through μm-scale capillaries made of diamond. This rips the layers apart resulting in a smooth, conductive material in solution.

"Scientists and engineers are often so busy focusing on the technical details of their research that they can be blind to what everyone else sees first: the aesthetics of their work,” said Helen Czerski, physicist, oceanographer and judge of the contest. “Science is a part of our culture, and it can contribute in many different ways. This competition is a wonderful reminder of the emotional and artistic aspects of science, and it's great that EPSRC researchers have found this richness in their own work."

The competition received over 100 entries which were drawn from researchers in receipt of EPSRC funding.

EPSRC is the U.K.'s main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences.