Professor John Fyson

John Fyson was awarded BSc in chemistry from Manchester.  Kodak Research offered to pay him to do his hobby, photography, and therefore opted not to do a PhD. There he stayed for the next 35 years. The first 30 or so years were spent working on processing photographic film and paper.  At the beginning this was fundamental science, finding ways of and determining rates of reaction in coated silver halide systems and rates of dye formation in two phase systems. A number of papers and chapters of books were published.  This work led onto modelling chemical systems. He then went on, with a bunch of other like-minded chemists, physicists and engineers, to work on whole processing machines to make processing leaner, meaner and greener. This lead on to producing a largish number of processing related patents.

The masses went digital and research into processing science and engineering came to an end.  John started work on using photographic and other means of producing electronic elements on thin flexible substrates including a demonstrator of a magnetic photonic device that might have uses as a ‘cloaking’ method in MRI scanners.  At the same time he took an interest in using AC electroluminescent phosphors where he worked on a collaboration with Greenwich University where he met among others Professors Silver and Withnall, who later brought the group to Brunel.  Kodak European Research, as it had become, moved to Cambridge and it was one of the tasks to forge links with universities.  John forged links with the textile groups in London Arts, condensed matter investigators in Imperial College, nanoparticles experimenters at  Queen Mary , semiconductor physicists at Cambridge University, a display group at Nottingham Trent and nano-imprinting researchers at Manchester University.  At the same time, he carried on research into, metal oxide semiconductors, using them to make transistors (Kodak paying him to do another hobby, electronics), printing plates, interference filters and solar cells.  A few more patents came out of this work.

John was invited to join the Wolfson Centre at Brunel as a visiting professor where he helps (or hinders) members of the Wolfson Centre, Design and Engineering and Sport Science Departments.

Research Interests

·         Physical organic and inorganic chemistry particular kinetics of processes in thin permeable films

·         Modelling complex chemical processes especially involving diffusion in thin substrates

·         Design and testing of  processing systems, optimising chemistry and equipment

·         Using photographic methods to generate electronic components

·         Advanced photolithography and mask making

·         Application of methods and materials for novel uses in textiles and clothing

·         Theory and practical knowledge of non-emissive and emissive displays

·         Manufacture and testing of thin films made by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)

·         Apparatus construction and maintenance

·         Extensive general scientific knowledge and using these skills, idea generation and invention

·         Statistics and experimental design including teaching others

·         Patent searching and draft application writing

Research Activity