Professor Neil Bricklebank BSc, PhD, SFHEA
Professor of Chemistry
Summary
Neil was appointed to Sheffield Hallam having completed BSc Chemistry and a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry at UMIST (Manchester). He teaches inorganic and materials chemistry and has an active research group investigating the biological applications of inorganic nanomaterials.
He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Chartered Chemist and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
About
Neil Bricklebank is a chartered chemist working across the Department of Biosciences and Chemistry, where he is Professional Lead for Chemistry and Forensic Science, and the Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre.
Neil can demonstrate a sustained record of effectiveness in relation to teaching and learning, and led the development and introduction of Chemistry degrees at Sheffield Hallam. He is a member of the standing committee of the UK Heads of Chemistry group and was appointed a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2013.
He believes passionately in public engagement and the importance of promoting science, especially chemistry, to children and young people, and regularly delivers lectures and hands-on workshops at both primary and secondary levels.
He has an international standing in the field of inorganic materials chemistry working at the interface of chemistry, nanomaterials and biological sciences, and currently leads a number of research projects including the synthesis and characterisation of functionalised nanoparticles for intra-cellular diagnostics and therapeutic, novel iodine-containing composites as wound healing materials. He has considerable experience of knowledge-transfer and consultancy and has completed projects with local, national and multi-national companies.
Before joining Sheffield Hallam, Neil worked in the chemical industry and completed a BSc in Chemistry and a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry at UMIST (Manchester) , and had postdoctoral research positions at UMIST and Durham University.
Teaching
Neil teaches Inorganic chemistry, Nanomaterial science and Bioinorganic chemistry.
Research
Plant Nutrients and Hydroponics
Plants require a range of inorganic ions and minerals, particularly phosphate, nitrate, potassium, and other metal ions, for strong and healthy growth and development. We are working to develop new and improved nutrients for use in hydroponic systems. Hydroponics, the growth of plants in soilless media, is an advanced horticultural technique that is used commercially across the world for growing fruit and vegetable crops. Together with Professor Malcolm Clench and Dr Catherine Duckett, we are investigating the uptake and distribution of metal ions and nutrients in plants using Laser Ablation ICP Mass spectrometry.
Biomedical applications of phosphonium compounds
Organo phosphonium compounds are a family of lipophilic cations that are of interest because of their potential applications in biomedical science. We have developed a series of phosphonium zwitterions and salts that can be used to prepare cationically-functionalised nanoparticles. We are investigating the interaction of the phosphonium compounds and functionalised nanoparticles as agents for mitochondria-targeted diagnostics and therapeutics.
Polymer Nanocomposite materials
Composite materials composed of inorganic particles and ions embedded in natural or synthetic polymers have a host of applications ranging from electro-active species and catalysts to biomedical materials. We are investigating the synthesis of materials containing halogens, especially iodine, for application as antibacterial agents and wound healing.
Collaborators:
Dr Jon Golding, Open University
Professor Alan Reynolds, Brunel University
Dr Jesus J. Ojeda, Swansea University
Industrial Collaborators include Aqualabs Ltd and Croda Europe.
Publications
Journal articles
Doolan, O., Lewsey, M.G., Peirats-Llobet, M., Bricklebank, N., & Aberdein, N. (2024). Micro Computed Tomography Analysis of Barley During the First 24 Hours of Germination. Plant Methods, 20. http://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-024-01266-4
Billacura, M., Lewis, R., Bricklebank, N., Hamilton, A., & Whiteoak, C. (2023). Ga‐catalyzed temperature‐dependent oxazolidinone/piperazine synthesis from phenyl aziridines involving a divergent ligand‐assisted mechanism. Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis. http://doi.org/10.1002/adsc.202300537
Lalwani, N., Allen, D., Horton, P.N., Coles, S.J., Cross, N., & Bricklebank, N. (2019). Methoxy-phenyl groups reduce the cytotoxicity and increase the aqueous solubility of phosphonium zwitterions and salts. Polyhedron, 158, 515-523. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2018.10.069
Russo, C., Brickelbank, N., Duckett, C., Mellor, S., Rumbelow, S., & Clench, M. (2018). Quantitative investigation of terbinafine hydrochloride absorption into a living skin equivalent model by MALDI-MSI. Analytical chemistry, 90 (16), 10031-10038. http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.8b02648
Aldewachi, H., Chalati, T., Woodroofe, N., Bricklebank, N., Sharack, B., & Gardiner, P. (2018). Gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric biosensors. Nanoscale, 10 (1), 18-33. http://doi.org/10.1039/c7nr06367a
Chen, Y.-.S., Allen, D., Cross, N.A., Pitak, M.B., Tizzard, G.J., Coles, S.J., & Bricklebank, N. (2017). Biological and structural studies of phosphonium 'masked thiolate' compounds. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 125, 528-537. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.08.025
Lalwani, N., Chen, Y.-.S., Brooke, G., Cross, N.A., Allen, D.W., Reynolds, A., ... Bricklebank, N. (2015). Triphenylarsonium-functionalised gold nanoparticles: potential nanocarriers for intracellular therapeutics. Chemical Communications, 51 (19), 4109-4111. http://doi.org/10.1039/C4CC09304F
Seaman, C., Flinders, B., Eijkel, G., Heeren, R.M.A., Bricklebank, N., & Clench, M.R. (2014). “Afterlife Experiment”: use of MALDI-MS and SIMS imaging for the Study of the nitrogen cycle within plants. Analytical Chemistry, 86 (20), 10071-10077. http://doi.org/10.1021/ac501191w
Mancini, A., Aragoni, M.C., Bricklebank, N., Castellano, C., Demartin, F., Isaia, F., ... Arca, M. (2013). Formation of T-Shaped versus Charge-Transfer Molecular Adducts in the Reactions Between Bis(thiocarbonyl) Donors and Br2and I2. Chemistry : An Asian Journal, 8 (3), 639-647. http://doi.org/10.1002/asia.201201043
Ju-Nam, Y., Chen, Y.-.S., Ojeda, J.J., Allen, D.W., Cross, N.A., Gardiner, P.H.E., & Bricklebank, N. (2012). Water-soluble gold nanoparticles stabilized with cationic phosphonium thiolate ligands. RSC Advances, 2 (27), 10345-10351. http://doi.org/10.1039/C2RA21421K
Mancini, A., Pala, L., Aragoni, M.C., Arca, M., Devillanova, F.A., Hursthouse, M.B., ... Bricklebank, N. (2012). Structural and DFT Studies of Dibromine and Diiodine Adducts of a Sulfur-Rich Thiocarbonyl Donor. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2012 (14), 2373-2380. http://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.201101028
Seaman, C., & Bricklebank, N. (2011). Soil-free farming. Chemistry and Industry Magazine, March (6), pp 19-21. http://www.soci.org/Chemistry-and-Industry/CnI-Data/2011/6/Soil-free-farming
Seaman, C., & Bricklebank, N. (2011). Soil-free farming. Chemistry and Industry (London), (6).
Ju-Nam, Y., Allen, D.W., Gardiner, P.H.E., & Bricklebank, N. (2008). Omega-thioacetylalkylphosphonium salts: precursors for the preparation of phosphonium-functionalised gold nanoparticles. Journal of organometallic chemistry, 693 (23), 3504-3508. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jorganchem.2008.08.009
Ju-Nam, Y., Allen, D.W., Gardiner, P.H.E., Light, M.E., Hursthouse, M.B., & Bricklebank, N. (2007). The synthesis and characterisation of masked phosphonioalkyl selenoates: Potential ligands for the production of functionalised gold nanoparticles. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, 692 (22), 5065-5070. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jorganchem.2007.07.038
Skabara, P.J., Kanibolotsky, A., Render, S., Berridge, R., Crouch, D.J., Bricklebank, N., ... Hursthouse, M.B. (2007). The role of functional nitro and cyano groups in the self‐assembly of 1,3‐dithiole‐2‐thione–halogen adducts. Heteroatom Chemistry, 18 (2), 176-184. http://doi.org/10.1002/hc.20327
Ju-Nam, Y., Bricklebank, N., Allen, D.W., Gardiner, P.H.E., Light, M.E., & Hursthouse, M.B. (2006). Phosphonioalkylthiosulfate zwitterions - new masked thiol ligands for the formation of cationic functionalised gold nanoparticles. Organic and biomolecular chemistry, 4 (23), 4345. http://doi.org/10.1039/b610480k
Vale, A., Chaure, N., Simonds, M., Ray, A.K., & Bricklebank, N. (2006). Sputtered rutile stoichiometric TiO2 nanocrystalline films. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, 17 (10), 851-855. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-006-0034-z
Skabara, P.J., Berridge, R., Bricklebank, N., Lath, H., Coles, S.J., & Horton, P.N. (2006). Self-assembly of halogen adducts of ester and carboxylic acid functionalised 1,3-dithiole-2-thiones. Polyhedron, 25 (4), 989-995. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2005.11.013
Bricklebank, N., Coles, S.J., Forder, S.D., Hursthouse, M.B., Poulton, A., & Skabara, P.J. (2005). Diiodine complex of diferrocenyl(phenyl)phosphine sulfide: the structural and electrochemical behaviour of Fc2(Ph)PS·I2. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, 690 (2), 328-332. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jorganchem.2004.09.038
Lee, L., Crouch, D.J., Wright, S.P., Berridge, R., Skabara, P.J., Bricklebank, N., ... Hursthouse, M.B. (2004). Supramolecular polymers of 4,5-bis(bromomethyl)-1,3-dithiole-2-thione-dihalogen adducts. CrystEngComm, 6, 612. http://doi.org/10.1039/b416813p
Allen, D.W., Berridge, R., Bricklebank, N., Forder, S.D., Palacio, F., Coles, S.J., ... Skabara, P.J. (2003). Structural and magnetic properties of a novel ferrocenyl-diiodine charge transfer complex. Inorganic chemistry, 42 (13), 3975-3977. http://doi.org/10.1021/ic034092f
Allen, D.W., Berridge, R., Bricklebank, N., Forder, S.D., Palacio, F., Coles, S.J., ... Skabara, P.J. (2003). Structural and magnetic properties of a novel ferrocenyl-diiodine. Inorganic chemistry, 42 (13), 3975. http://doi.org/10.1021/ic034092f
Bricklebank, N., & Pryke, A. (2002). 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-ylthiyl, the sulfur analogue of TEMPO, as an initiator for the controlled radical polymerisation of styrene. Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1, (18), 2048-2051. http://doi.org/10.1039/b206842g
Allen, D.W., Berridge, R., Bricklebank, N., Cerrada, E., Light, M.E., Hursthouse, M.B., ... Skabara, P.J. (2002). A new family of sulfur-rich ligands based on the dmit system: synthesis and metal complexation of 4–4'-covalently bridged bis(2-thioxo-1,3-dithiol-5-thiolato) units. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions. http://doi.org/10.1039/b201615j
Apperley, D.C., Bricklebank, N., Hursthouse, M.B., Light, M.E., & Coles, S.J. (2001). Vibrational, 31P NMR and crystallographic studies of diiodine adducts of some bidentate tertiary phosphine sulfides. Polyhedron, 20 (15-16), 1907-1913. http://doi.org/10.1016/s0277-5387(01)00773-2
Skabara, P.J., Bricklebank, N., Berridge, R., Long, S., Light, M.E., Coles, S.J., & Hursthouse, M.B. (2000). Crystal engineering towards highly ordered polymeric structures of 1,3-dithiole-2-thione–dihalogen adducts †. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (19), 3235-3236. http://doi.org/10.1039/b005570k
Bricklebank, N., Hargreaves, S., & Spey, S.E. (2000). Modification of the solid state structures of dithiadiazolyl radicals: crystal structure of p-iodophenyl-1,2,3,5-dithiadiazolyl. Polyhedron, 19 (9), 1163-1166. http://doi.org/10.1016/s0277-5387(00)00384-3
Bricklebank, N., Skabara, P.J., Hibbs, D.E., Hursthouse, M.B., & Abdul Malik, K.M. (1999). Reaction of thiones with dihalogens; comparison of the solid state structures of 4,5-bis(methylsulfanyl)-1,3-dithiole-2-thione–diiodine, –dibromine and –iodine monobromide. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (17), 3007-3014. http://doi.org/10.1039/a903068i
Apperley, D.C., Bricklebank, N., Burns, S.L., Hibbs, D.E., Hursthouse, M.B., & Abdul Malik, K.M. (1998). Crystal structure of triphenylphosphine sulfide diiodine; the first crystallographically characterised 1∶1 molecular charge-transfer complex of a tertiary phosphine sulfide with diiodine. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (8), 1289-1292. http://doi.org/10.1039/a709121d
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., McAuliffe, C.A., Deplano, P., Mercuri, M.L., & Sheffield, J.M. (1998). Structure of diiodine adducts of some di- and tri-tertiaryphosphines in the solid state and in solution. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (14), 2379-2382. http://doi.org/10.1039/a706277j
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., McAuliffe, C.A., & Pritchard, R.G. (1996). Facile one-step synthesis of the cobalt(III) and nickel(III) tertiary arsine complexes [MI3(AsMe3)2](M = Co or Ni) directly from the powdered elemental metals. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (2), 157. http://doi.org/10.1039/dt9960000157
Banister, A.J., Bricklebank, N., Lavender, I., Rawson, J.M., Gregory, C.I., Tanner, B.K., ... Palacio, F. (1996). Spontaneous Magnetization in a Sulfur–Nitrogen Radical at 36 K. Angewandte Chemie International Edition in English, 35 (21), 2533-2535. http://doi.org/10.1002/anie.199625331
Banister, A.J., Bricklebank, N., Clegg, W., Elsegood, M.R.J., Gregory, C.I., Lavender, I., ... Tanner, B.K. (1995). The first solid state paramagnetic 1,2,3,5-dithiadiazolyl radical; X-ray crystal structure of [p-NCC6F4CNSSN]? Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications, (6), 679. http://doi.org/10.1039/c39950000679
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., McAuliffe, C.A., & Molloy, K.C. (1995). Reaction of tin metal powder with triorganophosphorus dihalides: isolation and spectroscopic characterisation of [PR3X][SnX3] and cis- and trans-Sn(PR3)2X4(X = Br or I; R3= Ph3, Ph2Me or PhMe2). Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (10), 1593. http://doi.org/10.1039/dt9950001593
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., Lane, H.P., Mcauliffe, C.A., Pritchard, R.G., & Moreno, J.-.M. (1995). Synthesis and structural characterisation of R3AsX2 compounds (R = Me, Ph, p-FC6H4 or p-MeOC6H4; X2= Br2, I2 or IBr); dependency of structure on R, X and the solvent of preparation. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (23), 3873. http://doi.org/10.1039/dt9950003873
Lane, H.P., Watkinson, M., Bricklebank, N., McAuliffe, C.A., & Pritchard, R.G. (1995). The reaction of the P2N2 Schiff base ligand en=P2 with MI2 salts and the reaction of the tetraiodine adduct of en=P2 with unactivated coarse grain metal powders: a comparative study (en=P2=N,N′-bis[(o-diphenylphosphino)benzylidene]ethylene-diamine; M=Mn, Co and Ni). Inorganica Chimica Acta, 232 (1-2), 145-150. http://doi.org/10.1016/0020-1693(94)04377-8
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., Lane, H.P., McAuliffe, C.A., & Pritchard, R.G. (1994). Solid-state structures of triarylantimony dihalides; the isolation of some mixed-halide species and crystal structures of Ph3SbI2 and [Ph4Sb]I3. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (12), 1759. http://doi.org/10.1039/dt9940001759
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., McAuliffe, C.A., & Pritchard, R.G. (1994). Reaction of Me2SBr2 and Prn 3PI2 with tin metal powder; a novel route to metal thioether complexes and the first tin(IV) phosphine complex containing iodide ligands. Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications, (6), 695. http://doi.org/10.1039/c39940000695
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., McAuliffe, C.A., & Pritchard, R.G. (1993). Tertiary phosphine adducts of mixed halogens, R3PlBr; synthesis and structure in the solid state and solution. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (15), 2261. http://doi.org/10.1039/dt9930002261
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., Mackie, A.G., McAuliffe, C.A., Pritchard, R.G., & Kobryn, P.J. (1993). Diiodophosphoranes. Synthesis and structure in the solid state and in solution. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions, (1), 101. http://doi.org/10.1039/dt9930000101
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., McAuliffe, C.A., & Pritchard, R.G. (1993). Triphenylphosphonium bromide. Acta Crystallographica Section C Crystal Structure Communications, 49 (5), 1017-1018. http://doi.org/10.1107/s0108270192013052
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., McAuliffe, C.A., Mackie, A.G., & Pritchard, R.G. (1992). The X-ray crystal structure of [Zn(PEt3)I2]2, the first 1:1 zinc(II) complex of a tertiary phosphine of low steric requirements, prepared by the reaction of unactivated zinc metal with diiodotriethylphosphorane. Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications, (13), 944. http://doi.org/10.1039/c39920000944
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., Mackie, A.G., McAuliffe, C.A., & Pritchard, R.G. (n.d.). The structure of triphenylphosphorus–dibromine, the first crystallographically characterised bromophosphorane, a compound which has the novel four-coordinate molecular Ph3P–Br–Br geometry. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun, (4), 355-356. http://doi.org/10.1039/c39920000355
Bricklebank, N., Godfrey, S.M., Lane, H.P., McAuliffe, C.A., Pritchard, R.G., & Moreno, J.-.M. (n.d.). The isolation from diethyl ether of ionic [(Me2N)3PI]I and [(CH2CHCH2)2PhPI]I, and the crystallographically characterised molecular ‘spoke’ structure PhMe2PI2. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans, (14), 2421-2424. http://doi.org/10.1039/dt9950002421
Palacio, F., Antorrena, G., Castro, M., Burriel, R., Rawson, J., Smith, J.N.B., ... Ritter, C. (n.d.). High-Temperature Magnetic Ordering in a New Organic Magnet. Physical Review Letters, 79 (12), 2336-2339. http://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.79.2336
Conference papers
Berridge, R., Bricklebank, N., Allen, D.W., Skabara, P.J., Malik, K.M.A., Coles, S.J., & Hursthouse, M.B. (2001). Novel transition metal complexes based on covalently linked DMIT systems. Synthetic Metals, 120 (1-3), 1023-1024. http://doi.org/10.1016/s0379-6779(00)01076-6
Palacio, F., Castro, M., Antorrena, G., Burriel, R., Ritter, C., Bricklebank, N., ... B. Smith, J.N. (1997). Spontaneous Magnetisation at 36k in a Sulfur-Nitrogen Radical. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology. Section A. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, 306 (1), 293-300. http://doi.org/10.1080/10587259708044579
Antorrena, G., Bricklebank, N., Palacio, F., Rawson, J.M., & Smith, J.N.B. (1997). Novel Magnetic Materials Based on Sulfur-Nitrogen Radicals. Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements, 124 (1), 133-142. http://doi.org/10.1080/10426509708545618
Book chapters
Bricklebank, N. (2010). Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticle‐Based Intracellular Biosensors and Therapeutic Agents. (pp. 73-91). Wiley: http://doi.org/10.1002/9780470875780.ch5
Theses / Dissertations
Ready, J.D. (2024). Development of LA-ICP-MS and Associated Techniques Towards Analysis of Crop Enhancement Products. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Bricklebank, N. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00635
Billacura, M.D.G. (2023). Group-13 catalysed protocols for utilisationof CO2 as a sustainable C1 source. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Bricklebank, N., Whiteoak, C., & Forbes, S. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00525
Seaman, C. (2017). Investigation of nutrient solutions for the hydroponic growth of plants. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Bricklebank, N. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00042
Chen, Y.-.S. (2014). Phosphonium-functionalised gold nanoparticles for mitochondria targeted therapeutics. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Bricklebank, N., & Cross, N.
Ju-Nam, Y.K. (2007). Functionalised metal nanoparticles as novel reagents for biomedical analysis. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Bricklebank, N., Gardiner, P., & Allen, D.
Berridge, R. (2001). The synthesis of novel organometallic materials. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Skabara, P.J., Bricklebank, N., & Allen, D.W.
Derbyshire, M. (2001). Speciation of chromium in environmental matrices. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Gardiner, P., & Bricklebank, N.
Hargreaves, S. (2000). Novel supramolecular assemblies based on sulfur-nitrogen radicals. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Bricklebank, N., & Bell, N.
Other activities
Member of the standing committee of the UK Heads of Chemistry group
Member of the EPSRC Peer Review College