Contact Dr Ranko Vrcelj
Background
Ranko graduated from the University of Essex as a Theoretical Physicist, but then decided to work with real things and obtained an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Crystallography from Birkbeck College, University of London. He has worked at a number of UK Universities ranging across physics, chemistry and materials science.
Current activities
Ranko is a Senior Lecturer in Ordnance Science and Technology, with a background in both Academia and Industry. This experience leads to his interest in developing cross functional technologies, so that materials of use can be combined into effective delivery systems, generating a product that is greater than the sum of its parts.
With this broad interest in understanding the relationships between materials structure and subsequent usage, he is particularly focused on cross-disciplinary approaches to understanding material systems and then applying that understanding to real-world problems and has a number of areas of research:
3D printing of energetics
Crystallisation of materials from solution, vapour and melt phases
Polymorphism in organic materials
Hydration/Dehydration (and solvation in general) in organic materials
Developing new molecular constructs for safe materials handling
X-ray and optical imaging methods for materials analysis
Whole system understanding - from molecule through to product
Safer manufacturing and distributive manufacturing
Validation of model systems
Ranko publishes in peer-reviewed journals and is a reviewer for journal families such as the Royal Society of Chemistry and American Chemical Society. He currently teaches Pyrotechnics within the Centre for Defence Chemistry and is also a visiting academic at Chemistry, University of Southampton.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Hou WB, Ristic RI, Sherwood JN & Vrcelj RM. (2023). Seeded Crystal Growth of the Acentric Organic Nonlinear Optical Material Methyl-p-Hydroxybenzoate from the Vapor Phase. Crystal Growth & Design, 23(7)
- Vrcelj RM, Gallagher HG & Halfpenny PJ. (2023). John N. Sherwood: Studies of Energetic Materials. Crystal Growth & Design, 23(8)
- Gallagher HG, Sherwood JN & Vrcelj RM. (2021). Microhardness Indentation Studies of 2‐4‐6 Trinitrotoluene. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 46(11)
- Hou W, Ristic RI, Srinivasan K, Vrcelj RM, Hammond RB, .... (2019). Crystal Growth of the Acentric Organic Nonlinear Optical Material Methyl-p-hydroxybenzoate: Morphological Variations in Crystals Grown by Physical Vapor Transport. Crystal Growth & Design, 19(10)
- Churchyard S, Fang X & Vrcelj R. (2019). Laser ignitibility of energetic crystals doped with gold nanoparticles. Optics & Laser Technology, 113
- Moniruzzaman M, Christogianni P, Vrcelj RM & Gill PP. (2018). Ultrasonic Studies of Solid Azobenzene-Decorated Polymer Thin Films. ACS Omega, 3(12)
- Williams MR & Vrcelj RM. (2018). Internal Temperature and Pressure and the Rate of Mass Loss from Hand Thrown Smoke Grenades. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 43(8)
- Gallagher HG, Sherwood JN & Vrcelj RM. (2017). The growth and perfection of β-cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine (HMX) studied by laboratory and synchrotron X-ray topography. Journal of Crystal Growth, 475
- Odstrcil M, Baksh P, Gawith C, Vrcelj R, Frey JG, .... (2016). Nonlinear ptychographic coherent diffractive imaging. Optics Express, 24(18)
- Blair LH, Colakel A, Vrcelj RM, Sinclair I & Coles SJ. (2015). Metal–organic fireworks: MOFs as integrated structural scaffolds for pyrotechnic materials. Chemical Communications, 51(61)
- Gallagher HG, Miller JC, Sheen DB, Sherwood JN & Vrcelj RM. (2015). Mechanical properties of β-HMX. Chemistry Central Journal, 9(1)
- Blair L, Coles S, Sinclair I & Vrcelj R. (2014). Mixing and Quantifying Multi-Component Materials for Pyrotechnic Applications. Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations and Advances, 70(a1)
- Gallagher HG, Sherwood JN & Vrcelj RM. (2014). Growth and dislocation studies of β-HMX. Chemistry Central Journal, 8(1)
- Okoth MO, Vrcelj RM, Sheen DB & Sherwood JN. (2013). Dehydration mechanism of a small molecular solid: 5-nitrouracil hydrate. CrystEngComm, 15(40)
- Okoth MO, Vrcelj RM, Pitak MB, Sheen DB & Sherwood JN. (2012). Polymorphism and Hydrated States in 5-Nitrouracil Crystallized from Aqueous Solution. Crystal Growth & Design, 12(10)
- Okoth MO, Vrcelj RM, Sheen DB & Sherwood JN. (2012). Hydration studies of a simple molecular solid. CrystEngComm, 14(5)
- Burley JC, Duer MJ, Stein RS & Vrcelj RM. (2007). Enforcing Ostwald's rule of stages: Isolation of paracetamol forms III and II. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 31(5)
- Murugesan M, Cunningham D, Martinez-Albertos J-L, Vrcelj RM & Moore BD. (2005). Nanoparticle-coated microcrystals. Chemical Communications, 0(21)
- Kellie JD, Clive PJM, Yang GL, Beck R, Evans BC, .... (2005). The selection and performance of diamond radiators used in coherent bremsstrahlung experiments. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 545(1-2)
- Kennedy AR, Okoth MO, Sheen DB, Sherwood JN, Teat SJ, .... (2004). Cephalexin: A Channel Hydrate. ChemInform, 35(13)
- Vrcelj RM, Clark NIB, Kennedy AR, Sheen DB, Shepherd EEA, .... (2003). Two New Paracetamol/Dioxane Solvates—a System Exhibiting a Reversible Solid‐State Phase Transformation. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 92(10)
- Kennedy AR, Okoth MO, Sheen DB, Sherwood JN, Teat SJ, .... (2003). Cephalexin: a channel hydrate. Acta Crystallographica Section C Crystal Structure Communications, 59(11)
- Vrcelj RM, Sherwood JN, Kennedy AR, Gallagher HG & Gelbrich T. (2003). Polymorphism in 2-4-6 Trinitrotoluene. Crystal Growth & Design, 3(6)
- Gallagher HG, Vrcelj RM & Sherwood JN. (2003). The crystal growth and perfection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene. Journal of Crystal Growth, 250(3-4)
- Vrcelj RM, Shepherd EEA, Yoon C-S, Sherwood JN & Kennedy AR. (2002). Preparation and Structural Evaluation of the Conformational Polymorphs of α-[(4-Methoxyphenyl)methylene]-4-nitrobenzeneacetonitrile. Crystal Growth & Design, 2(6)
- Brahadeeswaran S, Bhat HL, Sherwood JN & Vrcelj RM. (2002). Sodiump-nitrophenolate tetrahydrate. Acta Crystallographica Section E Structure Reports Online, 58(6)
- Vrcelj RM, Gallagher HG & Sherwood JN. (2001). Polymorphism in 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene Crystallized from Solution. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 123(10)
- Gallagher HG, Qi X, Sherwood JN & Vrcelj RM. (2001). Crystal growth and characterisation of KTiOAsO4. Journal of Crystal Growth, 224(3-4)
- Clegg W, Teat SJ, Prasad KVR, Ristic RI, Sheen DB, .... (1999). ChemInform Abstract: An Oxidatively Coupled Dimer of Paracetamol.. ChemInform, 30(14)
- Clegg W, Teat SJ, Prasad KVR, Ristic RI, Sheen DB, .... (1998). An Oxidatively Coupled Dimer of Paracetamol. Acta Crystallographica Section C Crystal Structure Communications, 54(12)
- KENNEDY AR, OKOTH MO, SHEEN DB, SHERWOOD JN & VRCELJ RM. (1998). ChemInform Abstract: Two New Structures of 5‐Nitrouracil.. ChemInform, 29(30)
- Kennedy AR, Okoth MO, Sheen DB, Sherwood JN & Vrcelj RM. (1998). Two New Structures of 5-Nitrouracil. Acta Crystallographica Section C Crystal Structure Communications, 54(4)
Conference Papers
Books
- McGee C, Stennett C, Clements J & Vrcelj R. (2023). Towards Understanding the Detonation Properties of Additively Manufactured RDX: Dry Powder Printed In Future Developments in Explosives and Energetics. Royal Society of Chemistry.
- Vrcelj R. (2019). Chapter 5: Pyrotechnics and the environment In Cumming AS & Johnson MS (eds), Energetic Materials and Munitions: Life Cycle Management, Environmental Impact, and Demilitarization. Wiley.
- Vrcelj R. (2019). Pyrotechnics and The Environment In Energetic Materials and Munitions: Life Cycle Management, Environmental Impact, and Demilitarization. Wiley.
