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
• Conference papers
• Books