Dr Daniel Bull
School of Science, Engineering & Environment
Current positions
Lecturer
Biography
I obtained a BSc (Hons) in Physics from the University of East Anglia, followed by an MSc in Computational Physics from the University of Salford in. I was awarded a PhD in 2003, with research focused on the diffusion of hydrogen in the intermetallic compound ZrV₂. This work combined experimental quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) measurements with computational modelling, including the development of a methodology for simulating QENS via Fourier transforms of time-dependent pair-correlation functions generated through lattice gas Monte Carlo simulations.
Following my PhD, I was appointed as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Salford. During this time, I co-led a successful bid for HyTRAIN, a European Commission Marie Curie Research Training Network in hydrogen storage and was a key contributor to the funding proposal for the EC Integrated Project NESSHy (Novel Efficient Solid Storage of Hydrogen). In 2005, I was awarded an EPSRC Academic Fellowship at Salford.
In 2010, I was appointed as a Lecturer at the University of Salford. My research spans gas-solid interactions, particularly the absorption of hydrogen in metals and intermetallic compounds, and the adsorption of gases such as hydrogen, methane (for energy storage), and carbon dioxide (for sequestration). My work was primarily experimental, with a focus on the thermodynamic and kinetic characterisation of gas sorption processes, employing a range of techniques including X-ray and neutron scattering (diffraction, inelastic, and quasielastic), supported by numerical modelling using Monte Carlo simulations and Density Functional Theory calculations.
Since 2020, I have shifted my research focus toward computational methods. This transition, initially prompted by the COVID-19 lockdown, has led to renewed investigations into Monte Carlo simulations of hydrogen and deuterium diffusion in palladium, an area of increasing relevance due to its application in isotope separation and hydrogen purification. I have also initiated research using Lattice Boltzmann Modelling (LBM) to study gas adsorption on solid surfaces. This technique allows for the simultaneous modelling of fluid dynamics and adsorption phenomena. My work aims to address challenges in LBM, particularly in achieving accurate quantitative results by bridging the gap between lattice units and real-world physical parameters, incorporating realistic equations-of-state and physically meaningful adsorption potentials.
I have successfully supervised six PhD students to completion and am currently supervising one doctoral candidate, who is working on implementing adsorption potentials in LBM simulations.
Areas of Research
Monte Carlo simulation of quasielastic neutron scattering from hydrogen and deuterium diffusion in metals and intermetallic compounds.
Lattice Boltzmann Modelling (LBM) of gas adsorption on solid surfaces and in porous media.
Areas of Supervision
Monte Carlo simulation of hydrogen absorption and diffusion in metals and intermetallic compounds
Simulation of adsorption of gases in porous materials
Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Gas-Solid Interactions
Modelling of Physical Systems: Level 4, 20 Credits
Thermal Physics: Level 5, 20 Credits
Physics Laboratory 2, Computational: Level 5, 10 Credits
Condensed Matter Physics: Level 6, 10 Credits
Qualifications
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PhD in Materials Physics
1997 - 2003 -
Computational Physics
1995 - 1996 -
BSc(Hons) Physics with a Year in Continental Europe
1991 - 1995