Dr Alejandro Garcia-Miranda Ferrari PhD CSci MRSC

KTP Associate PDRA (Aquacheck) / Prof Banks Research Group

My profile

Biography

I have a multidisciplinary background with a BSc in Biology and a MSc in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Oviedo (Spain), followed by a PhD in exploring the synthesis, surface analysis and electrochemistry of advanced functional materials for novel sensors and energy devices (fuel cells, batteries, capacitors etc.) awarded by Manchester Metropolitan University (UK). 

My background covers multiple electrochemical technologies, from developing low-cost sensor devices from my work with Prof. Fernandez Abedul’s group at University of Oviedo (Spain) to Screen-Printed Electrodes and Additive Manufactured (AM) electrochemical devices towards energy storage/generation devices and sensors, with emphasis on the physicochemical characterisation, scaling up and electrochemical performance. 

Specific expertise: advanced materials, graphene synthesis and characterisation, manufacturing techniques and electrochemical applications. 

Interests and expertise

I am a Knowledge Transfer project manager and post-doctoral research associate developing electrochemical on-site sensor solutions for water monitoring (heavy metals) for drinking water. I also focus on 2D materials such as graphene and others for the manufacture of screen-printed and additive manufactured (AM) electrochemical devices. My research expands from fundamental electrochemistry and surface characterisation at the nanoscale using Raman mapping and AFM to commercial scale production of electrodes for electrochemical applications.

Get in touch

John Dalton Building

Impact

I have experience with SMEs and large industrial and policy stakeholders, targeting the use of electrochemical solutions towards environmental monitoring and healthcare sensing devices.

I am a 1st Cohort Mentor for Destination STEMM – Chemical Sciences with the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Sensors MDPI Reviewer Board.

MRSC and ECS member.

International PhD Thesis Reviewer.

Projects

Fundamental exploration of the electrochemistry of 2D materials

Development of electrochemical heavy metal sensors for drinking water monitoring

Screen-Printed Electrode design: water monitoring, rapid healthcare diagnostics etc.

Technical expertise:

  • Electrochemical techniques: electroanalysis (voltammetry, amperometry, impedance), energy storage and generation (HER, OER, charge discharge, capacitance, electrodeposition etc.).
  • Surface analysis: Physicochemical in- and ex-situ characterisation (Raman, AFM, c-AFM, TERS, SEM, EDX, TGA, XPS, TEM etc.)
  • Material synthesis: Chemical Vapour Deposition, Pyrolisis, Chemical synthesis, Chemical and Mechanical Exfoliation.
  • Additive manufacturing: thin films, screen printing, roll-to-roll, injection, extrusion, 3D printing and electrospinning (polymer composition, extrusion, percolation, conductivity, printability, rheology etc).
  • Software: OriginLabs, Corel Draw, Office Suite, CAD etc.

Teaching

Continuous training and operational support to MMU’s staff in surface analysis, electrochemical techniques, advanced materials and sensor manufacture, including but not only the AFM-Raman-Electrochemistry rig.

Liaising and guiding water industry companies field teams and SMEs about heavy metal contamination, their legal requirements and health risks, acquisition and interpretation of data and correct use of analytical tool and techniques. Includes units on sensors, nanotechnology, advance materials and surface chemistry.

Invited Guest Lectures for Chemistry in Society 3, Manchester Metropolitan University. Case study: Pb contamination within water supply; Use of Advanced functional materials for screen-printed portable sensor solutions.

International PhD Thesis Reviewer in collaboration with NanoBioAnalysis Group, University of Oviedo (Spain), topics: lab-on-a-chip devices, sensors, advanced functional materials, nanotechnology biomarkers and clinical diagnostics.

Supervision

I have directly supervised and assisted in several national and international undergraduate and MSc projects such as:

  • Design and manufacture of Screen-Printed Platforms for collaborators international research collaborations (Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, India, Ireland, Netherlands, UK, USA etc).
  • 2D Nanomaterial-based sensor towards legal highs
  • Investigating the electrochemical capabilities of hexagonal boron nitride.

Research outputs

Materials science, characterization and fabrication

Advanced Materials & Surface Engineering Research Centre

Electrochemistry of 2D materials

Presentations:

  • Mass-produced materials as the basis of low-cost (bio)electroanalytical devices. 18thInternational Conference on Electroanalysis ESEAC, 2022.

  • Metallic mass-produced pins as electrodes in (Bio)electroanalytical devices for clinical applications. 31st Anniversary World Congress on Biosensors, 2021.

  • In-situ lead ion disposable handheld sensor for drinking water. Invited present at SWIG/KTN SENSOR SPRINT, 2021.

  • Metallic mass-produced pins as electrodes in (Bio)electroanalytical devices for clinical applications. 31st Anniversary World Congress on Biosensors, 2021.
  • KTN-Innovation Exchange (iX) Challenge: Identifying lead supply pipes with minimal disruption. March 2021, Finalist.
  • Invited talk: Handheld in-situ Electrochemical Lead sensor for tap water. US Army DEVCOM Soldier Center Virtual Water Sensor Online Symposium. 2021
  • Aquacheck, Where Engineering Meets Innovation: “The Lead Problem”. Welsh Water Innovation Day 2020.
  • Recent advances in portable heavy metal electrochemical sensing platforms. Butler Meeting, Newcastle, 2020.
  • Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, How and Why. MMUScience and Engineering RKE, Manchester, 2020.
  • Manipulating electrode configurations (from single layers to three-dimensional printed structures) to enhance electrochemical sensing applications. Bio-sensing Technology, Malaysia, 2019.
  • Investigating the Integrity of Graphene towards the Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER). Graphene for US 2019 Conference, USA, 2019.
  • Exploring the reactivity of distinct electron transfer sites at CVD grown monolayer graphene through the selective electrodeposition of MoO2 nanowires. 17th International Conference on Electroanalysis, Greece, 2018.
  • Batch injection electroanalysis with stainless-steel pins as electrodes in single and multiplexed configurations. II WORKSHOP ON ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICES, Spain, 2017.
  • Invited to The American Chemistry Society (ACS) Fall 2022: Water Sensor Symposium.

Journal Articles:

  • Functionalized screen-printed electrodes for the thermal detection of Escherichia coli in dairy products, Rocio Arreguin-Campos, Margaux Frigoli, Manlio Caldara, Robert D. Crapnell, Alejandro Garcia-Miranda Ferrari, Craig E. Banks, Thomas J. Cleij, Hanne Diliën, Kasper Eersels, Bart van Grinsven, Food Chemistry,
    Volume 404, Part B, 2023, 134653.

  • The effect of water ingress on additively manufactured electrodes, Williams, R.; Crapnell, R.; Garcia-Miranda Ferrari, A.; Banks, C.; Mater. Adv., 2022, 3, 7632-7639.

  • Electroanalytical Overview: The Detection of Chromium, Garcia-Miranda Ferrari, A.; Crapnell, R.; Adarakatti, P.S.; Suma, B.P.; Banks, C.E.; Sensors and Actuators Reports, Volume 4, 2022, 100116.

  • 2D-Hexagonal Boron Nitride Screen-Printed Bulk Modified Electrochemical Platforms Explored Towards the Oxygen Reduction Reaction, Khan, A.F.; García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Hughes, J.P.; Smith, G.C.; Rowley-Neale, S.J.; Banks, C.E., Sensors (Basel). 2022 Apr 26;22(9):3330.

  • Electroanalytical Overview: Screen-printed electrochemical sensing platforms for the detection of vital cardiac, cancer and inflammatory biomarkers, Crapnell, R.; Garcia-Miranda Ferrari, A.; Depmsey, N.; Banks, C.E., SensDiag, 2022, 1, 405-428.

  • All-in-one single print additively manufactured electroanalytical sensing platforms, Crapnell, R.; Bernalte, E. ; Garcia-Miranda Ferrari, A.; Whittingham, M.; Williams, R.; Hurst, N.; Banks, C.E., ACS Meas. Sci. Au, 2021.

  • Electrochemical improvements can be realised via shortening of the length of screen-printed electrochemical platforms, Whittingham, M.; Hurst, N.; Crapnell, R.; Garcia-Miranda Ferrari, A.; Blanco, E.; Davies, T. and Banks, C.E., Analytical Chemistry, 2021.

  • Electroanalytical Overview: Electrochemical sensing platforms for food and drink safety, García-Miranda Ferrari, A; Crapnell, R.D. and Banks, C.E., Biosensors, 2021, 11(8), 291.
  • MoO2 Nanowire Electrochemically Decorated Graphene Additively Manufactured Supercapacitor Platforms, García-Miranda Ferrari, A.; Pimlott, J.;  Down, M. P.;  Rowley-Neale, S. J.; Banks, C. E., Advanced Energy Materials, 2021, 2100433.
  • Toward the Rapid Diagnosis of Sepsis: Detecting Interleukin-6 in Blood Plasma Using Functionalized Screen-Printed Electrodes with a Thermal Detection Methodology, Crapnell, R. D.;  Jesadabundit, W.;  García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Dempsey-Hibbert, N. C.;  Peeters, M.;  Tridente, A.;  Chailapakul, O.; Banks, C. E., Analytical Chemistry, 2021, 93 (14), 5931-5938.
  • Screen-printed electrodes: Transitioning the laboratory in-to-the field, García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Rowley-Neale, S. J.; Banks, C. E., Talanta Open, 2021, 3, 100032.
  • Recent advances in 2D hexagonal boron nitride (2D-hBN) applied as the basis of electrochemical sensing platforms, García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Rowley-Neale, S. J.; Banks, C. E., Analytical Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2021, 413 (3), 663-672.
  • Electrochemical properties of vertically aligned graphenes: tailoring heterogeneous electron transfer through manipulation of the carbon microstructure, Brownson, D. A. C.;  Garcia-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Ghosh, S.;  Kamruddin, M.;  Iniesta, J.; Banks, C. E., Nanoscale Advances, 2020, 2 (11), 5319-5328.
  • Screen-printed electrochemical-based sensor for taxifolin determination in edible peanut oils, Pierini, G. D.;  Maccio, S. A.;  Robledo, S. N.;  Ferrari, A. G.-M.;  Banks, C. E.;  Fernández, H.; Zon, M. A., Microchemical Journal, 2020, 159, 105442.
  • Platinum nanoparticle decorated vertically aligned graphene screen-printed electrodes: electrochemical characterisation and exploration towards the hydrogen evolution reaction, Scremin, J.;  Joviano dos Santos, I. V.;  Hughes, J. P.;  García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Valderrama, E.;  Zheng, W.;  Zhong, X.;  Zhao, X.;  Sartori, E. J. R.;  Crapnell, R. D.;  Rowley-Neale, S. J.; Banks, C. E., Nanoscale 2020, 18214-18224.
  • Imaging the reactivity and width of graphene’s boundary region, AlSalem, H. S.;  Al-Goul, S. T.;  García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Brownson, D. A. C.;  Velarde, L.; Koehler, S. P. K., Chemical Communications. 2020, 56 (67), 9612-9615.
  • Recent advances in portable heavy metal electrochemical sensing platforms, García-Miranda Ferrari, A.; Carrington, P.; Rowley-Neale, S. J.; Banks, C. E., Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology 2020,6, 2676-2690.
  • The influence of lateral flake size in graphene/graphite paste electrodes: an electroanalytical investigation, García-Miranda Ferrari, A.; Elbardisy, H. M.; Silva, V.; Belal, T. S.; Talaat, W.;  Daabees, H. G.;  Banks, C. E.; Brownson, D. A. C., Analytical Methods 2020, 12 (16), 2133-2142.
  • Tailoring the electrochemical properties of 2D-hBN via physical linear defects: physicochemical, computational and electrochemical characterisation, García-Miranda Ferrari, A.; Brownson, D. A. C.; Abo Dena, A. S.;  Foster, C. W.;  Rowley-Neale, S. J.; Banks, C. E., Nanoscale Advances 2020, 2 (1), 264-273.
  • Ni−Fe (Oxy)hydroxide Modified Graphene Additive Manufactured (3D-Printed) Electrochemical Platforms as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction, dos Santos, P. L.; Rowley-Neale, S. J.;  Ferrari, A. G.-M.;  Bonacin, J. A.; Banks, C. E., ChemElectroChem 2019, 6 (22), 5633-5641.
  • Investigating the Integrity of Graphene towards the Electrochemical Oxygen Evolution Reaction, García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Brownson, D. A. C.; Banks, C. E., ChemElectroChem 2019, 6 (21), 5446-5453.
  • Investigating the Integrity of Graphene towards the Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER), García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Brownson, D. A. C.; Banks, C. E., Scientific Reports 2019, 9 (1), 15961.
  • Exploring the reactivity of distinct electron transfer sites at CVD grown monolayer graphene through the selective electrodeposition of MoO2 nanowires, Garcia-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Foster, C. W.;  Brownson, D. A. C.;  Whitehead, K. A.; Banks, C. E., Scientific Reports 2019, 9 (1), 12814.
  • Next-Generation Additive Manufacturing: Tailorable Graphene/Polylactic(acid) Filaments Allow the Fabrication of 3D Printable Porous Anodes for Utilisation within Lithium-ion Batteries, Foster, C. W.;  Zou, G.-Q.;  Jiang, Y.;  Down, M. P.;  Liauw, C. M.;  Garcia-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Ji, X.;  Smith, G. C.;  Kelly, P. J.; Banks, C. E., Batteries & Supercaps 2019, 2 (5), 399-400.
  • Forensic Electrochemistry: The Electroanalytical Sensing of Mephedrone Metabolites, Elbardisy, H. M.;  Ferrari, A. G. M.;  Foster, C. W.;  Sutcliffe, O. B.;  Brownson, D. A. C.;  Belal, T. S.;  Talaat, W.;  Daabees, H. G.; Banks, C. E., ACS Omega 2019, 4 (1), 1947-1954.
  • Determination of the Electrochemical Area of Screen-Printed Electrochemical Sensing Platforms, García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Foster, C. W.;  Kelly, P.;  Brownson, D. C.; Banks, C. E., Biosensors 2018, 8 (2).
  • Batch injection electroanalysis with stainless-steel pins as electrodes in single and multiplexed configurations, García-Miranda Ferrari, A.;  Amor-Gutiérrez, O.;  Costa-Rama, E.; Fernández-Abedul, M. T., Sensors Actuators B: Chem. 2017, 253, 1207-1213.

Book Chapters:

  • Sensing Materials: Carbon Materials, Encyclopedia of Sensors and Biosensors edited by Roger Narayan, 2021, Elsevier. 

Trade Publications:

  • Changes in the new European Drinking Water Directive require updates in portable water sensing platforms. García-Miranda Ferrari, A, Institute of Water Magazine, Spring, 2021, 42-43.