Iain McKenzie

Background

About Iain McKenzie

I am a board appointed scientist at TRIUMF's Centre for Molecular and Materials Science (CMMS) and I have adjunct appointments in the Department of Chemistry at Simon Fraser University and the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Waterloo. My research has two main themes;(1) using spin labels to study dynamics in soft matter systems like polymers and liquid crystals and (2) studying the structure and dynamics of free radicals. I use βNMR to study the depth dependence of dynamics in polymer glasses. I have shown that there is enhanced dynamics within ~10 nm of the free surface and determined how this near-surface region depends on temperature and molecular weight. I also use βNMR to study the diffusion of lithium-8 and sodium-26 in polymer electrolytes. I have measured the barrier for lithium ion hopping in the polymer electrolyte PEO and studied the effect of salts on diffusion. I use muon spin resonance spectroscopy (μSR) to study the interaction of drug molecules with model biomembranes and dynamics within DPPC:POPC and DPPC:cholesterol membranes. I also use μSR to study paramagnetic states in organic semiconductors. I collaborate with scientists across North America, Europe and Asia. Specialties: Muon spin rotation/resonance/relaxation spectroscopy (μSR) with applications in chemistry and soft matter physics, β-detected NMR (βNMR) of soft matter and battery materials, ab initio calculations, magnetic resonance, spin labeling, chemical kinetics