ProfessorLuke Henderson

Professor in Materials Chemistry

I obtained my Bachelor of Science (with advanced studies) (Hons) in 2002 from Griffith University, majoring in Chemistry and Mathematics. In 2003, I undertook a PhD, cosupervised by Prof. Wendy Loughlin and Prof. Ian Jenkins, on the Total Synthesis of Hyphodermins A-D. Graduating late 2007, I spent 1 year as a postdoctoral researcher within the group of Prof. Michael Willis at Oxford University. This work centred on the use of cascade Buchwald Hartwig Couplings to syntheise indoles. Returning to Australia in 2008 as an Alfred Deakin Research Fellow, supervised by A/Prof Fred Pfeffer, I worked on the development of conformationally preorganised norbornanes as novel antibiotics.

In 2012 I moved to the Institute for Frontier Materials with several research foci, still in the use of organic chemistry in applied areas of materials and medicine. Since this time I have developed a research focus on the modification and manipulation of surface chemistries, primarily of carbon
fibre, for application in advanced composite materials.

In recent years my focus has been almost exclusively on the manipulation of surface chemistry and using this to install functionality. This functionality can be improved physical, chemical, and electrochemical properties. The major material of focus is carbon fibre, where a primary objective is to install surface chemistry that complements the matrix of the target composite. We use an array of chemistries to modify surfaces but the most common, and effective thus far, has been by using electrochemistry.

In 2023 I was awarded an ARC Mid-Career Industry Fellowship, 1 of 25 awarded nationally, to focus on the development of new technologies for tailoring pristine and reclaimed carbon fibres for second life applications. This project was supported by Solvay (Syensqo), Gen2Carbon (Australia), and the Australian Research Council.