Dr Robert Jacobs

Background

Dr Robert Jacobs studied for his first degree and D.Phil at St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, before in 2000 being appointed as Lecturer at Magdalen and Manager of the Surface Analysis Facility in the Chemistry Department of the University of Oxford.

Research Interests

My research interests are focused around applying state of the art instrumentation in surface science to novel problems. This has lead me into a wide range of fields including, amongst others, nanotechnology, electrochemistry and biotechnology. Many of the projects in which I become involved arise through collaborations with groups across the Department. Examples of publications arising from my work, are given below. My role in the Chemistry Department is as the Instrument Scientist and Manager responsible for the Surface Analysis Facility (SAF). This is a suite of equipment housed in several purpose built laboratories in the basement of the Chemistry Research Laboratory. The SAF contains a wide variety of state of the art scientific equipment capable of many experimental methods including: atomic force microscopy, scanning tunnelling microscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (including IRRAS, PMIRRAS and ATR spectroscopy), ellipsometry, X-ray reflectometry, surface characterisation by gas adsorption (surface area, pore size distribution etc.) and dynamic surface tension and contact angle measurements.

Selected Publications

• Nanoparticle Immobilization for Controllable Experiments in Liquid-Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy. Robertson AW, Zhu G, Mehdi BL, Jacobs RMJ, De Yoreo J, Browning ND ACS applied materials & interfaces 10(26):22801-22808 Jul 2018
• Effectiveness of commercial anti-graffiti treatments in two granites of different texture and mineralogy; Pozo-Antonio JS, Rivas T, Jacobs RMJ, Viles HA, Carmona-Quiroga PM PROGRESS IN ORGANIC COATINGS 116:70-82 Mar 2018
• Encapsulation of Cadmium Selenide Nanocrystals in Biocompatible Nanotubes: DFT Calculations, X-ray Diffraction Investigations, and Confocal Fluorescence Imaging. Calatayud DG, Ge H, Kuganathan N, Mirabello V, Jacobs RMJ, Rees NH, Stoppiello CT, Khlobystov AN, Tyrrell RM, Como ED et al ChemistryOpen 7(2):144-158 Feb 2018
• Multivalent-Ion-Activated Protein Adsorption Reflecting Bulk Reentrant Behavior. Fries MR, Stopper D, Braun MK, Hinderhofer A, Zhang F, Jacobs RMJ, Skoda MWA, Hansen-Goos H, Roth R, Schreiber F Physical review letters 119(22):228001 Dec 2017
• Behavior of Supramolecular Assemblies of Radiometal-Filled and Fluorescent Carbon Nanocapsules In Vitro and In Vivo Ge H, Riss PJ, Mirabello V, Calatayud DG, Flower SE, Arrowsmith RL, Fryer TD, Hong Y, Sawiak S, Jacobs RMJ et al CHEM 3(3):437-460 14 Sep 2017
• Electrochemical CO Oxidation at Platinum on Carbon Studied through Analysis of Anomalous in Situ IR Spectra. McPherson IJ, Ash PA, Jones L, Varambhia A, Jacobs RMJ, Vincent KA The journal of physical chemistry. C, Nanomaterials and interfaces 121(32):17176-17187 Aug 2017
• Fluorescence-Lifetime Imaging and Super-Resolution Microscopies Shed Light on the Directed- and Self-Assembly of Functional Porphyrins onto Carbon Nanotubes and Flat Surfaces. Mao B, Calatayud DG, Mirabello V, Kuganathan N, Ge H, Jacobs RMJ, Shepherd AM, Ribeiro Martins JA, Bernardino De La Serna J, Hodges BJ et al Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) 23(41):9772-9789 Jul 2017
• Effective Interactions and Colloidal Stability of Bovine γ-Globulin in Solution. Da Vela S, Roosen-Runge F, Skoda MWA, Jacobs RMJ, Seydel T, Frielinghaus H, Sztucki M, Schweins R, Zhang F, Schreiber FThe journal of physical chemistry. B 121(23):5759-5769 02 Jun 2017
• Durability of anti-graffiti coatings on stone: natural vs accelerated weathering. Carmona-Quiroga PM, Jacobs RMJ, Martínez-Ramírez S, Viles HA PloS one 12(2):e0172347 Jan 2017
• Weathering of Two Anti-Graffiti Protective Coatings on Concrete Paving Slabs Carmona-Quiroga PM, Jacobs RMJ, Viles HA COATINGS 7(1):Article number ARTN 1 Jan 2017
• Formate adsorption on Pt nanoparticles during formic acid electro-oxidation: insights from in situ infrared spectroscopy, McPherson, Ian J.; Ash, Philip A.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; et al CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS, 2016, 52, 85, 12665-12668
• On the question of two-step nucleation in protein crystallization Sauter, A; Roosen-Runge, F; Zhang, FJ ; Lotze, G ; Feoktystov, A ; Jacobs, RMJ ; Schreiber, F Faraday Discussions, 2015, 179, 41-58
• Real-Time Observation of Nonclassical Protein Crystallization Kinetics; Andrea Sauter, Felix Roosen-Runge, Fajun Zhang, Gudrun Lotze, Robert M. J. Jacobs, and Frank Schreiber J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 1485−1491
• Effective interactions in protein–salt solutions approaching liquid–liquid phase separation; Marcell Wolf, Felix Roosen-Runge, Fajun Zhang, Roland Roth, Maximilian W.A. Skoda, Robert M.J. Jacobs, Michael Sztucki, Frank Schreiber Journal of Molecular Liquids 200 (2014) 20–27
• Gold nanoparticles decorated with oligo(ethylene glycol) thiols: Surface charges and interactions with proteins in solution; Moritz Schollbach, Fajun Zhang, Felix Roosen-Runge, Maximilian W.A. Skoda, Robert M.J. Jacobs, Frank Schreiber Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 426 (2014) 31–38
• Structural, Electronic, and Electrical Properties of an Undoped n-Type CdO Thin Film with High Electron Concentration; Domenico A. Cristaldi, Salvatrice Millesi, Isodiana Crupi, Giuliana Impellizzeri, Francesco Priolo, Robert M. J. Jacobs, Russell G. Egdell, and Antonino Gulino J. Phys. Chem. C, 2014, 118 (27), pp 15019–15026
• Reentrant condensation, liquid-liquid phase separation and crystallization in protein solutions induced by multivalent metal ions; Zhang, FJ, Roosen-Runge, F, Sauter, A, Wolf, M, Jacobs, RMJ, Schreiber, F, Pure and applied chemistry 2014 86 (2) 191 -202
• Quiescent bilayers at the mica-water interface Speranza, F; Pilkington, GA; Dane, TG; Cresswell, PT; Li, PX; Jacobs, RMJ; Arnold, T; Bouchenoire, L; Thomas, RK; Briscoe, WH Soft Matter, 9, 29, 7028-7041
• A Joint Experimental and Computational Search for Authentic Nano-electrocatalytic Effects: Electrooxidation of Nitrite and L-Ascorbate on Gold Nanoparticle-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrodes; Wang, Ying; Ward, Kristopher R.; Laborda, Eduardo; Salter, Chris; Crossley, Alison; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Compton, Richard G. Small (2013), 9(3), 478-486.
• Behavior of silk protein at the air-water interface; Yang, Yuhong; Dicko, Cedric; Bain, Colin D.; Gong, Zuguang; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Shao, Zhengzhong; Terry, Ann E.; Vollrath, Fritz Soft Matter (2012), 8(37), 9705-9712.
• Stability of hexa(ethylene glycol) SAMs towards the exposure to natural light and repeated reimmersion; Zorn, Stefan; Dettinger, Ulf; Skoda, Maximilian W. A.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Peisert, Heiko; Gerlach, Alexander; Chasse, Thomas; Schreiber, Frank Applied Surface Science (2012), 258(20), 7882-7888.
• Synchrotron XRR study of soft nanofilms at the mica-water interface; Briscoe, Wuge H.; Speranza, Francesca; Li, Peixun; Konovalov, Oleg; Bouchenoire, Laurence; van Stam, Jan; Klein, Jacob; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Thomas, Robert K. Soft Matter (2012), 8(18), 5055-5068.
• Solution and surface-confined chloride anion templated redox-active ferrocene catenanes; Evans, Nicholas H.; Rahman, Habibur; Leontiev, Alexandre V.; Greenham, Neil D.; Orlowski, Grzegorz A.; Zeng, Qiang; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Serpell, Christopher J.; Kilah, Nathan L.; Davis, Jason J.; et al Chemical Science (2012), 3(4), 1080-1089.
• Hydration and interactions in protein solutions containing concentrated electrolytes studied by small-angle scattering; Zhang, F.; Roosen-Runge, F.; Skoda, M. W. A.; Jacobs, R. M. J.; Wolf, M.; Callow, Ph.; Frielinghaus, H.; Pipich, V.; Prevost, S.; Schreiber, F. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (2012), 14(7), 2483-2493.
• Charge-controlled metastable liquid-liquid phase separation in protein solutions as a universal pathway towards crystallization; Zhang, Fajun; Roth, Roland; Wolf, Marcell; Roosen-Runge, Felix; Skoda, Maximilian W. A.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Stzucki, Michael; Schreiber, Frank Soft Matter (2012), 8(5), 1313-1316.
• Dynamics of highly concentrated protein solutions around the denaturing transition; Hennig, Marcus; Roosen-Runge, Felix; Zhang, Fajun; Zorn, Stefan; Skoda, Maximilian W. A.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Seydel, Tilo; Schreiber, Frank Soft Matter (2012), 8(5), 1628-1633.
• Interactions between Amino acid-Tagged Naphthalenediimide and Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for the Design and Construction of New Bioimaging Probes; Hu, Zhiyuan; Pantos, G. Dan; Kuganathan, Navaratnarajah; Arrowsmith, Rory L.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Kociok-Koehn, Gabriele; O’Byrne, Justin; Jurkschat, Kerstin; Burgos, Pierre; Tyrrell, Rex M.; et al Advanced Functional Materials (2012), 22(3), 503-518.
• In situ electrochemical-X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy: Rubidium metal deposition from an ionic liquid in competition with solvent breakdown; Wibowo, Rahmat; Aldous, Leigh; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Manan, Ninie S. A.; Compton, Richard G. Chemical Physics Letters (2011), 517(1-3), 103-107.
• Protein self-diffusion in crowded solutions; Roosen-Runge, Felix; Hennig, Marcus; Zhang, Fajun; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Sztucki, Michael; Schober, Helmut; Seydel, Tilo; Schreiber, Frank Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2011), 108(29), 11815-11820.
• Monitoring potassium metal electrodeposition from an ionic liquid using in situ electrochemical-X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Wibowo, Rahmat; Aldous, Leigh; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Manan, Ninie S. A.; Compton, Richard G. Chemical Physics Letters (2011), 509(1-3), 72-76.
• On the Stability of Oligo(ethylene glycol) (C11EG6OMe) SAMs on Gold: Behavior at Elevated Temperature in Contact with Water; By Zorn, Stefan; Skoda, Maximilian W. A.; Gerlach, Alexander; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Schreiber, Frank Langmuir (2011), 27(6), 2237-2243.
• Reverse Micelle Synthesis of Co-Al LDHs: Control of Particle Size and Magnetic Properties; Wang, Chengle J.; Wu, Yimin A.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Warner, Jamie H.; Williams, Gareth R.; O’Hare, Dermot Chemistry of Materials (2011), 23(2), 171-180.
• Universality of protein reentrant condensation in solution induced by multivalent metal ions; Zhang, Fajun; Weggler, Sophie; Ziller, Michael J.; Ianeselli, Luca; Heck, Benjamin S.; Hildebrandt, Andreas; Kohlbacher, Oliver; Skoda, Maximilian W. A.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Schreiber, Frank Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics (2010), 78(16), 3450-3457.
• Structural, optical and electrical properties of In4Sn3O12 films prepared by pulsed laser deposition; O’Neil, David H.; Kuznetsov, Vladimir L.; Jacobs, Robert. M. J.; Jones, Martin O.; Edwards, Peter P. Materials Chemistry and Physics (2010), 123(1), 152-159.
• Protein diffusion in crowded electrolyte solutions; Roosen-Runge, Felix; Hennig, Marcus; Seydel, Tilo; Zhang, Fajun; Skoda, Maximilian W. A.; Zorn, Stefan; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Maccarini, Marco; Fouquet, Peter; Schreiber, Frank Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, Proteins and Proteomics (2010), 1804(1), 68-75.
• The influence of Sn doping on the growth of In2O3 on Y-stabilized ZrO2(100) by oxygen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy; Bourlange, A.; Payne, D. J.; Palgrave, R. G.; Zhang, H.; Foord, J. S.; Egdell, R. G.; Jacobs, R. M. J.; Veal, T. D.; King, P. D. C.; McConville, C. F. Journal of Applied Physics (2009), 106(1), 013703/1-013703/9.
• Optimizing the PMIRRAS signal from a multilayer system and application to self-assembled monolayers in contact with liquids; Skoda, M. W. A.; Jacobs, R. M. J.; Zorn, S.; Schreiber, F. Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena (2009), 172(1-3), 21-26.
• Investigation of the growth of In2O3 on Y-stabilized ZrO2(100) by oxygen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy; Bourlange, A.; Payne, D. J.; Palgrave, R. G.; Foord, J. S.; Egdell, R. G.; Jacobs, R. M. J.; Schertel, A.; Hutchison, J. L.; Dobson, P. J. Thin Solid Films (2009), 517(15), 4286-4294.
• Anion Templated Formation of Pseudorotaxane and Rotaxane Monolayers on Gold from Neutral Components; Zhao, Liyun; Davis, Jason J.; Mullen, Kathleen M.; Chmielewski, Michal J.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Brown, Asha; Beer, Paul D. Langmuir (2009), 25(5), 2935-2940.
• Protein Density Profile at the Interface of Water with Oligo(ethylene glycol) Self-Assembled Monolayers; Skoda, M. W. A.; Schreiber, F.; Jacobs, R. M. J.; Webster, J. R. P.; Wolff, M.; Dahint, R.; Schwendel, D.; Grunze, M. Langmuir (2009), 25(7), 4056-4064.
• Reentrant Condensation of Proteins in Solution Induced by Multivalent Counterions; Zhang, F.; Skoda, M. W. A.; Jacobs, R. M. J.; Zorn, S.; Martin, R. A.; Martin, C. M.; Clark, G. F.; Weggler, S.; Hildebrandt, A.; Kohlbacher, O.; et al Physical Review Letters (2008), 101(14), 148101/1-148101/4.
• Growth of Microscale In2O3 Islands on Y-Stabilized Zirconia(100) by Molecular Beam Epitaxy; Bourlange, A.; Payne, D. J.; Jacobs, R. M. J.; Egdell, R. G.; Foord, J. S.; Schertel, A.; Dobson, P. J.; Hutchison, J. L. Chemistry of Materials (2008), 20(14), 4551-4553.
• Gold nanoparticles decorated with oligo(ethylene glycol) thiols: kinetics of colloid aggregation driven by depletion forces; Zhang, Fajun; Dressen, Donald G.; Skoda, Maximilian W. A.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Zorn, Stefan; Martin, Richard A.; Martin, Christopher M.; Clark, Graham F.; Schreiber, Frank European Biophysics Journal (2008), 37(5), 551-561.
• Interactions between tripodal porphyrin hosts and single walled carbon nanotubes: an experimental and theoretical (DFT) account; Pascu, Sofia I.; Kuganathan, Navaratnarajah; Tong, Lok H.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Barnard, Peter J.; Chu, Brian T.; Huh, Yoon; Tobias, Gerard; Salzmann, Christoph G.; Sanders, Jeremy K. M.; et al Journal of Materials Chemistry (2008), 18(24), 2781-2788.
• TOF-2: A Large 1D Channel Thorium Organic Framework; Ok, Kang Min; Sung, Jaeyoung; Hu, Gang; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; O’Hare, Dermot Journal of the American Chemical Society (2008), 130(12), 3762-3763.
• Optical properties of pentacene and perfluoropentacene thin films; Hinderhofer, Alexander; Heinemeyer, Ute; Gerlach, Alexander; Kowarik, Stefan; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Sakamoto, Youichi; Suzuki, Toshiyasu; Schreiber, Frank Journal of Chemical Physics (2007), 127(19), 194705/1-194705/6.
• Applying grazing incidence X-ray reflectometry (XRR) to characterizing nanofilms on mica; Briscoe, Wuge H.; Chen, Meng; Dunlop, Iain E.; Klein, Jacob; Penfold, Jeffrey; Jacobs, Robert M. J. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (2007), 306(2), 459-463.
• Hydration of Oligo(ethylene glycol) Self-Assembled Monolayers Studied Using Polarization Modulation Infrared Spectroscopy; Skoda, M. W. A.; Jacobs, R. M. J.; Willis, J.; Schreiber, F. Langmuir (2007), 23(3), 970-974.
• ‘Green’ derivatization of carbon nanotubes with Nylon 6 and L-alanine; Basiuk, Vladimir A.; Salvador-Morales, Carolina; Basiuk, Elena V.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Ward, Michael; Chu, Bryan T.; Sim, Robert B.; Green, Malcolm L. H. Journal of Materials Chemistry (2006), 16(45), 4420-4426.
• An AFM Study of the Correlation of Lead Dioxide Electrocatalytic Activity with Observed Morphology; Hyde, Michael E.; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Compton, Richard G. Journal of Physical Chemistry B (2004), 108(20), 6381-6390.
• Surfaces Designed for Charge Reversal; Matthews, James R.; Tuncel, Doenues; Jacobs, Robert M. J.; Bain, Colin D.; Anderson, Harry L. Journal of the American Chemical Society (2003), 125(21), 6428-6433.