Dr. Thomas has more than twenty-three years of industrial experience in the characterization of powders and porous materials. After studying for his Masters degree in analytical chemistry and then his doctorate in inorganic/physical chemistry - both at the School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham (UK) - he joined Cookson Group's Central Research labs where he began his specialization in powders. He joined ICI's Catalyst Research Centre (now a Johnson-Matthey facility) in 1985 and spent six years as a Principal Research Officer in charge of the porous materials characterization lab with additional duties in thermal analysis and specialized project areas. In 1991 Dr Thomas joined Quantachrome as Technical Service Manager. Since then he has provided expert technical assistance not only to our engineering, sales, service, customer training and laboratory functions, but also to existing and potential customers and overseas representatives alike.
Dr Thomas is currently Director of Business Development, but still continues his vital role in technical support, both in Florida and traveling the world training users in theory, application and proper use of Quantachrome's instruments.
Teaching Interests
Dr Thomas regularly lectures for the Center for Professional Advancement in their courses on powder properties and processing, which includes pharmaceutical tablet, granule and capsule technology.
He also organizes and presents one- and two-day Quantachrome short courses, for beginners and intermediate level, in the field of porous materials and catalyst characterization techniques. To date, the combined audience for these short courses totals more than 350.
Specialties
Dr Thomas provides application support primarily for catalyst characterization by chemisorption and temperature programmed methods, and also for pharmaceutical materials. He is particularly interested in improving protocols for excipient characterization, especially with regard to magnesium stearate BET surface area.
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- Characterization of Porous Solids and Powders: Surface Area, Porosity and Density, S. Lowell, J. Shields, M.A.Thomas & M. Thommes (2004) Springer, ISBN 1402023022.
- United States Patent, 6,387,704 Thomas et al (2002) "Method for compensating for the time-dependent change in coolant level during gas sorption analysis".
- "Characterization of a gel-derived silica intended for use as a reference material", M.A. Thomas and N.J. Coleman, (2001) Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 187/188, 123 - 130.
- "A New Gel- Derived Mesoporous Gas Sorption Reference Material: Supporting Mercury Intrusion Data", N.J. Coleman and M.A. Thomas, in Adsorption Science and Technology, Editor Duong D. Do, World Scientific (2000), 608 - 612.
- "Tablet Technology. Measuring the Surface Area of Magnesium Stearate using Nitrogen Physisorption." E. Haley, M. Atwell, D. Malpas, M. Tucker and M. A. Thomas, Bulk Handling International, 55 - 57 (May/June 1998).
- "Modelling of Mercury Intrusion and Extrusion." M. Day, I.B. Parker, J. Bell, M.A. Thomas, R.S. Fletcher and J. Duffie, IUPAC Symposium on Characterization of Porous Solids (COPS II), Alicante (1990).
- "Refinement of the structure of deuterated nickel hydroxide, Ni(OD)2, by powder neutron diffraction and evidence for structural disorder in samples with high surface area.", C. Greaves and M. A. Thomas (1986) Acta Cryst. B42, 51-55.
- "Structure of the mixed conductor Ni2O3H by powder neutron diffraction" Colin Greaves, A. Melanie Malsbury and Martin A. Thomas (1986) Solid State Ionics 18-19, 763-767.
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Committee Memberships
ASTM Committees C01, Cement; D11, Rubber; D20, Plastics; D24, Carbon Black; D32, Catalysts; F04, Medical and Surgical Materials and Devices.
Contact
Dr.Thomas can be reached by email at martin.thomas@quantachrome.com
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