Jan Maurycy Uszko

I’m a passionate chemist specialising in functional inorganic materials and their synthesis. As a PhD researcher at the University of Bristol, I combine academic research with hands-on lab management to drive innovation and environmental responsibility. I developed the BANG method (Bristol Accelerated Nanoparticle Generation), a novel approach to synthesising functional nanoparticles through controlled detonation — an exciting technique that’s opened up new possibilities in the field. I led my lab to a gold LEAF certification, proving my commitment to both precision and sustainability. Outside the lab, I practice karate and enjoy tinkering with electronics.

Feel free to get in touch via LinkedIn or email.

🏆 Recent Awards

Best Oral Presentation
NTREM — Apr 2025
The Best Oral presentation at the 2025 NTREM conference. Presentation title: Novel Explosive Method for the Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles.
Best Poster on BCI Postgraduate Research Symposium 2024
Bristol Composite Institute — Mar 2024
University of Bristol
The Best Poster at the 2024 BCI Postgraduate Research Symposium. Poster title: Explosive Chrysopoeia
Hexcel Best Reserch Project 2023
Hexcel — Feb 2024
University of Bristol

latest posts

Sep 01, 2025	Internship at NIMS, Japan
Aug 12, 2025	Admitted as a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry
Jun 19, 2025	Recognised as Associate Fellow of Advance HE

selected publications

Detonation of fulminating gold produces heterogeneous gold nanoparticles

Jan Maurycy Uszko, Stephen J. Eichhorn, Avinash J. Patil, and Simon R. Hall

Nanoscale Advances, 2024
Novel explosive method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles

Jan Maurycy Uszko, Robert Matyas, Stephen J. Eichhorn, Avinash J. Patil, and 1 more author

Proceedings of the 27th Seminar on New Trends in Research of Energetic Materials, Apr 2025

PDF
Morphological control of cuprate superconductors using sea sponges as templates

Jan Maurycy Uszko, Jula C. Schroeder, Stephen J. Eichhorn, Avinash J. Patil, and 1 more author

RSC Adv., Apr 2025

Abs PDF

Functional porous superconducting sponges, consisting of YBa2Cu3O6+I’ (YBCO) and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+I’ (BSCCO), were created by biotemplating with natural sea sponges. Naturally occurring calcium in the spongin fibers was utilized to dope YBCO and to form BSCCO without adding any external calcium source. The sample morphology was confirmed with scanning electron microscopy, and the sample composition was confirmed with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, powder electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The YBCO sponge exhibited a critical temperature (Tc) of approximately 70 K, and the BSCCO sponge showed a Tc of 77 K. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the feasibility of using sea sponges as a greener, more sustainable template for superconductor synthesis.
Explosive Chrysopoeia

Jan Maurycy Uszko, Stephen J. Eichhorn, Avinash J. Patil, and Simon R. Hall

Apr 2023