Martyn Poliakoff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Martyn Poliakoff
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Poliakoff during the filming of a Periodic Videos video
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| Born | 16 December 1947 London, England
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| Alma mater | King's College, Cambridge (BA, PhD) |
| Known for | Periodic Videos |
| Spouse(s) |
Janet Frances Keene
(m. 1969) |
| Children | 2 |
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| Institutions | |
| Thesis | The matrix isolation of large molecules. The photochemistry of transition metal carbonyls (1973) |
| Doctoral advisor | J. J. Turner |
| Doctoral students | Andrew Ian Cooper |
Sir Martyn Poliakoff (born 16 December 1947) is a British chemist. He is famous for his work in green chemistry, which focuses on making chemical processes safer and better for the environment. He is also well-known as the main presenter on the popular YouTube channel Periodic Videos.
His main research areas include supercritical fluids, which are special gases that act like liquids, and using infrared spectroscopy and lasers in chemistry. He works as a research professor at the University of Nottingham, where he also teaches about green chemistry.
Contents
Early Life and School
Martyn Poliakoff was born in London, England. His mother, Ina, was British-Jewish, and his father, Alexander Poliakoff, was Russian-Jewish. He has a younger brother, Stephen Poliakoff, who is a writer and director. His grandfather, Joseph Poliakoff, was an inventor who moved to the UK from Russia in 1924.
Martyn went to Westminster School. After that, he studied chemistry at King's College, Cambridge. He earned his first degree in 1969. While at university, he became good friends with Tony Judt, who later became a famous historian. Martyn then completed his PhD in chemistry at Cambridge in 1973.
Career and Discoveries
In 1972, Poliakoff started working at Newcastle University. In 1979, he moved to the University of Nottingham as a lecturer. He became a full professor there in 1991. His research has received funding from the EPSRC, a group that supports science and engineering research.
Green Chemistry and Supercritical Fluids
Poliakoff is a world leader in green chemistry. He is especially interested in how supercritical fluids can be used. These are gases that are squashed (highly compressed) so much that they have properties of both gases and liquids. This means they can be used for chemical reactions without needing harmful organic solvents.
His work has helped create ways to use supercritical carbon dioxide and water. These can replace traditional solvents in factories, making chemical production much safer for people and the environment. From 2011 to 2016, he also worked for the Royal Society, helping to share UK science around the world.
Sharing Science with Everyone
Poliakoff is the main person you see in most of the videos for The Periodic Table of Videos. This project started to teach people about all 118 elements on the periodic table. Now, it also covers different molecules and other interesting chemistry topics.
He even made headlines when he figured out that the FIFA World Cup Trophy couldn't be solid gold. If it were, it would be too heavy for anyone to lift! He has shown his videos at science events in places like Moscow.
Awards and Recognition
Martyn Poliakoff has received many awards for his work. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2002. This is a very high honor for scientists. He also became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in the same year.
In 2008, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This is an award from the British King or Queen. In 2015, he was knighted, which means he can use the title "Sir."
In 2019, he won the Royal Society of London Michael Faraday Prize. This award is for scientists who are great at talking about science to the public, especially for his work on Periodic Videos. He also received the Longstaff Prize for his amazing contributions to green chemistry.
In 2021, a tram in Nottingham's tram network was named after him!
Personal Life
Martyn Poliakoff is married to Janet Frances Keene. They have two children. His daughter, Ellen Poliakoff, is a psychology lecturer. His son, Simon Poliakoff, is a physics teacher.
