RESEARCH PROJECTS
Current Areas of Study
PHOTOSENSITIZER DEVELOPMENT
We are developing new photoluminescent based on Earth-abundant elements. Current research efforts are mainly focused on early transition metals that exhibit excited states with significant ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) character and long lifetimes due to thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF).
Additional research directions include molecules incorporating heavy main group elements of group 14 (Si, Ge, Sn, Pb) and lanthanides that can facilitate fast intersystem crossing to long-lived ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer (LLCT) states.
EARLY TRANSITION METAL PHOTOCHEMISTRY
Our novel photosensitizers find interesting applications in a variety of fields including photoredox catalysis, solar energy conversion, and solar fuels production. In addition, photochemical transformations in early transition metal complexes allow new avenues for C-C bond forming reactions and C-H bond activations that are not available under thermal conditions.
CATALYSIS WITH EARTH-ABUNDANT METALS
We are interested in first-row transition metal complexes with unusual structures and electronic configurations. Transition metals like iron or cobalt are attractive Earth-abundant alternatives to precious metal catalyst that are more commonly used in catalytic processes. On the one hand, their complex electronic structures present a barrier to understanding and controlling their reactivity. On the other hand, these unique electronic structures may offer new pathways to unique catalytic transformations. Our work aims to address both aspects.
RESEARCH FACILITIES
