Research

Materials which are active by chemical (PH & Ionic strength), thermal (heat), electrical (electric field), optical stimuli (light & temperature), Magnetic field, Mechanical, Pressure, and energy are derived from coordination chemistry aid apposite design principles for example spin crossover, Supra molecular chemistry and Quantum dots. Our broad area of inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry and materials science and focuses on the development of functional inorganic materials which exhibit novel electronic, optical and magnetic phenomena. Potential applications range from the capture of greenhouse gases to sensors, optoelectronics devices and photocatalysis. The key aspect is gaining an understanding of the fundamental relationships between the structural features of the solution- and solid-state materials and their physical properties using a barrage of techniques.

Redox active and Radical MOFs

The project involves the design and synthesis of metal-organic frameworks which exhibit the highly sought-after properties of redox-activity and electronic conductivity. The new materials will be based on mixed-valence metal clusters of Mo, W, Ru, Os and redox-active bridging ligands. Solid-state electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical techniques will be developed to investigate the conductivity properties. The opportunities for advances at a fundamental and applied level are immense, with potential applications ranging from sensors to molecular electronics devices.

Exploration of Areas:

(1) The development of novel solid state spectroelectrochemical technqiues

(2) The development of electrochemical methods (DC and AC) to understand the fundamental aspects of electron transport in crystalline MOFs

(3) The development of ruthenium- and osmium-based Metal-Organic Frameworks

(4) Epitaxial growth of redox-active Metal-Organic Frameworks on conductive substrates as precursors to novel molecular electronics devices

The Interplay between Electronic and Magnetic effects in Framework Materials

This work seeks to examine the highly novel phenomena arising from the coexistence of electron delocalisation and unpaired spins in framework materials. This is an essentially unexplored area in the field of MOFs, which is enabled by the expertise of our group in probing electronic and optical phenomena in such materials, and the expertise of groups in spin crossover, magnetic interactions and thermal expansion in framework solids.

Gas Separation, Capture and Conversion

The development of more efficient processes for carbon dioxide capture is considered a key to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions implicated in global warming. Highly porous three-dimensional solids known as metal-organic frameworks will be developed for use as capture materials and will be characterised using a barrage of techniques (X-ray and neutron diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and gas sorption measurements). The ultimate goal is the development of industrially-viable materials which can be readily integrated into industrial processes.

Thermally and Chemically Water Stable MOF MIL-53(In)BDC-(OH)2

Photo-Active Molecular Sieves

Recently, methodologies for the postsynthetic covalent functionalisation of metal-organic frameworks have opened up fascinating prospects for building complexity into the pores. This project will involve the synthesis of materials as “photoswitchable molecular sieves” in which light can be used to modulate the size and polarity of the pores. The structural and physical properties of the materials will require the development of novel techniques to probe the light-activated gas permeation properties.