Research

We perform experiments and simulations to understand how the molecular-level structures of materials link to their properties and function.

Much of our current focus is on materials for energy and environmental applications.

Solar Thermal Fuels

Solar thermal fuels (STFs) are a class of materials that store solar energy through light-induced changes in molecular structure, and release it as useful heat.

We are working on the development and characterisation of solid-state solar thermal fuels that can store energy for many months at ambient temperature in the dark.

Long-Term Solar Energy Storage under Ambient Conditions in a MOF-Based Solid–Solid Phase-Change Material, Chem. Mater., 32, 9925-9936 (2020).

Efficient solid-state photoswitching of methoxyazobenzene in a metal-organic framework for thermal energy storage, Chem. Sci., 13, 3014-3019 (2022).

Organic Energy Materials

Organic materials can provide more sustainable alternatives to inorganic materials traditionally used for energy applications

We are studying structure and mechanisms in organic anode materials for lithium- and sodium-ion batteries. We are also characterising local structure in organic materials for optoelectronic applications, as well as exploring hyperpolarisation methods for NMR signal enhancement of thin polymer films and coatings.

A structural investigation of organic battery anode materials by NMR crystallography, Magn. Reson. Chem., 60, 489-503 (2022).

Solid-State NMR Study of Polymorphism in Tris(8-hydroxyquinolinate)aluminium, Chem. Eur. J., 59, 1024-1037 (2021).

Donor-acceptor stacking arrangements in bulk and thin-film high-mobility conjugated polymers characterized using molecular modelling and MAS and surface-enhanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy, Chem. Sci. 8, 3126-3136 (2017).

Ion Adsorption and Electrosorption in Porous Carbons

Ion adsorption in porous carbons is important for a range of applications including energy storage and water desalination. However many of the fundamental aspects of adsorption mechanisms are poorly understood.

We use NMR to track and quantify adsorbed ions thanks to the "ring current shift" which separates adsorbed species from those in the bulk electrolyte. We can use this information to tell us how supercapacitors charge and how salt ions in water behave during capacitive deionisation.

Capacitive De-ionisation: An Electrochemical Perspective, Curr. Opinion. Electrochem., In Press (2022).

Factors affecting the nucleus-independent chemical shift in NMR studies of microporous carbon electrode materials, Energy Storage Materials, 21, 335-346 (2019).

NMR Studies of Adsorption and Diffusion in Porous Carbonaceous Materials, Prog. Nucl. Magn. Reson., 124, 57-84 (2021).

Solid-State NMR studies of supercapacitors, Solid State Nucl. Magn. Reson. 74, 16-35 (2016).