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Hybrid Organo-Polyoxometalate Donor-Acceptor Systems as Novel NLO Materials

Information

  • Start date: October 2013
  • Programme: PhD
  • Mode of Study: Full Time
  • Studentship Length: 3 years

How to Apply

  • Deadline: 28 February 2013. NB Applications are processed as soon as they are received, so early application is encouraged.
  • Apply online

Fees & Funding

  • Funding Status: Competition Funded Project (EU Students Only)
    Further Details
  • Funding Source: Funding is available from a number of different sources
  • Funding Conditions:

    Funding is available to EU students. If funding is awarded for this project it will cover tuition fees and stipend for UK students. EU students may be eligible for full funding, or tuition fees only, depending on the funding source.

  • Fees: Fees Information (Opens in new window)

Entry Requirements

  • Acceptable First Degree:

    Chemistry. Would also consider very strong candidates from Biochemistry or Chemical Physics, given an adequate synthetic chemistry background.

  • Minimum Entry Standard: The standard minimum entry requirement is 2:1

Project Description

Non-linear optical (NLO) materials are used to manipulate laser light through phenomena such as second harmonic generation and multi-photon absorption.(i)  They are essential to current and emerging technologies in optical data processing, optical power limiting and biological imaging and in this context,    materials with multiple properties are of increasing interest due to their potential as switches and multimodal imaging agents.(ii)  Polyoxometalate clusters (POMs) derivatized with conjugated organic groups are a new class of NLO material, potentially offering advantages through combination of POM properties (high density of heavy atoms, reversible redox chemistry) with the possibilities for synthetic tailoring offered by organic systems.  Despite increasingly well-developed synthetic chemistry,(iii),(iv)   however, the NLO properties of such species have only been studied by calculation.(v)  The aim of this project is to synthesize a range of donor acceptor systems based on POMs and build an understanding of the relationships between their structures and electronic, optical and non-linear optical properties with UK and European collaborators.  Establishment of these relationships will be the first step in developing these materials towards potentially wide ranging applications in photonics. 

The successful student will gain skills in inorganic and organic synthesis, including handling moisture and air sensitive compounds, a wide range of characterization methods (for example NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, cyclic voltammetry), and potentially laser photophysical measurements.  They will also have, or expect to obtain, a first class or 2(i) or equivalent Honours degree in chemistry, and possess a strong interest in synthetic inorganic chemistry and materials properties. 

Informal enquiries can be made to Dr. John Fielden (john.fielden@uea.ac.uk, 01603 593 137).

References

S. R. Marder, Chem. Commun. 2006, 131.

B. J. Coe, J. Fielden, S. P. Foxon, B. S. Brunschwig, I. Asselberghs, K. Clays, A. Samoc, M. Samoc, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 3496.

Z. Peng, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2004, 43, 930.

J. Zhang, F. Xiao, J. Hao, Y. Wei, Dalton Trans. 2012, 41, 3599.

M. R. S. A. Janjua, M. Amin, M. Ali, B. Bashir, M. U. Khan, M. A. Iqbal, W. Guan, L. Yan, Z.-M. Su, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2012, 705.



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