We are located in the Bedson Building, Newcastle University.
Research in the group focuses on solar cell and solar fuel devices that function at a molecular level and challenge the conventional solid-state photovoltaic technologies. We specialise in dye-sensitized nanostructured NiO electrodes, which are less well understood than conventional TiO2 devices pioneered by Grätzel, but when coupled with TiO2 give very promising tandem dye-sensitized solar cells. Our activities span from fundamental science and physical chemical characterisation of these complex molecular systems to development of new material components such as nanostructured photoelectrodes, dyes and electrolytes and we are producing interesting results.
The Team
Libby is a Lecturer in Physical Chemistry. Previously, she was awarded a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellowship and a University of Nottingham Anne McLaren Research Fellowship 2010, having spent 3 years as a post-doc at the Centre for Molecular Devices, Uppsala University, Sweden, developing dye-sensitized solar cells. She completed her PhD in 2007 at the University of York, supervised by Robin Perutz FRS and Anne-Kathrin Duhme-Klair.
Kripa is a post-doc working on new transparent p-type semiconductors for tandem solar cells.
Zhiji is an expert in coordination chemistry and catalysis including synthetic, mechanistic, and catalytic studies on complexes and multi-component systems with a variety of first-row transition metals using various techniques. He was previously a Post-Doc with Prof. Theodor Agapie at the California Institute of Technology (03/2014 – 05/2017). He obtained his PhD from the University of Rochester (USA), supervised by Professors R. Eisenberg and P. Holland.
Fiona is a final-year PhD student investigating the complex charge-transfer reactions in dye-sensitized solar cells. She is using her synthesis skills developed during her masters project at Newcastle to prepare new redox mediators.
Nils is a third year PhD student in the group, having completed his masters degree at KTH Stockholm. His project is to develop devices that use light to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Nathan is a third-year PhD student in the group who is developing new dyes and catalysts for solar cells and solar fuel devices.
Adam is a first year PhD student, also working with Prof. Ulrich Stimming, developing new battery materials. He is also a member of Newcastle’s University Challenge Team!
Alumni
2016
Our group before we left the University of Nottingham.
Chris worked on tandem dye-sensitized solar cells for his PhD within the group, graduating in 2016. He was awarded an MChem degree from the University of Nottingham in 2011, having carried out a masters project with Professor Mike George. He now works at Big Solar in Sunderland.
Gareth developed dyes for NiO photocathodes for his PhD, graduating in 2018. He was awarded an MChem from the University of York in 2012, having completed a masters project with Dr Jason Lynam. He is now a development chemist at Aesica pharmaceuticals, Newcastle.