Light Collection and Charge Separation within Structurally Precise Molecular Frameworks

Professor:William Dichtel
Project Description:The ability of photosynthetic organisms to assemble networks of chromophores with control of their spacing and relative orientation is directly responsible for the high efficiency of natural photosynthesis. Significant progress has been made in the construction of molecular systems capable of some of these functions; however, as these compounds expand in size and complexity, their covalent synthesis becomes increasingly challenging and prohibitively expensive. An REU position is available for a student to engage in the synthesis and characterization of covalently linked frameworks designed to address these challenges. Our ultimate goal is to use these frameworks as the light absorbing and charge-separation elements within photovoltaic devices.