Humphrey Group

Our research uses synthesis, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and computational chemistry to generate new molecular materials with unusual optical properties.

label Research theme

Functional Materials and Interfaces

Inorganic Chemistry and Organometallic Chemistry

Organic chemistry

Physical and Biophysical Chemistry

Soft Matter

Division

Synthesis

About

The aim of our research is the preparation of new types of potentially useful molecular materials. Understanding how chemical structure can control molecular properties is the key step, and this necessitates coupling chemical synthesis to a range of physical properties studies.

Research in the group involves organometallic, organic, coordination complex and polymer synthesis, spectroscopy, various electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical techniques, molecular modelling, electron microscopy and X-ray structural studies, and a wide range of nonlinear optical studies using high-power lasers.

Publications

Projects

Molecular Switches

This project will involve the synthesis of new organic and organometallic switches and characterization of their accessible states using various techniques including UV/vis/NIR/IR spectroelectrochemistry.

Student intake

Open for Honours, Master, PhD, Summer scholar students

Theme

Inorganic Chemistry and Organometallic Chemistry, Organic chemistry

Spatiotemporal light control by programmable molecules

This project will involve use of fs- and ns-pulsed wavelength-tuneable lasers, in some cases interfaced to electrochemistry equipment, to investigate NLO properties of new molecules/materials, and can involve modelling properties using the ANU’s supercomputer.

Student intake

Open for Honours, Master, PhD, Summer scholar students

Theme

Functional Materials and Interfaces, Organic chemistry, Physical and Biophysical Chemistry

Syntheses and reactivity of high-nuclearity clusters

We have developed a remarkably easy route into certain high-nuclearity ruthenium carbonyl clusters (the figure shows a Ru12 cluster, the largest Ru cluster so far); this project will explore the chemistry of these unique compounds.

Student intake

Open for Honours, Master, PhD, Summer scholar students

Theme

Inorganic Chemistry and Organometallic Chemistry

Syntheses and reactivity of mixed-metal clusters

This project will explore the synthesis and chemistry of new group 6/group 9 mixed-metal clusters. The selectivity for certain types of catalysis will be explored in collaboration with the State Key Laboratory for Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Student intake

Open for Honours, Master, PhD, Summer scholar students

Theme

Inorganic Chemistry and Organometallic Chemistry

Transition metal complex hybrid materials

This project will involve the synthesis and characterization of new hybrid materials at the interface between organometallic chemistry and nanoscience.

Student intake

Open for Honours, Master, PhD, Summer scholar students

Theme

Functional Materials and Interfaces, Inorganic Chemistry and Organometallic Chemistry

π-Delocalizable oligomers and dendrimers

This project will explore the synthesis and characterization of new π-delocalizable oligomers and dendrimers at the interface between organic/organometallic chemistry and polymer science.