Research Highlight LP980

This Research Highlight focuses on the results published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society of our customers from Sweden. The researchers used the FLS1000 photoluminescence and LP980 transient absorption spectrometers to facilitate their research on exploring mechanisms for more efficient photon-upconversion.

This application note highlights the recently published results in Nature Communications of our customers from India who used the FLS-series photoluminescence and the LP980 transient absorption spectrometers to facilitate their research.

Photoredox catalysis is a powerful approach that uses light to unlock new molecular synthesis pathways. Light excites a photosensitiser molecule which transfers an electron to the substrate molecule. The resulting pair of radicals can then recombine or escape their solvent cage to generate reaction products. Understanding the mechanism of the reaction is essential to optimise its conditions and maximise its yield. This is what Dr Troian-Gautier’s team set out to do, using a combination of different reaction schemes and spectroscopic techniques. Find out more.

The ideal anticancer drug would be one that is effective at killing rapidly producing cells, is targeted directly to the tumour location, and is non-toxic until it reaches the diseased area. Platinum-II (PtII) based chemotherapy drugs have been life changing for many, with the most common drug, Cisplatin, providing treatment and cures for cancerous diseases in the bladder, breast, cervix, lung, ovaries, and head and neck, to name a few.

Understanding and optimising novel materials for the next generation of fuel sources for our energy needs that are efficient, affordable, and carbon neutral is of paramount importance for generations to come. Photocatalytic materials that can harvest sunlight and generate hydrogen gas (H2) from water is highly sought after given the enormous energy released and environmentally friendly by-product of water when burning this gas for energy. Find out more.

Engineering new materials with unique and valuable electronic and optical properties is paramount in the design of new devices from memory storage to creating the next generation of organic photovoltaic solar cells.

Light-driven photocatalytic reactions are featured prominently across all fields of science, from the energetically uphill processes of photosynthesis in plants, to water-splitting solar fuels, and even disinfection of water, and improving synthetic reactions.

DSSCs - Understanding and Optimizing Energy and Electron Transfers Through Transient Absorption Data.

Understanding fundamental photo-induced proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions of small molecules is central to research ranging from solar fuels, biological signalling, and organic electronics. By combining spectral and kinetic information of the photo-generated excited states and radical species present, researchers are able to elucidate the PCET reaction mechanisms involved in these applications. The Edinburgh Instruments LP Transient Absorption Spectrometer is the world’s only commercial system capable of recording instantaneous spectral information utilising an ICCD camera, while then easily being able to switch to measuring kinetic data on a PMT detector – all under software control. It was used to carry out the research in this application note.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) feature immense tensile and thermal strength with advantageous 1-dimensional molecular wire electronic properties. The Edinburgh Instruments LP980 Transient Absorption Spectrometer is well suited to study these photo-generated excited states, especially with the capability to add near-infrared (NIR) detectors needed to capture the transient species in these materials.