Professor J. A. Gareth
Williams Department of
Chemistry
Telephone (direct line):
0191
334
2124 From
overseas: + 44 191 334 2124
E-mail: j.a.g.williams@durham.ac.uk
Research interests
are
centred around the synthesis and properties of light-emitting molecules
Potential
applications
include organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and luminescent sensors
for
biological molecules and ions
Our synthetic work encompasses both
organic
synthesis and the coordination chemistry of transition metal and
lanthanide
ions. We also study the luminescence and photophysical properties
of conjugated organic molecules and new metal complexes. The key
applications of the compounds we investigate lie in the field of
sensors
for bioactive ionic and molecular species in aqueous solution and novel
organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).
The work is multi-disciplinary in
nature,
and embraces all three of the main branches of chemistry... in fact, we
see no distinction between them! Synthetic work includes the
preparation
of new ligands using modern synthetic methodology, usually followed by
the isolation
of complexes with a variety of metal ions of interest.
We use 1- and 2-dimensional multinuclear NMR, electrospray mass
spectrometry
and cyclic voltammetry to characterise our complexes, amongst many
other
techniques.
The group also makes extensive use of
UV-visible
absorbance and time-resolved emission spectroscopy in characterising
the
photophysical properties of the molecules. Processes occurring on
timescales
ranging from seconds down to sub-nanoseconds are investigated routinely.
Our group is part of the newly-launched
E.U. COST D35 Working Group on Multifunctional
organometallic
chromophores for light-emitting devices and luminescent sensors,
of
which JAGW is the coordinator. This brings together collaborators
from France, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic to further research
in these topical areas. We also work with
industrial laboratories in the UK, Germany and the US. During the past 5 years, our work
has received support from EPSRC, CCLRC, the Royal Society, the Nuffield
Foundation, the British Council, the European Union, the Royal Society
of Chemistry, Avecia Ltd, Frontier Scientific Ltd, and the University
of Durham.
The
research group - who's who, past and present - NEW!
Brief
biography
GROUP PUBLICATIONS
Links
for undergraduate courses taught by JAGW
Other
links
Royal Society of
Chemistry – Photochemistry Group
Young and Early Career Researchers'
Meeting
This
biennial meeting, which has been running since 2004, is coming up soon!
Venue this year will be University of Ulster in Belfast in May.
More details available shortly!
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This page last modified
Jan
2013 by J.A.Gareth
Williams