Scientific divisions

Research

Research objectives

We are searching for new proton conductors with high conductivity and thermal stability that could be used as sources of green energy. They could be used as electrolytes in fuel cells, where the only by-products are water and heat. The research aim of the Department of Molecular Crystals is to understand the nature of physical phenomena that occur in proton conductors. This will enable us to design new functional materials that could be used in an innovative economy. In the face of growing demand for electricity and rising prices, we are also undertaking activities related to searching for new alternative sources of energy, which should be inexhaustible, easily accessible, efficient, and environmentally friendly. Great hopes are raised by the possibility of using clean energy from solar radiation. Our research aims to design and produce a new donor-acceptor copolymer with a narrow energy gap, which could be used in efficient solar cells. For many years we have been investigating the physical properties of organic conductors that could find applications in future electronics. Our research is focused on understanding the nature of phase transitions induced by temperature or pressure, charge ordering phenomena, electron correlations, charge distribution fluctuations, and coupling of electrons to internal vibrations of molecules.

Research profile

Using experimental and theoretical methods of molecular spectroscopy, vibrational and electron structure studies of electronically and ionically conducting organic materials are conducted. Measurements are performed in a wide spectral range from far-infrared to ultraviolet as a function of temperature (from 1.8 to 900 K) and pressure (up to 20 GPa). In the Department of Molecular Crystals, we deal with calculation (DFT and TD-DFT methods) and interpretation of theoretical spectra. In our research, we use the following techniques and experimental methods of condensed phase physics: the technique of transmission/absorption spectra in polarized light, the technique of specular reflection spectra in polarized light in a wide range of incident and reflected angles, the technique of diffuse reflection spectra, the technique of attenuated total internal reflection, the technique of reflection-absorption spectra from thin films applied on a metallic substrate, the Raman scattering method, measurements of specific electrical conductivity by the four-electrode method, thermo-optical analysis, methods of fluorescence, luminescence and phosphorescence spectroscopy.

Research Profile

  • Electron states, proton conductivity and molecular dynamics in organic materials for molecular electronics, fuel cells, and photovoltaics (statutory task 2021-2023)
  • Chirality and electrical conductivity in novel multifunctional materials for electronics applications (grant task 2022-2023)
  • Effect of temperature and pressure on the helical hydrogen bonding network of new solid electrolytes (grant task 2020-2023)
  • Analysis of physicochemical properties of novel proton conductors of dicarboxylic acid derivatives (grant task 2017-2020)
  • Fabrication and optoelectronic properties of graphene oxide-based composites (grant task 2016-2020)
  • Synthesis and photo-electrochemical properties of novel hybrid systems of graphene oxide with organic modifiers for molecular optoelectronics applications (grant task 2015-2017)
  • An investigation by IR and Raman spectroscopy of the role of hydrogen and halogen bonding in the formation of the Mott insulator state in low dimensional organic conductors formed by tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) derivatives (grant task 2012-2015)
  • Photo-electrochemical characterization of thin films of organic semiconductors (grant task 2012-2015)
  • Functionalization of "small" carbon nano-onions with polyphenolic compounds and their potential application in elastin/collagen biosensors (grant task 2011-2014)

Staff

Head of group

The group

Notable former group members

  • Prof. Dr. hab. Andrzej Graja

Conferences

Organized and co-organized conferences

  • 9th International Symposium on Crystalline Organic Metals, Superconductors and Ferromagnets - ISCOM 2011
    Gniezno 2011
  • XVI Ogólnopolska Konferencja Kryształy Molekularne - KM 2008
    Poznań-Błażejewko 2008 (Polska)
  • Conference on New Concepts and Materials for Molecular Electronics and Nanotechnology - CMME'04
    Puszczykowo 2004 (Polska)
    Sprawozdanie konferencyjne: Conference on New Concepts and Materials for Molecular Electronics and Nanotechnology (CMME'04), Materials Science Poland - Vol. 22, No. 4, 20004
  • NATO Advanced Research Workshop - NATO ARW 2001
    Poznań 2001, Molecular Low Dimensional and Nanostructured Materials for Advanced Applications (MMAA)
    Sprawozdanie konferencyjne: Molecular Low Dimensional and Nanostructured Materials for Advanced Applications (MMAA), NATO Science Series, II Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry - Vol. 59, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht / Boston / London, 2001
  • V International Seminar on "Highly Conducting Organic Materials for Molecular Electronics" - Isme'97
    Puszczykowo, 1997, Sprawozdanie konferencyjne: Synthetic Metals 94 (1), 1998
  • National Conference "Molecular Crystals"
    Błażejewko 1979
    Kiekrz 1995, Sprawozdanie konferencyjne: Molecular Physics Reports 14, 1996
  • IV International Seminar on "Highly Conducting Materials for Molecular Elactronics"
    Zajączkowo 1994,
    Sprawozdanie konferencyjne: Acta Physica Polonica A87(4-5), 1994
  • Polish-Russian Seminars on "Highly Conducting Organic Materials"
    Czerniejewo 1988 (Polska) Sprawozdanie konferencyjne: Materials Sciences XIV(4), 1988
    Chernogolovka 1990 (Rosja) Sprawozdanie konferencyjne: Materials Science XVII(1), 1991
    Kiekrz 1992 (Polska)
  • Polish-French Colloquium on "Low-Dimensional Organic Conductors"
    Czerniejewo 1985 (Polska)
    Nancy 1987 (Francja) Sprawozdanie konferencyjne: Synthetic Metals 24(1-2), 1988
    Czerniejewo 1989 (Polska) Sprawozdanie konferencyjne: Synthetic Metals 35(1-2), 1990

Grants

  • Zadania badawcze - Badania właściwości fizycznych metamateriałów mechanicznych, 2019 - 2021
    Zakład Fizyki Komputerowej Układów Złożonych (Z10)
    prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Wojciechowski
  • Auksetyczność poprzez nanoinkluzje - 2017/27/B/ST3/02955 (OPUS 14)
    DEC-2017/27/B/ST3/02955 - prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Witold Wojciechowski
    27.06.2018-26.06.2022
  • Grant miniatura NCN (2021/05/X/ST3/01200) -  Polish National Science Center, 2021 – 2022
    „Kryształy f.c.c. twardych kul z inkluzjami atomowymi i molekularnymi – porównanie auksetyczności.”
    dr Jakub Narojczyk
  • Projekt badawczy działań zintegrowanych PHC Polonium na lata 2016-2017
    „Wielofunkcyjne chromofory ciekłokrystaliczne pochodnych bipirymidyny do trójwymiarowego (3CD) przechowywania danych.”
    Projekt był wykonywany we współpracy IFM PAN (dr hab. P. Kędziora) oraz laboratorium Institute des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes, Universite de Rennes (prof. F. Camerel)
  • Grant obliczeniowy Poznańskiego Centrum Superkomputerowo Sieciowego, 2017-2022
    Komputerowe modelowanie inkluzji w wybranych modelach kryształów kubicznych
    dr Jakub Narojczyk

Conferences

Organized and co-organized Conferences

Lectures and announcements

  • Jakub Narojczyk, „Poisson's Ratio of the f.c.c. Hard Sphere Crystals with Periodically Arranged Nanoinclusions of Hard Spheres of Another Diameter” 47th Congress of Polish Physicists Bydgoszcz, 19-23/09/2021 - (lectures);
  • Jakub Narojczyk, „Modification of Elastic Properties of the f.c.c. Hard Sphere Crystals Using Periodically Arranged Nanoinclusions of Hard Spheres of Another Diameter” 17th International Conference on Functional and Nanostructured Materials, Paralia Katerinis, Greece, September 4-11, 2021, p.55 – (on-line lectures).
  • Kędziora, S. van Cleuvenbergen, G. Depotter, K. Clays, „Second-order NLO response in chiral ferroelectric liquid crystals”, 17th Conference on Functional and Nanostructured Materials, Paralia Katerinis, Greece, September 4-11, 2021, p.40 – (on-line lectures)
  • V. Tretiakov, „ Strategy locomotion of metastatic cancer cells: Is it a Lévy-like movement?”, 17th Conference on Functional and Nanostructured Materials, Paralia Katerinis, Greece, 2021, p.69 – (lectures)
  • Krzysztof W. Wojciechowski, Mikołaj Bilski, and Paweł M. Pigłowski, „ Extreme (maximum) Poisson’s ratios in some planar systems”, 17th Conference on Functional and Nanostructured Materials, Paralia Katerinis, Greece, 2021, p.73 – (lectures)

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