Inorganic Chemistry

The School of Chemistry at Cardiff University, has developed a particular strength in Inorganic Chemistry, with a research group dedicated to this exciting area of study. As part of the Inorganic Chemistry programme, students can conduct their research within this group.

Research groups within the Inorganic Chemistry section from Cardiff University , formulate, and subsequently develop the applications of, coordination complexes containing main group and transition metals.

Key Facts

The metals and types of ligand are numerous, and hence the applications are diverse. Research in Inorganic Chemistry therefore often lies at the interface with other scientific disciplines, including other chemistry sub-disciplines, physics, materials chemistry, and medical research.

Groups are investigating new systems based upon novel ligands and/or functionalised coordination complexes for the development of chemosensors. Measurable responses are dictated by the nature of the probe and can therefore be monitored via modulated optical, luminescent, electrochemical or longitudinal proton relaxivity behaviour, depending on the targeted application.

Fundamental studies model and develop catalysts and catalytic reactions. The research involves experimental aspects, in which model catalyst systems are synthesised and studied spectroscopically; this work is often supported by computational studies in a synergistic combination of theory and experiment. The research involves close collaboration with colleagues in other research groups within the department.

Recent work has also focused on the design and synthesis of new prototypical complexes for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Field-cycling relaxometry is a key spectroscopic tool, providing 1H nuclear magnetic resonance dispersion plots, from which key parameters describing the physical properties of the complexes can be obtained. Recent work has investigated the relaxivity properties of highly paramagnetic gadolinium species, including the modulation of relaxivity through binding events with biomolecules such as DNA.

Desired research areas include:

• ligand design and synthesis
• metal ion coordination chemistry
• organometallic chemistry and homogenous catalysis
• bioimaging applications including fluorescence and MRI
• chemical synthesis for sustainability
• polymer synthesis and characterisation
• nanoparticle synthesis and characterisation
• applied spectroscopy and electrochemistry