RESEARCH AREAS

Michael R. Wasielewski

Michael R. Wasielewski Professor, Northwestern University Director, ANSER Center Senior Scientist, Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne Natl. Laboratory P: 847-467-1423 E: m-wasielewski@northwestern.edu Wasielewski Research Group B.S., University of Chicago, 1971; Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1975

Biographical Sketch

Prof. Michael R. Wasielewski received his Bachelor of Science (1971) and Ph.D. (1975) degrees from the University of Chicago. Following his graduate work, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. He then moved to the Argonne National Laboratory, where he rose through the ranks to become Senior Scientist and Group Leader of the Molecular Photonics Group.  In 1994, he joined the faculty of Northwestern University, where he is currently Professor of Chemistry.  He served as Chair of the Chemistry Department at Northwestern from 2001-2004. He is currently the Director of the Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center, and also holds an appointment as Senior Scientist in the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne.  Prof. Wasielewski's research centers on light-driven charge transfer and transport in molecules and materials, photosynthesis, nanoscale materials for solar energy conversion, spin dynamics of multi-spin molecules, molecular materials for optoelectronics and spintronics, and time-resolved optical and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. His research has resulted in over 330 publications.

Research Statement

Current research in the Wasielewski group is focused largely on bio-inspired approaches to solar energy conversion and organic electronics. Research interests include photoinduced electron transfer and charge transport in organic molecules and materials, artificial and natural photosynthesis, self-assembly of nanoscale materials, spin dynamics of multi-spin organic molecules, materials for molecule-based optoelectronics and spintronics, and time-resolved optical and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. A vital part of this research is the design and synthesis of molecular systems, comprised of electron donors and acceptors, which mimic photochemical charge separation in photosynthetic proteins. Developing bio-inspired systems requires the creation of large ordered arrays of interacting molecules.  Building these arrays by covalent bond formation is both inefficient and costly, so that self-assembly of these functional nanoscale architectures from simpler, tailored building blocks is essential. It is particularly important to understand the relationship between structure and function on the nanoscale.  We use synchrotron-based X-ray scattering techniques to study the structures of self-assembled nanoscale systems and time-resolved ultrafast optical and EPR spectroscopy to establish the fundamental relationships between structure and electron transfer in them. Research in organic electronics includes organic photovoltaics, transistors, wire-like assemblies, and molecular spintronics. The principal advantages of using molecules in these applications are high component density, increased response speeds, high energy efficiency, synthetic versatility, and economical processing.

Publications

• "Direct Observation of the Preference of Hole Transfer Over Electron Transfer for Radical Ion Pair Recombination in Donor-Bridge-Acceptor Molecules," Z. E. X. Dance, M. J. Ahrens, A. M. Vega, A. Butler-Ricks, D. W. McCamant, M. A. Ratner, and M. R. Wasielewski, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130, 830-832 (2008).
• "Ultrafast Energy Transfer within Cyclic Self-Assembled Chlorophyll Tetramers," R. F. Kelley, R. H. Goldsmith, and M. R. Wasielewski, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 6384-6385 (2007).
• "Tuning Orbital Energetics in Arylene Diimide Semiconductors. Materials Design for Ambient Stability of n-Type Charge Transport," B. A. Jones, A. Facchetti, M. R. Wasielewski, and T. J. Marks,  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 15259-15278 (2007).
• "Energy, Charge, and Spin Transport in Molecules and Self-Assembled Nanostructures Inspired by Photosynthesis," M. R. Wasielewski, J. Org. Chem. 71, 5051-5066 (2006).

Most Significant Honors & Awards

• Porter Medal for Photochemistry, 2008
• James Flack Norris Award for Physical Organic Chemistry, American Chemical Society, 2006
• Inter-American Photochemistry Society Research Award, 2004
• Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1995
• University of Chicago Medal for Distinguished Performance at Argonne Natl. Laboratory, 1989