RESEARCH FIELD

Solid-State Chemistry

Solid-state chemistry investigates the synthesis, structure, properties, and transformations of solid-phase materials — crystalline, amorphous, and nano-structured — and forms the materials science foundation for applications in energy storage, catalysis, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. Core areas include crystal engineering, the chemistry of metal-organic frameworks and covalent organic frameworks as porous materials for gas storage, separation, and catalysis; solid electrolytes and ionic conductors for solid-state batteries; thermoelectric materials for waste heat conversion; and defect chemistry governing the properties of oxides, halide perovskites for solar cells, and phosphors for lighting. Topochemical reactions — solid-state reactions that proceed with minimal atomic movement — offer control over product crystal structure impossible in solution. Key characterisation techniques include powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, solid-state NMR spectroscopy, synchrotron diffraction, impedance spectroscopy for ion transport, and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. Funding comes from energy technology programmes, semiconductor and display industries, pharmaceutical companies, and national science foundations.