Synthesis of Photoactive Materials

This division is “the beginning of the beginning” of the Laboratory. Therein, new principles of design of photoactive materials are being developed and used for a synthesis of novel and modification of well-known nanocomposites for specific applications. The resulting new materials are investigated by other divisions of the Laboratory.

Fundamental Research

Here, experimental research on model systems of varying complexity is in the focus. The obtained data is compared with results of computer simulations that implies close collaboration with the theoretical modelling division. Such symbiosis enables deeper understanding of the processes taking place at nanoscale and the mechanisms they follow.

Applied Research

Research in this Division follows two directions. First one focuses on applications of novel photoactive materials in traditional sun-light based technologies (purification of water and air, production of H₂ from H₂O, conversion of CO₂, etc.), while the second aims at creation of new technologies and prototype devices suiting properties of such new materials the best.

Theoretical Modeling

To facilitate experimental research members of this division perform computer simulations on periodic and cluster models of photoactive materials. The arsenal of applied methods spans from classical Newtonian mechanics to its quantum analogs in Schrodinger or else Kohn-Sham formulation.