UMass Amherst

Dhandapani Venkataraman

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemistry
701A LGRT, University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-9336
(413) 545-2028
dv@chem.umass.edu
http://people.umass.edu/dv/

Electronic Materials, Photovoltaic Devices

We are interested in designing novel organic-based electronic materials and their directing their assembly in the condensed state. Recently, we have synthesized electroactive molecules with helical topologies. We are particularly interested in the property of Circularly Polarized Luminescence from these helical molecules. We are also interested in developing strategies to rationally design higher dimensional electroactive materials. Our aim in these materials is to thwart the onset of Peierls Distortion, an instability that converts a metal into an insulator. More recently, we are devising strategies to direct the assembly of e-conductors and hole-conductors into segregated stacks. These materials are expected to have excellent charge mobilities and prevent charge recombination - a problem in the many photovoltaic cells.

Research Interest Potential Application
Helical Electroactive Molecules Backlighting in LCDs
Assembly of Electron and Hole Conductors Photovoltaic Cells
Higher Dimensional Electroactive Materials Organic Conductors and Semiconductors

Publications

  1. Field, J. E.; Venkataraman, D. "Heterotriangulenes-Structure and Properties," Chem. Mater. 2002, 14, 962-964.
  2. Field, J. E.; Venkataraman, D. "Helix versus zig-zag: control of supramolecular topology via carboxylic acid conformations in ortho-substituted phenyl amines," Chem. Commun. 2002, 306-307.
  3. Field, J. E.; Muller, G.; Riehl, J. P.; Venkataraman, D. "Circularly Polarized Luminescence from Bridged Triarylamine Helicenes," J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 11808-11809.
  4. Field, J. E.; Hill, T. J.; Venkataraman, D. "Bridged Triarylamines: A New Class of Heterohelicenes," J. Org. Chem. 2003, 68, 6071-6078.
  5. Devic, T.; Yuan, M.; Adams, J.; Fredrickson, D.; Venkataraman, D.; Lee, S. "The Maximin Principle of pi-radical Packings," Submitted for Publication 2005.