Research

From crystal growth to magnetic and catalytic function

My research asks how dimensionality, composition, local coordination, and lattice connectivity control the optical, magnetic, and catalytic response of inorganic and hybrid materials.

Theme 1

Single-crystal growth and structure-property relationships

Single-crystal growth and crystallographic analysis form the experimental foundation of my research. I grow single crystals of inorganic and hybrid halide materials and use single-crystal X-ray diffraction to determine their structures, symmetry, dimensionality, bond geometry, and local coordination environments. These structural details are then correlated with magnetic, optical, and thermal properties to understand how lattice connectivity and distortion control functional behaviour. This structure-first approach is central to my work on low-dimensional halide materials and magnetic perovskites.

Theme 2

Magnetic halide double perovskites: dimensionality, composition, and exchange

I synthesise lead-free magnetic halide double perovskites based on open-shell Mo(III) ions, spanning 3D corner-sharing frameworks, 2D Dion-Jacobson/Ruddlesden-Popper layered phases, and 1D face-sharing chain structures. By varying A-site cations and halide composition, I control framework connectivity, optical absorption, antiferromagnetic exchange, and structural phase transitions. Cl/Br alloying provides a quantitative route to tune both the optical band gap and magnetic ordering temperature, while layered phases offer a platform for studying spin-lattice coupling in low-dimensional halide lattices.

Theme 3

Transition-metal dichalcogenides and hydrogen evolution

My earlier research focused on transition-metal dichalcogenides and related low-dimensional materials for photocatalytic and electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution. I studied MoS₂, MoSe₂, WS₂, and Mo₂C nanosheets and nanocomposites, including chalcogen-alloyed systems and polymer-functionalised carbon/borocarbonitride nanotube composites. This work showed that HER activity depends not only on phase and composition, but also on interface architecture and electronic connectivity between the catalytic material and conductive supports. It established my foundation in low-dimensional transition-metal chemistry before my focus shifted to halide perovskites.