We interrogate the chemistry of trace, transient atmospheric species using cavity enhanced techniques and computational chemistry models. Most recently we have investigated the temperature dependence of several Criegee intermediate-alcohol reactions, in collaboration with the Knowles group. New modeling is being undertaken in collaboration with the Rickard group (York).

We investigate the photodynamics of novel phosphors and upconverting systems, synthesised by the Pope group at Cardiff. We use a range of optical time resolved spectroscopies and relativistic computational approaches, and apply small-molecule methods to tackle these complex systems. Most recently we used molecular symmetry modifications to tune optical properties of Ir(III) complexes. Aspects of this work are in collaboration with the Oliver group (Bristol).

We use electronic spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, DFT and semi-empirical GFN-xTB2 to investigate the tuning and photobleaching of toxic chemical colourimetric detection systems. This is in collaboration with the Fallis group. In many instances we use patented chemistry from the Fallis group as controls. We are in the process of constructing our first manuscript in this area.

We are developing a suite of transient, time resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) instrumentation in collaboration with the Richards group (Cardiff). This includes combining fixed and tuneable laser and lamp sources with pulsed EPR. We will use this instrumentation to enhance our spectroscopic investigations of many of the chemistries shown here – in the first instance upconverting materials.