Catherine Aitchison

Research question

Cath’s leads the Functional π-Materials group at LiU. They aim to use organic chemistry to build functional nanostructures for clean energy technology.

The group harnesses the huge flexibility of organic chemistry to synthesize conjugated polymers and molecules that self-assemble into secondary and tertiary structures that are beneficial to performance. Cath is particularly interested in exploiting π-stacking interactions to form nanostructures with improved electronic or ionic transport. Her group make and test materials for various solar fuels, photovoltaic, and membrane applications.

Sustainability aspects

The production of clean, renewable energy is crucial in the fight to limit climate change. Technologies to generate and store this energy rely on components with a long list of desirable properties. By developing materials with well-defined nanostructures Cath aims to control and enhance some of these properties. Her group also focuses on organic semiconductors, taking advantage of organic materials’ low cost, high earth abundance, and high sustainability metrics.