In this CAREER project funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics & Mechanism B Program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Todd Hudnall of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas State University is developing new classes of organic radicals that feature readily tunable electrochemical and photophysical properties. The goal of this research is to exploit the characteristics of these organic radicals for the development of organic energy storage and light-emitting materials. The project lies at the interface of organic, inorganic, and materials chemistry, and is well suited for the education of scientists at all levels. Undergraduates and graduate students in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry will have opportunities to collaborate with experts from chemistry, engineering, and physics. Professor Todd Hudnall is also well poised to increase the recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as Texas State University is one of the largest Hispanic Serving Institutes in Texas. Professor Hudnall works with members of local high schools and children's museums to design science curricula dedicated to providing problem-based learning experiences through hands-on experimentation in the chemical and physical sciences. Members of Professor Todd Hudnall's research team and local high school students design and implement experiments that mimic the experiences of collegiate level researchers in order to encourage the high school students to pursue science degrees in college.
The unique electronic configuration of stable organic radicals circumvents classical quantum mechanical limitations such as the Pauli Exclusion Principle, making these molecules good candidates for next generation energy/memory storage and organic light-emitting diode materials. The radical motifs are derived from singlet carbenes or carbene-inspired moieties that enables the rapid tailoring of the electrochemical and/or photophysical properties of the resultant organic radicals. This strategy allows the synthesis of novel organic radical architectures to develop a dynamic structure-property correlation. These studies answer the following questions: 1) How do the electronic properties of the carbene influence the electrochemical and/or photophysical properties of the radical? 2) To what extent can the electrochemical window be expanded for these systems? 3) Will neutral radicals obtained by reduction of emissive cations likewise be emissive? Professor Todd Hudnall also integrates an educational component inclusive of outreach activities involving K-12 students through partnerships with local high schools, children's museums, and the Boy Scouts of America.
