Professor Paul Burn
Primary research interest
Organic opto-electronics (synthesis, computation, spectroscopy, film morphology, device fabrication and testing)
Additional role
Head of the Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics (COPE)
COPE is an interdisciplinary centre combining chemistry, materials science (nanotechnology), and physics. It takes a holistic approach to research and development by combining synthesis, materials and device characterisation, molecular modelling and condensed matter theory. COPE is a broad church, with activities ranging across the gamut of photonics and electronic applications in organic materials and beyond.
About me
After completing my PhD, I carried out post-doctoral research at Cambridge University for four years, being the Dow Research Fellow at Christ’s College for three years. In 1992 I took up a Lectureship in Organic Chemistry at Oxford University and a Tutorial Fellowship at University College, Oxford. In March 2007 I joined The University of Queensland.
Research focus and collaborations
Our research interests revolve around "high-tech" materials that can be used in applications such as flat panel displays, solar cells, sensors, and fuel cells. Projects in the Centre range from synthetic chemistry, through physical chemistry and materials science, to theory and prototype device manufacturing and testing. The materials research involves the development of new synthetic methods and strategies, and investigations towards understanding the crucial structure-property relationships in them. This enables us to engineer materials at the molecular level to give optimal performance. Major materials themes are small molecules, dendrimers, polymers and poly(dendrimer)s that are comprised of organic and/or inorganic components. In particular the materials we are interested in are classed as “organic semiconductors” and these have electronic properties similar to traditional semiconductors such as silicon but the processability and flexibility of plastics.
Funded projects
COPE has programs supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, Defence and the Australian Research Council.
Awards and achievements
- Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science
- Honorary Professor (Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry