Dr. Emrys Evans from Swansea University has been awarded the Materials Chemistry Early Career Prize by the Royal Society of Chemistry. This accolade acknowledges his pioneering work in developing luminescent materials based on organic radicals, which are intended for use in light-emitting devices and emerging quantum technologies. Along with the recognition, Dr. Evans receives £3,000 and a medal.
His research team operates at the Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials (CISM) at Swansea University. They utilize laser experiments to explore energy and electron flow within molecules by monitoring light absorption and emission on a picosecond scale. The study of magnetic fields' effects on energy levels aids in understanding these materials' electronic structures.
The team has successfully developed luminescent carbon-based radicals that enable highly efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), with potential applications in displays and imaging technology. Additionally, their work on multi-electron coupled states in molecules suggests possible uses in advanced sensors that could be valuable for future material studies and biological mechanism exploration.
Upon receiving the prize, Dr. Evans expressed gratitude: "It is a great honour to receive this prize and I want to acknowledge the great team effort: all students, researchers, collaborators and mentors from past to present. It is my privilege to be a scientist and chemist; each day working on topics that I think are interesting and important; and together probing and pushing the boundaries of a field. The team makes it possible. Diolch yn fawr!"
Professor David Smith FRSC, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean for the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Swansea University, praised Dr. Evans's achievement: "This Royal Society of Chemistry award is deserved recognition for Emrys for his innovative work on the development and characterization of luminescent materials. This is an exceptional achievement, which highlights Emrys’s outstanding contribution to materials chemistry."