Annual Report 2007 - The Australian Nanotechnology Network

Dr Lynn Dennany (Uni Wollongong) –visit to Dublin City University, Ireland
Lynn is a early career Researcher and her area of interest is Photo-induced electron transport
through nanofibres. Elucidate electron transport mechanisms in modified electrodes containing
nanostructured environments, thereby understanding the kinetics behind these novel materials
and subsequently designing new materials for applications including solar cells, fuel cells and
chemical sensors
Purpose of visit: The purpose of the visit is the evaluation of interactions between metal centres
and the conjugated polymer with nanostructured morphology. This will require training in
several techniques including FLIM and SPC by colleagues at the Biomedical Diagnostics
Institute. This is particularly relevant in studying the photoinduced electron transfer processes
and spectroscopic properties within these nanostructured materials which we are currently
developing (including both carbon nanotubes and conducting polymers as well as nanofibres).
The many spectroscopic effects, such as quenching and/or enhancements within these materials
will be explored, and further experiments are also planned to improve the potential of these novel
materials for the suitability within various analytical applications.
Her application was supported by her supervisor Prof Gordon Wallace and by Prof Robert
Forster from Dublin City University.
ARCNN Funding Report
October 2007 – January 2008
Dublin City University (DCU) has been collaborating with the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI)
for many years, in particular with Prof. Robert Forster’s Research Group since 2003. Together we have
successfully designed, synthesized and tested functional polymers that have the potential to dramatically
increase the sensitivity with which certain key markers of disease, e.g., cardiovascular and cancer, can be
detected. During this trip several different investigations were carried out both to continue already
established collaborations and to explore other research avenues for further collaboration between the
two research groups. I gained valuable experience and the skills and techniques I learned will be
transferred to my colleagues at the IPRI in the University of Wollongong and will ultimately be applied to
several other research projects developed in the group.
Details of Research Project
The main focus of this visit was to continue the current collaborative project, and gain valuable
experience on several techniques including the confocal FLIM, fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy,
which allowed us to examine the electrochemistry of electronically excited states which complements my
current project within the IPRI my current project within the IPRI of examining composites containing a
metal centre and a conducting backbone utilising transient Raman microscopy. This was very relevant in
the characterisation of novel materials developed in the IPRI and designing new materials in the future.
Utilising the FLIM and SPC, (single photon counter), the emissions over the entire composite film of
conducting polymer and the nanofibre material were examined, as can be seen in Figure 1. This
highlighted the emissions from different positions within the film structure, showing that “hopspots” of
emission from the ruthenium metal centre. For the nanofibred material containing the luminescent
ruthenium centres, emissions from the ruthenium molecule mirrored the TEM structural images previously
obtained for these fibres. Emissions from the conducting backbone and/or the nanofibre were also
observed.
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