The University of Sheffield
Department of Chemistry

Julia WeinsteinDr. Julia A. Weinstein

Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry

Room: C92

Tel: +44-(0)114-22-29408

Fax: +44-(0)114-22-29436

email:

 


 

General Research Teaching

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Weinstein obtained her Diploma in Chemistry (with honours) from Moscow Lomonosov State University in 1990, followed by a PhD from the same institution in 1994, where she became a member of staff. In 2000 she became a Royal Society/NATO postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Nottingham, which was followed by a temporary lectureship at the same institution. In 2004 she was appointed as EPSRC advanced Research Fellow and obtained a lectureship at the University of Sheffield. In 2010 she was promoted to senior lecturer.

Awards

Lomonosov Award in Science (2003); John Van Geuns Lecture (2004)

Research Keywords

Photochemistry, photophysics, time-resolved spectroscopy, luminescence, light-induced electron transfer in chemical and biological systems, solar energy conversion, ultrafast excited state dynamics.

Teaching Keywords

Photochemistry; Mathematics

Selected Publications:

  • Highly Efficient Visible-Light Driven Photochromism: Developments towards a Solid-State Molecular Switch Operating through a Triplet-Sensitised Pathway, Simon K. Brayshaw, Stephanie Schiffers, Anna J. Stevenson, Simon J. Teat, Mark R. Warren, Robert D. Bennett, Igor V. Sazanovich, Alastair R. Buckley, Julia A. Weinstein and Paul R. Raithby, Chem-Eur J 2011, 17, 4385-4395.
  • Structure and Ultrafast Dynamics of the Charge-Transfer Excited State and Redox Activity of the Ground State of Mono- and Binuclear Platinum(II) Diimine Catecholate and Bis-catecholate Complexes: A Transient Absorption, TRIR, DFT, and Electrochemical Study, J. Best, I. V. Sazanovich, H. Adams, R. D. Bennett, E. S. Davies, A. J. H. M. Meijer, M. Towrie, S. A. Tikhomirov, O. V. Bouganov, M. D. Ward and J. A. Weinstein, Inorg. Chem. 2010, 49, 10041-10056.
  • Photophysical Properties and Singlet Oxygen Production by Ruthenium(II) Complexes of Benzo[i]dipyrido[3,2-a:2 ',3 '-c]phenazine: Spectroscopic and TD-DFT Study, S. P. Foxon, M. A. H. Alamiry, M. G. Walker, A. J. H. M. Meijer, I. V. Sazanovich, J. A. Weinstein and J. A. Thomas, J. Phys. Chem. A 2009, 113, 12754-12762.
  • Structural Determination of a Photochemically Active Diplatinum Molecule by Time-Resolved EXAFS Spectroscopy, R. M. van der Veen, C. J. Milne, A. El Nahhas, F. A. Lima, V. T. Pham, J. Best, J. A. Weinstein, C. N. Borca, R. Abela, C. Bressler and M. Chergui, Angew Chem Int Edit 2009, 48, 2711-2714.
  • Excited State Dynamics of a Pt-II Diimine Complex bearing a Naphthalene-Diimide Electron Acceptor, I. V. Sazanovich, M. A. H. Alamiry, J. Best, R. D. Bennett, O. V. Bouganov, E. S. Davies, V. P. Grivin, A. J. H. M. Meijer, V. F. Plyusnin, K. L. Ronayne, A. H. Shelton, S. A. Tikhomirov, M. Towrie and J. A. Weinstein, Inorg. Chem. 2008, 47, 10432-10445.
  • Time-resolved and two-photon emission imaging microscopy of live cells with inert platinum complexes, S. W. Botchway, M. Charnley, J. W. Haycock, A. W. Parker, D. L. Rochester, J. A. Weinstein and J. A. G. Williams, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2008, 105, 16071-16076.
  • Structural reorganization in the excited state of transition metal complexes, M. Y. Mel'nikov and J. A. Weinstein, High Energ. Chem. 2008, 42, 287-289.
  • Photophysical properties of platinum(II)-acetylide complexes: The effect of a strongly electron-accepting diimine ligand on excited-state structure, C. J. Adams, N. Fey, Z. A. Harrison, I. V. Sazanovich, M. Towrie and J. A. Weinstein, Inorg. Chem. 2008, 47, 8242-8257.
  • Ultrafast excited state dynamics of Pt(II) chromophores bearing multiple infrared absorbers, E. A. Glik, S. Kinayyigit, K. L. Ronayne, M. Towrie, I. V. Sazanovich, J. A. Weinstein and F. N. Castellano, Inorg. Chem. 2008, 47, 6974-6983.
  • Platinum(II) diimine complexes with catecholate ligands bearing imide electron-acceptor groups: Synthesis, crystal structures, (spectro)electrochemical and EPR studies, and electronic structure, N. M. Shavaleev, E. S. Davies, H. Adams, J. Best and J. A. Weinstein, Inorg. Chem. 2008, 47, 1532-1547. 

 

Research Interests

Most broadly, our research group is interested in any aspects of interaction of light with matter in condensed phase.

The main focus of our research is Chemical Approach to Solar Energy Conversion.

The conversion of light into chemical energy lies at the heart of many natural processes and man-made applications. A charge-separated species generated via an excited state is the key intermediate in this process. Stabilisation of this intermediate is the key issue and pivotal to developing efficient artificial systems. We develop methodologies for controlling stability of charge-transfer excited states by manipulating environment and structural properties of model systems based on transition metal complexes, with potential application in molecular wires, electronics and photonics. The interdisciplinary research uses a combination of organometallic synthesis, time-resolved electronic and vibrational spectroscopy and theory to explore the fundamental aspects underlying this work crossing from controlling photomolecular properties of materials to designing molecular architecture for photo-induced electron transfer.

Other research areas include:

  • Highly luminescent metal chromophores for imaging and sensing.
  • Development of compounds which emit in the NIR spectral range.
  • Development of photostable photo-sensitisers of singlet oxygen – the key recative oxygen species – and understanding of underlying chemical rules to the efficiecy of its generation.
  • Free radicals in chemistry and biology.

The main techniques involved in our research comprise:

  • (Spectro)electrochemistry;
  • Time-resolved electronic spectroscopy – absorption and emission;
  • Time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy - infra-red and (resonance) Raman.
  • Pulse radiolysis.

We perform research on nanosecond time scale in Sheffield.

Faster timescale – femto-to-picoseconds – are investigated in collaboration with Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Science and Technology Facilities Council, and with various laboratories world-wide, including USA, Switzerland, Germany and Buelorussia.

Teaching Section

Physical Chemistry

Courses Taught

  • Mathematics for chemists 2 (Year 1)
    This course teaches basic practical skills in performing differentiation and integration; it introduces the link between those and practical chemistry (kinetics, thermodynamics, synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, practical laboratory work and others); and creates a basis for the courses where more advanced mathematics will be introduced.
  • Molecular Electronics and Photonics (Year 4)
    This course describes basic theoretical considerations, experimental methods, and applications of one of the key fundamental processes - electron transfer - in chemistry, photochemistry, biochemistry and related disciplines.

Tutorial & Workshop Support

  • First Year Workshops.
  • Third Year Literature Review.
  • Fourth Year Workshops.

Laboratory Teaching

  • Fourth Year Research Project.