Blancafort, Lluís

Excited States and Non-Adiabatic Processes

Contact info:
Dr. Lluís Blancafort
lluis.blancafort@udg.edu
Tel. (+34) 696 89 81 52
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Selected publications


Xueqing Wang, Lilia Kinziabulatova, Marco Bortoli, Anju Manickoth, Marisa A. Barilla, Haiyan Huang, Lluís Blancafort, Bern Kohler, Jean-Philip Lumb
Indole-5,6-quinones display hallmark properties of eumelanin
Nat. Chem., 2023, 15, 787-793
DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01175-4

Daniel Bosch, Jun Wang, Lluís Blancafort
Fingerprint-based deep neural networks can model thermodynamic and optical properties of eumelanin DHI dimers
Chem. Sci., 2022, 13, 8942-8946
DOI: 10.1039/D2SC02461F

Jun Wang LB, Lluís Blancafort
Stability and optical absorption of a comprehensive virtual library of minimal eumelanin oligomer models
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021, 60, 18800-18809
DOI: 10.1002/anie.202106289

Maria A. Trachsel, Susan Blaser, Simon Lobsiger, Luca Siffert, Hans-Martin Frey, Lluís Blancafort, Samuel Leutwyler
Locating Cytosine Conical Intersections by Laser Experiments andAb Initio Calculations
J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2020, 11, 3203-3210
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00779

Rachel Crespo-Otero, Quansong Li, Lluís Blancafort
Exploring Potential Energy Surfaces for Aggregation‐Induced Emission—From Solution to Crystal
Chem. Asian J., 2019, 14, 700-714
DOI: 10.1002/asia.201801649

+ Publications

Dr. Lluís Blancafort

Dr. Lluís Blancafort received his degree in chemical engineering at the Institut Químic de Sarrià (Barcelona) in 1991. He carried out his Ph. D. thesis on the reactivity of alfa-peroxy lactones at the University of Würzburg, under the supervision of Prof. Waldemar Adam, and received his Ph. D. in 1996. Between 1997 and 2002 he carried out a post-doctoral stay with Prof. Michael A. Robb at King’s College London, working on the computation of excited-state mechanisms. In 2002 he joined the University of Girona as a Ramón y Cajal fellow and became associate professor in 2007. Between 2007 and 2015 he directed the Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi. His main research interest is the theory and computation of excited states and non-adiabatic processes, including excited-state potential energy surfaces and dynamics, with a special interest in conical intersections.

Research overview

Our interest is the theoretical modeling and simulation of excited states and non-adiabatic processes, including photochemistry, photophysics, and electron and excitation energy transfer. These processes are important in biochemistry, molecular materials and organic synthesis. Our expertise spans a broad range of theoretical methods including high-level ab initio electronic structure, hybrid methods and dynamics.

Photochemistry and photophysics

We focus on relevant applications in biology, chemistry and materials, including:
– Biological chromophores: DNA nucleobases, GFP chromophore, coelenteramides
– Photochemical reactions: diazo-based switches, Wolff rearrangement, excited state hydrogen transfer
– Aggregates: AIEgens, melanin
– Photocatalysis on semiconductors
– Extended conical intersection seams

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Melanin

Melanin is the biopolymer responsible for protection against harmful light action in living beings. In this line we model its photochemical and photophysical properties, starting from the oligomeric components and moving up to small aggregates, nanoparticles, and large melanosomes. Research funded by Mel.Photo.Protect Marie Sklodowska Curie IF of Jun Wang.

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GADOLINIUM-BASED PHOTOSENSITIZERS FOR PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

In this project we model the photophysics of new Gd-based photosensitizers with the aim of developing a new hybrid technology for treatment of deep lying tumours, combining neutron-activated and photodynamic therapy. Research funded by FRINGE FET-OPEN project.

AGGREGATION INDUCED EMISSION

Aggregation induced emission (AIE) is an important property of luminescent molecules, since it facilitates their use as luminophores in optical applications. We have introduced the Restricted Access to a Conical Intersection model to explain the behavior of AIEgens in solution and are currently developing approaches to model the photophysics of AIEgen aggregates and crystals.

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PHOTOCHEMICAL APPROACH TO PHOTOCATALYSIS ON SURFACES

In this line we are pioneering the combination of periodical calculations with a photochemical approach to explain prototypical cases of photocatalytic reactivity (H2O and CH3OH on TiO2). Our approach considers different excitonic configurations and allows to directly assess the probability of charge recombination.

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EXPERIMENTAL COLLABORATIONS

– Ben-Zhong Tang (Hong-Kong University of Science and Technology): AIEgens
– Samuel Leutwyler (University of Bern): Cytosine derivatives
– Stephen R. Meech (East Anglia University) GFP chromophore derivatives
– Bern Kohler (Ohio State University): Melanin components
– Germano Giuliani (Università degli Studi di Siena): Coelenteramides
– Asier Longarte (Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea): N-heterocycles

People

Principal Investigator

Lluís Blancafort

Prof. Agregat


Staff and Postdocs

Ouissam El Bakouri

Postdoc (BP)

Supervisor:
- Ll. Blancafort


PhD and MACMoM students

Abhishek Nair

PhD Student (FI)

Supervisor:
- Ll. Blancafort

Anju Manickoth

PhD Student (FI)

Supervisor:
- Ll. Blancafort

Daniel Bosch

PhD student

Supervisor:
- Ll. Blancafort

Denis Diatlov

PhD Student (FPI)

Supervisor:
- Ll. Blancafort

Judit Gálvez

PhD Student

Supervisor:
- Ll. Blancafort


Funding

MCIU Proyectos I+D

Project: Simulating Phase Effects on Excited States
Researcher: Dr. Lluís Blancafort
Reference: PID2022-138062NB-I00
Funding: 131.250 €
Period: 01/09/2023 – 31/08/2026
Project: ESTANCIAS DE PERSONAL DOCENTE Y/O INVESTIGADOR SENIOR EN CENTROS EXTRANJEROS 2022
Researcher: Dr. Lluís Blancafort
Reference: PRX22/00196
Funding: 10.265 €
Period: 01/03/2024 – 31/05/2024

Beatriu de Pinós

Title: Beatriu de Pinós
Researcher: Dr. Ouissam El-Bakouri (Ll. Blancafort)
Reference: 2020 BP 00155
Funding: 144.300 €
Period: 1/12/2021 – 30/11/2024

Other projects

Company: Gaussian Inc.
Researcher: Pedro Salvador and Lluís Blancafort
Funding: Full site-license
Period: –

Collaborations

Quansong LiBeijing Institute of Technology (China), collaboration with Lluís Blancafort.
Ben-Zhong TangHong-Kong University of Science and Technology (China), collaboration with Lluís Blancafort.
Theodossis A. TheodossiouOslo University Hospital (Norway), collaboration with Lluís Blancafort.
Synthetica AS, NorwaySynthetica AS (Norway), collaboration with Lluís Blancafort.
Miguel Angel MirandaUniversitat Politècnica de València (Spain), collaboration with Lluís Blancafort.
Sam LeutwylerUniversity of Bern (Switzerland), collaboration with Lluís Blancafort.
Stephen R. MeechUniversity of East Anglia (United Kingdom), collaboration with Lluís Blancafort.
Bern KohlerOhio State University (United States), collaboration with Lluís Blancafort.
News

30 years IQC(C) celebration

Last 20th April took place the 30 years IQC(C) celebration. This wonderful moment

Summer scholarships for UdG students (beques d’estiu 2023)

The Institute of Computational Chemistry and Catalysis (IQCC) of the University of Girona

IQCC Science Slam, April 25, 13.30h

Since 2015 the IQCC is organizing a Science Slam. On Tuesday April 25th

Indole-5,6-quinones display hallmark properties of eumelanin

Melanins are ubiquitous biopolymers produced from phenols and catechols by oxidation. They provide