2023 Materials Chemistry open Prize: de Gennes Prize Winner
Professor Thuc-Quyen Nguyen, University of California, Santa Barbara
Awarded for seminal contributions to the development of organic semiconducting materials and device physics of organic photovoltaics to mitigate climate change.
Professor Nguyen's research interests centre on organic semiconducting materials with a focus on processing protocols, characterisation, and the development of structure-function-performance relationships to optimise their organic photovoltaic (OPV) performance.
OPVs are devices made from carbon-based materials that convert sunlight into electricity. They have attracted significant attention over the last two decades due to their low cost solar power generation potential for buildings and greenhouses. Buildings account for about 40% of global energy consumption and there is an urgent need to design energy efficient buildings or zero-energy buildings (buildings that produce sufficient energy for their own operation). OPVs are lightweight, flexible and semi-transparent and can be designed into various sizes, shapes, and colours. They can be wrapped around the exteriors of buildings or coat glass windows and greenhouses to generate energy. This makes them an ideal solution for reducing the carbon footprint of skyscrapers and high-rise buildings.
| Year | Name | Institution | Citation |
| 2021 | Professor Chad Mirkin | Northwestern University | Awarded for contributions to supramolecular chemistry and nanoscience, in particular the invention and development of methods for nanolithography, high-area rapid printing, and photocontrol in nanoparticle synthesis. |
| 2019 | Professor Eugenia Kumacheva | University of Toronto | Awarded for the design of soft and self-assembled new materials with biomedical applications. |
| 2017 | Professor Ian Manners | University of Bristol | Awarded for his pioneering work in the development of living, crystallisation-driven, self-assembly methods for the preparation of functional and complex micelles. |
| 2015 | Professor Mercouri Kanatzidis | Northwestern University | Awarded for his development of novel chalcogenide and related materials that are useful in energy conversion and environmental remediation schemes. |
| 2013 |
Professor Susumu Kitagawa | Kyoto University | Awarded for his creative development of advanced functional porous materials through innovative coordination chemistry. |
| 2011 |
Steve Mann | University of Bristol | Awarded for pioneering chemical research in the study of bioinorganic materials biomineralization, biomimetic materials and hybrid nanomaterials based on integrated inorganic/organic constructs. |
| 2009 |
Matthew Rosseinsky | University of Liverpool | Awarded for his outstanding and diverse contributions to the materials chemistry of solids. |
Re-thinking recognition: Science prizes for the modern world
This report is the result of an independent review of our recognition programmes. Our aim in commissioning this review was to ensure that our recognition portfolio continues to deliver the maximum impact for chemical scientists, chemistry and society.