Dr. Wouter Koopman
Bldg. 28, Room 1.022
How can we design nanoreactors that harness light to drive precise chemical transformations?
My research explores the intersection of nanophotonics and catalysis. I investigate how nanomaterials interact with light to design nanoreactors capable of driving chemical reactions with precision. By understanding the fundamentals of photoexcitation, I aim to develop sustainable technologies that transform molecules using sunlight.
My strategy integrates nano-optical concepts into traditional photo- and photoredox catalysis through two complementary approaches:
- Plasmonic Light Harvesting: I investigate plasmonic nanostructures acting as "nano-optical antennas." By integrating these with catalytic oxides and nitrides, I aim to amplify light absorption and channel energy directly into chemical reaction centers. In this context, not only the antenna itself but also the composition of the reactive environment plays a fundamental role.
- Cavity-Modified Reactivity: I utilize optical cavities to engineer the electromagnetic environment surrounding reactants. This approach allows me to control energy transfer pathways and modulate the
- For more information on my research look at the website of the Advanced Photocatalysis lab.
Biography
I currently head the Advanced Photocatalysis Lab associated with the chair of Ultrafast Dynamics of Condensed Matter of Prof. Dr. Matias Bargheer. During my studies in physics at the RWTH Aachen and the FZ Jülich I specialized on condensed matter physics and optics. Afterwards I moved as a Marie Curie fellow to the Institute of Nanostructured Materials of the National Research Council (CNR-ISMN) in Bologna to work in the group of Dr. Michele Muccini on elementary excitations in organic semiconductors. I received my PhD for my thesis on "Excitons in organic semiconductors" in a collaboration with Prof. Matthias Wuttig from the RWTH Aachen University. Since 2014 I joined the group of Matias Bargheer, first as a post-doc and subsequently as group leader and principle investigator in the Collaborative Research Center 1636 on Elementary Processes in Nanoscale Metals