Staff Profile

I am a Royal Society University Research and NUAcT Fellow. My research has led me to realise the potential of indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) and coordination complexes to solve the key challenges facing my research field, including issues of sustainability, stability, and performance of hybrid solar cells. My key findings and influential achievements so far in the field of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) include: a) new concepts in hole transport materials with record efficiencies of 11.5%, (Chem Science 2020, Nature Comm. 2017)1,2, b) new redox mediators (JACS 2016)3,4, c) new device design and prototype applications in ambient light conditions (34% efficiency, Chemical Science 2020, highlighted and reported by 25 news outlets worldwide; and 29% efficiency, Nature Photonics 2017). These findings have already led to focus the DSC field towards new applications of hybrid solar cells for indoor applications.

My strengths is in synthesis, coordination chemistry and physical chemistry. The logical next step is to apply my experience in developing coordination complexes for molecular devices to: (1) exploit the advantages of coordination chemistry, such as fine control over the electronic, structural and physical properties, to improve the performance of hybrid solar cells and related systems; and (2) exploit the unique advantages of hybrid solar cells such as outstanding performance under ambient light conditions.

Dr Freitag’s long-term ambition is to make smart and self-sustainable devices to innovate sensing and communications. I am currently taking part in SUSTAIN, a programme run by the Academy of Medical Sciences to train and support female researchers in their independent research careers.

• 1D Coordination Polymers for Charge Transport Materials
• Ambient Light Photovoltaics for smart and self powered IoT

Schools and education

• Michaels H, Rinderle M, Freitag R, Benesperi I, Edvinsson T, Socher R, Gagliardi A, Freitag M. Dye-sensitized solar cells under ambient light powering machine learning: towards autonomous smart sensors for the internet of things. Chemical Science 2020, 11(11), 2895-2906.
• Gotfredsen H, Neumann T, Storm FE, Viñas Muñoz A, Jevric M, Hammerich O, Mikkelsen KV, Freitag M, Boschloo G, Brøndsted Nielsen M. Donor−Acceptor‐Functionalized Subphthalocyanines for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells. ChemPhotoChem 2018, 2(11), 976-985.