Tomoyasu Mani

2016 Regional Award Winner — Post-Doc

Tomoyasu Mani

Current Position:
Assistant Professor

Institution:
University of Connecticut (Previously at the Brookhaven National Laboratory)

Discipline:
Physical Chemistry

Recognized for: Advances in the understanding of electron transport occurring in Organic Photovoltaics used in solar energy capture and conversion

Areas of Research Interest and Expertise: Charge and energy transfer, spin chemistry, radiation chemistry, ultrafast spectroscopy, energy science


Tomoyasu Mani

Biography:

PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania
BS, Biochemistry, University of Texas at Dallas

Dr. Mani’s research seeks to understand the underlying principles of the chemical reactions that take place after molecules are ionized or absorb light, exploring how we can control them to our advantage using a combined approach of chemical synthesis, spectroscopy, and computational techniques.

Dr. Mani performed his postdoctoral work as a Goldhaber Fellow in the Electron- and Photo-Induced Processes Group, directed by John R. Miller, at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, under the mentorship of Sergei A. Vinogradov, where he studied how magnetic fields control molecular emissivity.

At BNL, Dr. Mani utilized pulse radiolysis, together with other methods, to investigate the nature of charges in conjugated molecules. He demonstrated that by using molecular vibrations we can gain insights into the energetics and dynamics of charged species not otherwise available. His work has potential to change our understanding of conjugated polymers in ways that could realize their promise for contributing to solar energy capture and conversion, and significantly contribute to developing a new understanding of reduction potential in nonpolar environments.

“The goal of my research is to elucidate the fundamental principles that govern the energetics and dynamics of charged and excited states in molecules and molecular assemblies, and to further exploit them for the development of new technologies in energy and life sciences.”

Key Publications: 

  1. Tomoyasu Mani, David C. Grills, Marshall D. Newton, and John R. Miller. Electron Localization of Anions Probed by Nitrile Vibrations. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2015 
  2. Tomoyasu Mani, David C. Grills, and John R. Miller. Vibrational Stark Effects to Identify Ion-pairing and Determine Redox Potentials in Electrolyte-Free Environments. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2015
  3. Tomoyasu Mani and John R. Miller. Role of Bad Dihedral Angles: Methylfluorenes Act as Energy Barriers for Excitons and Polarons of Oligofluorenes. Journal of Physical Chemistry. 2014
  4. Tomoyasu Mani and Sergei A. Vinogradov. Magnetic Field Effects on Upconverted Emission in Solutions Sensitized by Triplet-Triplet Annihilation. Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 2013
  5. Tomoyasu Mani, Mana Tanabe, Seigo Yamauchi, Nikolai V. Tkachenko, Sergei A. Vinogradov. Modulation of Visible Room Temperature Phosphorescence by Weak Magnetic Fields.  Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 2012

Other Honors:

2014-2016      Gertrude and Maurice Goldhaber Distinguished Fellowship