Welcome | Blank Research Group in Chemistry

Welcome to the Blank Research Group in the Chemistry Department at the University of Minnesota.

Our research group investigates a variety of dynamic events in condensed media. The investigations range from basic chemical reaction dynamics in solution to energy and charge transfer dynamics in new materials with targets including applications in solar energy conversion. Our primary experimental tools are nonlinear time domain spectroscopies and this includes new methods developed in our laboratory. Computational tools such as time dependent density functional methods and molecular dynamics simulations are used to complement the experiments and aid in the interpretation of our data.

Recent news and publications

	Blank Lab wins Platinum Safe Lab Award
	Evaluating Large-Scale STEM Outreach Efficacy with a Consistent Theme: Thermodynamics for Elementary School Students	DeWilde, J.F.; Rangnekar, E.P.; Ting, J.M.; Franek J.E.; Bates, F. S.; Hillmyer, M.A.; Blank, D.A. ACS Omega, 2019, 4, 2, 2661–2668.
	Effect of the Polymer Chain Arrangement on Exciton and Polaron Dynamics in P3HT and P3HT:PCBM Films	Dimitriev, Oleg P.; Blank, David A. ; Gasner, Christian.; Teichert, Christian. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2018, 122(30), 17096-17109.
	1,7-Dipyrene-Containing Aza-BODIPYs: Are Pyrene Groups Effective as Ligands To Promote and Direct Complex Formation with Common Nanocarbon Materials?	Yuriy V. Zatsikha, Tanner S. Blesener, Philip C. Goff, Andrew T. Healy, Rachel K. Swedin, David E. Herbert, Gregory T. Rohde, Kullapa Chanawanno, Christopher J. Ziegler , Rodion V. Belosludov, David A. Blank, and Victor N. Nemykin Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2018, 122, 27893-27916.
	Paper on 1,7-Dipyrene-Containing Aza-BODIPYs Accepted to The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
	Graduate Student Meghan Knudtzon Wins Outstanding TA Award
	Special Seminar Matt Hauwiller
	Effects of a phosphonate anchoring group on the excited state electron transfer rates from a terthiophene chromophore to a ZnO nanocrystal	Amanda N. Oehrlein, Antonio Sanchez-Diaz, Philip C. Goff, Gretchen M. Ziegler, Ted M. Pappenfus, Kent R. Mann, David A. Blank and Wayne L. Gladfelter. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, 19, 24294-24303.
	David named Department Head
	Preparation, Characterization, Redox, and Photoinduced Electron-Transfer Properties of the NIR-Absorbing N-Ferrocenyl- 2-pyridone BODIPYs	Yuriy V. Zatsikha, Natalia O. Didukh, Tanner Blesener, Mathew P. Kayser, Yuriy P. Kovtun, David A. Blank, and Victor N. Nemykin. Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2017, , 318–324.