Dr Lauren Hatcher
(she/her)
BSc, PhD
Royal Society University Research Fellow
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
Dr Hatcher's research is focussed on the study of photo-active crystalline materials at the atomic scale. By understanding the relationship between a crystal's structure and its useful bulk properties, we can rationally design new materials with structures optimised to target a particular application or functionality.
Alongside an interest in a range of switchable molecular materials, Dr Hatcher is currently focussed on developing light-responsive ferroelectric materials for solar energy applications. This work is delivered in two parallel streams, with stream one focussed on materials design and stream two on dynamic X-ray diffraction method development. Stream one incorporates aspects of organic/organometallic synthetic chemistry, framework synthesis, analytical chemistry methods and crystallization techniques. Stream two combines a range of in-situ X-ray diffraction methods (particularly photocrystallography) with time-resolved experimentation, providing complete 3D structure information at timescales ranging from minutes down to picoseconds.
Selected publications:
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (2024), Exploring pyroelectric, thermal and photochemical switching in a hybrid organic-inorganic crystal by in-situ X-ray diffraction, https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202401552.
Faraday Discuss. (2023), Uncovering the role of non-covalent interactions in solid-state photoswitches by non-spherical structure refinements with NoSpherA2, 244, 370-390.
Commun. Chem. (2022), LED-pump-X-ray-multiprobe crystallography for sub-second timescales, 5, 102.
CrystEngComm (2022), Exploring the influence of polymorphism and chromophore co-ligands on linkage isomer photoswitching in [Pd(bpy4dca)(NO2)2]. 24, 3701-3714.
Acc. Chem. Res., (2019), Photocrystallographic Studies on Transition Metal Nitrito Metastable Linkage Isomers: Manipulating the Metastable State, 52(4), 1079-1088.
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., (2018), Monitoring photo-induced population dynamics in metastable linkage isomer crystals: a crystallographic kinetic study of [Pd(Bu4dien)NO2]BPh4, 20(8), 5874-5886.
Research Group website: https://hatcherresearch.wixsite.com/lehatcherresearch
Publication
2024
- Lewis, S. G., Coulson, B. A., Warren, A. J., Warren, M. R. and Hatcher, L. E. 2024. Small-rotative fixed-target serial synchrotron crystallography (SR-FT-SSX) for molecular crystals. Communications Chemistry 7(1), article number: 264. (10.1038/s42004-024-01360-7)
- Hatcher, L. E., Warren, M. R. and Raithby, P. R. 2024. Methods in molecular photocrystallography. Acta Crystallographica Section C: Structural Chemistry 80(10), article number: C80. (10.1107/s2053229624007460)
- Pallikara, I., Skelton, J. M., Hatcher, L. E. and Pallipurath, A. R. 2024. Going beyond the ordered bulk: A perspective on the use of the Cambridge Structural Database for predictive materials Design. Crystal Growth and Design 24(17), pp. 6911-6930. (10.1021/acs.cgd.4c00694)
- Hatcher, L. E. and Raithby, P. R. 2024. Dynamic crystal structure of a molecular framework. Nature Chemistry 16, pp. 674-675. (10.1038/s41557-024-01514-z)
- Morris, J. J. et al. 2024. Exploring pyroelectricity, thermal and photochemical switching in a hybrid organic-inorganic crystal by in situ X-ray diffraction. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 63(20), article number: e202401552. (10.1002/anie.202401552)
2023
- Bryant, M. J., Fuertes, S., Hatcher, L. E., Thomas, L. H. and Raithby, P. R. 2023. Structural modifications to platinum(ii) pincer complexes resulting in changes in their vapochromic and solvatochromic properties. Faraday Discussions 244, pp. 411-433. (10.1039/d3fd00025g)
2022
- Hatcher, L. E., Saunders, L. K. and Coulson, B. A. 2022. Uncovering the role of non-covalent interactions in solid-state photoswitches by non-spherical structure refinements with NoSpherA2. Faraday Discussions (10.1039/d2fd00158f)
- Hatcher, L. E. et al. 2022. LED-pump-X-ray-multiprobe crystallography for sub-second timescales. Communications Chemistry 5(1), article number: 102. (10.1038/s42004-022-00716-1)
- Coulson, B. A. and Hatcher, L. E. 2022. Exploring the influence of polymorphism and chromophore co-ligands on linkage isomer photoswitching in [Pd(bpy4dca)(NO2)2]. CrystEngComm 24(20), pp. 3701-3714. (10.1039/D2CE00213B)
2020
- Hatcher, L. E., Burgess, A. J., Payne, P. and Wilson, C. C. 2020. From structure to crystallisation and pharmaceutical manufacturing: the CSD in CMAC Workflows. CrystEngComm 22, pp. 7475-7489. (10.1039/D0CE00898B)
- Hatcher, L. E., Li, W., Payne, P., Benyahia, B., Rielly, C. D. and Wilson, C. C. 2020. Tuning morphology in active pharmaceutical ingredients: controlling the crystal habit of lovastatin through solvent choice and non-size-matched polymer additives. Crystal Growth and Design 20(9), pp. 5854-5862. (10.1021/acs.cgd.0c00470)
- Kaminski, R. et al. 2020. Instrument-model refinement in normalized reciprocal-vector space for X-ray Laue diffraction. Journal of Applied Crystallography 53(5), pp. 1370-1375. (10.1107/S1600576720011929)
- Charles, B. et al. 2020. Phase behavior and substitution limit of mixed cesium-formamidinium lead triiodide perovskites. Chemistry of Materials 32(6), pp. 2282-2291. (10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b04032)
- Hatcher, L. E., Warren, M. R., Pallipurath, A. R., Saunders, L. K. and Skelton, J. M. 2020. Watching photochemistry happen: recent developments in dynamic single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. In: 21st Century Challenges in Chemical Crystallography I., Vol. 185. Structure and Bonding Springer-verlag, pp. 199-238., (10.1007/430_2020_78)
2019
- Saunders, L. K. et al. 2019. Exploring short strong hydrogen bonds engineered in organic acid molecular crystals for temperature dependent proton migration behaviour using single crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SCSXRD). CrystEngComm 21(35) (10.1039/C9CE00925F)
- Turner, T. D., Hatcher, L. E., Wilson, C. C. and Roberts, K. J. 2019. Habit modification of the active pharmaceutical ingredient lovastatin through a predictive solvent selection approach. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 108(5) (10.1016/j.xphs.2018.12.012)
- Hatcher, L. E., Skelton, J. M., Warren, M. R. and Raithby, P. R. 2019. Photocrystallographic studies on transition metal nitrito metastable linkage isomers: manipulating the metastable state. Accounts of Chemical Research 52(4) (10.1021/acs.accounts.9b00018)
2018
- Hatcher, L. E. 2018. Understanding solid-state photoswitching in [ReIJOMe2-bpy)IJCO)3IJη1-NO2)] crystals via in situ photocrystallography. CrystEngComm 20(39), article number: 5990. (10.1039/C8CE00774H)
- Saunders, L. K. et al. 2018. Tuning charge-assisted and weak hydrogen bonds in molecular complexes of the proton sponge DMAN by acid co-former substitution. CrystEngComm 20(22) (10.1039/C8CE00443A)
- Gee, W. J., Hatcher, L. E., Cameron, C. A., Stubbs, C., Warren, M. R., Burrows, A. D. and Raithby, P. R. 2018. Evaluating iodine uptake in a crystalline sponge using dynamic X-ray crystallography. Inorganic Chemistry 57(9), pp. 4959-4965. (10.1021/acs.inorgchem.7b03218)
- Henderson, J. et al. 2018. New polymorphs of perylene: tetracyanoquinodimethane charge transfer cocrystals. Crystal Growth and Design 18(4), pp. 2003-2009. (10.1021/acs.cgd.7b01391)
- Hatcher, L. E., Skelton, J. M., Warren, M. R., Stubbs, C., da Silva, E. L. and Raithby, P. R. 2018. Monitoring photo-induced population dynamics in metastable linkage isomer crystals: a crystallographic kinetic study of [Pd(Bu4dien)NO2]BPh4. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 20(8) (10.1039/C7CP05422J)
2017
- Bryant, M. J. et al. 2017. A rapidly-reversible absorptive and emissive vapochromic Pt(II) pincer-based chemical sensor. Nature Communications 8, article number: 1800. (10.1038/s41467-017-01941-2)
- Hatcher, L. E. and Raithby, P. R. 2017. The impact of hydrogen bonding on 100% photo-switching in solid-state nitro-nitrito linkage isomers. CrystEngComm 19(42) (10.1039/C7CE01366C)
2016
- Hendon, C. H. et al. 2016. Magnetic coupling in a hybrid Mn(ii) acetylene dicarboxylate. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 18(48) (10.1039/C6CP06886C)
- Woodall, C. H. et al. 2016. Observation of a re-entrant phase transition in the molecular complex tris(μ2-3,5-diisopropyl-1,2,4-triazolato-κ2N1:N2)trigold(I) under high pressure. IUCrJ 3(5), pp. 376. (10.1107/S2052252516013129)
- Hatcher, L. E. 2016. Raising the (metastable) bar: 100% photo-switching in [Pd(Bu4dien)(η1-O2)]+ approaches ambient temperature. CrystEngComm 18(22), pp. 4180-4187. (10.1039/C5CE02434J)
- Murray, A. T. et al. 2016. Modelling flavoenzymatic charge transfer events: development of catalytic indole deuteration strategies. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 14(15), pp. 3787-3792. (10.1039/C6OB00361C)
- Shepherd, H. et al. 2016. A high pressure investigation of the order-disorder phase transition and accompanying spin crossover in [FeL12](ClO4)2 (L1 = 2,6-bis{3-methylpyrazol-1-yl}-pyrazine). Magnetochemistry 2(1), pp. -., article number: 9. (10.3390/magnetochemistry2010009)
2015
- Skelton, J. M., Lora da Silva, E., Crespo-Otero, R., Hatcher, L. E., Raithby, P. R., Parker, S. C. and Walsh, A. 2015. Electronic excitations in molecular solids: bridging theory and experiment. Faraday Discussions 177 (10.1039/C4FD00168K)
- Skelton, J. M., Crespo-Otero, R., Hatcher, L. E., Parker, S. C., Raithby, P. R. and Walsh, A. 2015. Energetics, thermal isomerisation and photochemistry of the linkage-isomer system [Ni(Et4dien)(η2-O,ON)(η1-NO2)]. CrystEngComm 17(2) (10.1039/C4CE01411A)
2014
- Woodall, C. H. et al. 2014. Tunable trimers: using temperature and pressure to control luminescent emission in gold(I) pyrazolate-based trimers. Chemistry - A European Journal 20(51), pp. 16933-16942. (10.1002/chem.201404058)
- Hatcher, L. E. and Raithby, P. R. 2014. Dynamic single-crystal diffraction studies using synchrotron radiation. Coordination Chemistry Reviews 277-27, pp. 69-79. (10.1016/j.ccr.2014.02.021)
- Hatcher, L. E. et al. 2014. Thermal and photochemical control of nitro-nitrito linkage isomerism in single-crystals of [Ni(medpt)(NO2)(η2-ONO]. CrystEngComm 16(35) (10.1039/C4CE00675E)
- Hatcher, L. E. et al. 2014. Steady‐state and pseudo‐steady‐state photocrystallographic studies on linkageiIsomers of [Ni(Et4dien)(η2‐O,ON)(η1‐NO2)]: identification of a new linkage isomer. Chemistry - A European Journal 20(11), pp. 3128-3134. (10.1002/chem.201304172)
2013
- Hatcher, L. E. and Raithby, P. R. 2013. Solid-state photochemistry of molecular photo-switchable species: the role of photocrystallographic techniques. Acta Crystallographica Section C: Crystal Structure Communications 69(12) (10.1107/S010827011303223X)
- Woodall, C. H. et al. 2013. Hingeless negative linear compression in the mechanochromic gold complex [(C6F5Au)2(μ‐1,4‐diisocyanobenzene)]. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 52(37) (10.1002/anie.201302825)
2012
- Jarvis, A. G. et al. 2012. Photochemical-mediated solid-state [2+2]-cycloaddition reactions of an unsymmetrical dibenzylidene acetone (monothiophos-dba). CrystEngComm 14(17) (10.1039/c2ce25480h)
- Warren, M. R. et al. 2012. Photoactivated linkage isomerism in single crystals of nickel, palladium and platinum di-nitro complexes – a photocrystallographic investigation. Dalton Transactions 41(42) (10.1039/c2dt30314k)
- Bajwa, S. E. et al. 2012. On the appearance of nitrite anion in [PdX(OAc)L2] and [Pd(X)(C^N)L] syntheses (X = OAc or NO2): photocrystallographic identification of metastable Pd(η1-ONO)(C^N)PPh3. Chemical Science 3(5) (10.1039/c2sc01050j)
2011
- Hatcher, L. E. et al. 2011. Metastable linkage isomerism in [Ni(Et4dien)(NO2)2]: a combined thermal and photocrystallographic structural investigation of a Nitro/Nitrito interconversion. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 50(36), pp. 8371-8374. (10.1002/anie.201102022)
Articles
- Lewis, S. G., Coulson, B. A., Warren, A. J., Warren, M. R. and Hatcher, L. E. 2024. Small-rotative fixed-target serial synchrotron crystallography (SR-FT-SSX) for molecular crystals. Communications Chemistry 7(1), article number: 264. (10.1038/s42004-024-01360-7)
- Hatcher, L. E., Warren, M. R. and Raithby, P. R. 2024. Methods in molecular photocrystallography. Acta Crystallographica Section C: Structural Chemistry 80(10), article number: C80. (10.1107/s2053229624007460)
- Pallikara, I., Skelton, J. M., Hatcher, L. E. and Pallipurath, A. R. 2024. Going beyond the ordered bulk: A perspective on the use of the Cambridge Structural Database for predictive materials Design. Crystal Growth and Design 24(17), pp. 6911-6930. (10.1021/acs.cgd.4c00694)
- Hatcher, L. E. and Raithby, P. R. 2024. Dynamic crystal structure of a molecular framework. Nature Chemistry 16, pp. 674-675. (10.1038/s41557-024-01514-z)
- Morris, J. J. et al. 2024. Exploring pyroelectricity, thermal and photochemical switching in a hybrid organic-inorganic crystal by in situ X-ray diffraction. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 63(20), article number: e202401552. (10.1002/anie.202401552)
- Bryant, M. J., Fuertes, S., Hatcher, L. E., Thomas, L. H. and Raithby, P. R. 2023. Structural modifications to platinum(ii) pincer complexes resulting in changes in their vapochromic and solvatochromic properties. Faraday Discussions 244, pp. 411-433. (10.1039/d3fd00025g)
- Hatcher, L. E., Saunders, L. K. and Coulson, B. A. 2022. Uncovering the role of non-covalent interactions in solid-state photoswitches by non-spherical structure refinements with NoSpherA2. Faraday Discussions (10.1039/d2fd00158f)
- Hatcher, L. E. et al. 2022. LED-pump-X-ray-multiprobe crystallography for sub-second timescales. Communications Chemistry 5(1), article number: 102. (10.1038/s42004-022-00716-1)
- Coulson, B. A. and Hatcher, L. E. 2022. Exploring the influence of polymorphism and chromophore co-ligands on linkage isomer photoswitching in [Pd(bpy4dca)(NO2)2]. CrystEngComm 24(20), pp. 3701-3714. (10.1039/D2CE00213B)
- Hatcher, L. E., Burgess, A. J., Payne, P. and Wilson, C. C. 2020. From structure to crystallisation and pharmaceutical manufacturing: the CSD in CMAC Workflows. CrystEngComm 22, pp. 7475-7489. (10.1039/D0CE00898B)
- Hatcher, L. E., Li, W., Payne, P., Benyahia, B., Rielly, C. D. and Wilson, C. C. 2020. Tuning morphology in active pharmaceutical ingredients: controlling the crystal habit of lovastatin through solvent choice and non-size-matched polymer additives. Crystal Growth and Design 20(9), pp. 5854-5862. (10.1021/acs.cgd.0c00470)
- Kaminski, R. et al. 2020. Instrument-model refinement in normalized reciprocal-vector space for X-ray Laue diffraction. Journal of Applied Crystallography 53(5), pp. 1370-1375. (10.1107/S1600576720011929)
- Charles, B. et al. 2020. Phase behavior and substitution limit of mixed cesium-formamidinium lead triiodide perovskites. Chemistry of Materials 32(6), pp. 2282-2291. (10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b04032)
- Saunders, L. K. et al. 2019. Exploring short strong hydrogen bonds engineered in organic acid molecular crystals for temperature dependent proton migration behaviour using single crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SCSXRD). CrystEngComm 21(35) (10.1039/C9CE00925F)
- Turner, T. D., Hatcher, L. E., Wilson, C. C. and Roberts, K. J. 2019. Habit modification of the active pharmaceutical ingredient lovastatin through a predictive solvent selection approach. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 108(5) (10.1016/j.xphs.2018.12.012)
- Hatcher, L. E., Skelton, J. M., Warren, M. R. and Raithby, P. R. 2019. Photocrystallographic studies on transition metal nitrito metastable linkage isomers: manipulating the metastable state. Accounts of Chemical Research 52(4) (10.1021/acs.accounts.9b00018)
- Hatcher, L. E. 2018. Understanding solid-state photoswitching in [ReIJOMe2-bpy)IJCO)3IJη1-NO2)] crystals via in situ photocrystallography. CrystEngComm 20(39), article number: 5990. (10.1039/C8CE00774H)
- Saunders, L. K. et al. 2018. Tuning charge-assisted and weak hydrogen bonds in molecular complexes of the proton sponge DMAN by acid co-former substitution. CrystEngComm 20(22) (10.1039/C8CE00443A)
- Gee, W. J., Hatcher, L. E., Cameron, C. A., Stubbs, C., Warren, M. R., Burrows, A. D. and Raithby, P. R. 2018. Evaluating iodine uptake in a crystalline sponge using dynamic X-ray crystallography. Inorganic Chemistry 57(9), pp. 4959-4965. (10.1021/acs.inorgchem.7b03218)
- Henderson, J. et al. 2018. New polymorphs of perylene: tetracyanoquinodimethane charge transfer cocrystals. Crystal Growth and Design 18(4), pp. 2003-2009. (10.1021/acs.cgd.7b01391)
- Hatcher, L. E., Skelton, J. M., Warren, M. R., Stubbs, C., da Silva, E. L. and Raithby, P. R. 2018. Monitoring photo-induced population dynamics in metastable linkage isomer crystals: a crystallographic kinetic study of [Pd(Bu4dien)NO2]BPh4. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 20(8) (10.1039/C7CP05422J)
- Bryant, M. J. et al. 2017. A rapidly-reversible absorptive and emissive vapochromic Pt(II) pincer-based chemical sensor. Nature Communications 8, article number: 1800. (10.1038/s41467-017-01941-2)
- Hatcher, L. E. and Raithby, P. R. 2017. The impact of hydrogen bonding on 100% photo-switching in solid-state nitro-nitrito linkage isomers. CrystEngComm 19(42) (10.1039/C7CE01366C)
- Hendon, C. H. et al. 2016. Magnetic coupling in a hybrid Mn(ii) acetylene dicarboxylate. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 18(48) (10.1039/C6CP06886C)
- Woodall, C. H. et al. 2016. Observation of a re-entrant phase transition in the molecular complex tris(μ2-3,5-diisopropyl-1,2,4-triazolato-κ2N1:N2)trigold(I) under high pressure. IUCrJ 3(5), pp. 376. (10.1107/S2052252516013129)
- Hatcher, L. E. 2016. Raising the (metastable) bar: 100% photo-switching in [Pd(Bu4dien)(η1-O2)]+ approaches ambient temperature. CrystEngComm 18(22), pp. 4180-4187. (10.1039/C5CE02434J)
- Murray, A. T. et al. 2016. Modelling flavoenzymatic charge transfer events: development of catalytic indole deuteration strategies. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 14(15), pp. 3787-3792. (10.1039/C6OB00361C)
- Shepherd, H. et al. 2016. A high pressure investigation of the order-disorder phase transition and accompanying spin crossover in [FeL12](ClO4)2 (L1 = 2,6-bis{3-methylpyrazol-1-yl}-pyrazine). Magnetochemistry 2(1), pp. -., article number: 9. (10.3390/magnetochemistry2010009)
- Skelton, J. M., Lora da Silva, E., Crespo-Otero, R., Hatcher, L. E., Raithby, P. R., Parker, S. C. and Walsh, A. 2015. Electronic excitations in molecular solids: bridging theory and experiment. Faraday Discussions 177 (10.1039/C4FD00168K)
- Skelton, J. M., Crespo-Otero, R., Hatcher, L. E., Parker, S. C., Raithby, P. R. and Walsh, A. 2015. Energetics, thermal isomerisation and photochemistry of the linkage-isomer system [Ni(Et4dien)(η2-O,ON)(η1-NO2)]. CrystEngComm 17(2) (10.1039/C4CE01411A)
- Woodall, C. H. et al. 2014. Tunable trimers: using temperature and pressure to control luminescent emission in gold(I) pyrazolate-based trimers. Chemistry - A European Journal 20(51), pp. 16933-16942. (10.1002/chem.201404058)
- Hatcher, L. E. and Raithby, P. R. 2014. Dynamic single-crystal diffraction studies using synchrotron radiation. Coordination Chemistry Reviews 277-27, pp. 69-79. (10.1016/j.ccr.2014.02.021)
- Hatcher, L. E. et al. 2014. Thermal and photochemical control of nitro-nitrito linkage isomerism in single-crystals of [Ni(medpt)(NO2)(η2-ONO]. CrystEngComm 16(35) (10.1039/C4CE00675E)
- Hatcher, L. E. et al. 2014. Steady‐state and pseudo‐steady‐state photocrystallographic studies on linkageiIsomers of [Ni(Et4dien)(η2‐O,ON)(η1‐NO2)]: identification of a new linkage isomer. Chemistry - A European Journal 20(11), pp. 3128-3134. (10.1002/chem.201304172)
- Hatcher, L. E. and Raithby, P. R. 2013. Solid-state photochemistry of molecular photo-switchable species: the role of photocrystallographic techniques. Acta Crystallographica Section C: Crystal Structure Communications 69(12) (10.1107/S010827011303223X)
- Woodall, C. H. et al. 2013. Hingeless negative linear compression in the mechanochromic gold complex [(C6F5Au)2(μ‐1,4‐diisocyanobenzene)]. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 52(37) (10.1002/anie.201302825)
- Jarvis, A. G. et al. 2012. Photochemical-mediated solid-state [2+2]-cycloaddition reactions of an unsymmetrical dibenzylidene acetone (monothiophos-dba). CrystEngComm 14(17) (10.1039/c2ce25480h)
- Warren, M. R. et al. 2012. Photoactivated linkage isomerism in single crystals of nickel, palladium and platinum di-nitro complexes – a photocrystallographic investigation. Dalton Transactions 41(42) (10.1039/c2dt30314k)
- Bajwa, S. E. et al. 2012. On the appearance of nitrite anion in [PdX(OAc)L2] and [Pd(X)(C^N)L] syntheses (X = OAc or NO2): photocrystallographic identification of metastable Pd(η1-ONO)(C^N)PPh3. Chemical Science 3(5) (10.1039/c2sc01050j)
- Hatcher, L. E. et al. 2011. Metastable linkage isomerism in [Ni(Et4dien)(NO2)2]: a combined thermal and photocrystallographic structural investigation of a Nitro/Nitrito interconversion. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 50(36), pp. 8371-8374. (10.1002/anie.201102022)
Book sections
- Hatcher, L. E., Warren, M. R., Pallipurath, A. R., Saunders, L. K. and Skelton, J. M. 2020. Watching photochemistry happen: recent developments in dynamic single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. In: 21st Century Challenges in Chemical Crystallography I., Vol. 185. Structure and Bonding Springer-verlag, pp. 199-238., (10.1007/430_2020_78)
Research
Research Interests:
I am a solid-state organometallic chemist with particular expertise in time-resolved single crystal X-ray diffraction, photocrystallography and crystal engineering of switchable molecular and framework materials.
The structure of a material holds the key to understanding its useful properties and this is why I am fascinated by solid-state chemistry. Single crystal X-ray diffraction provides highly accurate information on the structure of crystalline materials and is used to re-create a 3D image of the individual atoms and molecules. By combining these techniques with in-situ excitation (e.g. light, temperature, pressure and electric fields) and time-resolved methodologies, I aim to create "molecular movies" that show how switchable materials respond to excitation in 3D and in real time.
Research Projects:
Dynamic X-ray Diffraction in Solar Energy Materials Design (Royal Society University Research Fellowship).
My current URF project, Dynamic X-ray Diffraction in Solar Energy Materials Design, develops new photo-active ferroelectric materials and determines the structural basis for their light-induced functionality using in-situ photocrystallographic techniques. Photo-active ferroelectric materials can directly convert sunlight into electricity and are highly desirable for solar energy applications. By developing cutting-edge dynamic X-ray diffraction methods, both at Cardiff and in collaboration with Diamond Light Source, we will watch how these materials interact with light in real-time. This improved understanding will then be taken back into the synthetic lab and used to design new crystals with improved photo-induced ferroelectric capabilities. This research has the exciting potential to deliver real global impact by revolutionising our understanding of solar energy conversion at the atomic scale, which can in-turn lead to the design of new and more efficient solar cells.
Advanced Microcrystallization for Serial Crystallography
This project is running in collaboration with the UK synchrotron, Diamond Light Source.
Traditional X-ray crystallography involves the collection of a complete 3D crystal structure dataset from just one, largely perfect single crystal. This has many advantages, but in situations were the crystals are not stable for the duration of the X-ray experiment and/or undergo damage due to exposure to high-energy X-rays or light irradiation, then it is not possible to collect all of the data required from just the one crystal sample. Instead, multi-crystal data collection methods such as serial crystallography are now being developed, where each data image is obtained from a different crystal and these images are then later combined to generate the complete dataset. There are many challenges presented by serial crystallography experiments, which are being addressed in this project. Most particularly, at Cardiff we are working to develop new targeted crystallization strategies to produce the hundreds, or sometimes thousands, of perfect single crystals required for these experiments. These experiments optimise both the crystal size distribution and crystal habit, aiming for the most consistent, homogeneous batch of microcrystals possible across the batch.
For more information on specific projects available with Dr Lauren Hatcher please review the Materials and Energy section of our research project themes.
Biography
Dr Lauren E. Hatcher is a Royal Society University Research Fellow (Mar 2020 – present) in the School of Chemistry at Cardiff University. Prior to this she worked as a Research Associate in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Bath (RA in Crystallisation Science for Manufacturing (CMAC), Jan 2018 – Jan 2020; RA in the Metastable Materials Research Group, Jan 2014 – Jan 2018). Lauren completed her PhD in Chemistry at the University of Bath in May 2014, under the supervision of Prof. Paul Raithby (Thesis title: Molecular Photocrystallography). She also completed her undergraduate studies at Bath in 2010 (1:1 BSc(Hons) in Natural Sciences with Industrial Placement) and as part of this course spent one year as an Industrial Placement Student in the Small Molecule Crystallography Group at GlaxoSmithKline Services, Harlow.
Honours and awards
- Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2019)
- CCDC Chemical Crystallography Prize for Younger Scientists, British Crystallographic Association (2017)
- American Crystallographic Association travel grant, American Crystallographic Association meeting, Denver (2016)
- Rigaku travel grant, British Crystallographic Association Spring Meeting, Lancaster (2015)
- Journal of Chemical Crystallography poster prize, 63rd American Crystallographic Association meeting, Hawaii (2013)
- Final Year Postgraduate Symposium Prize (Bolland Symposium), University of Bath Department of Chemistry (2013)
- Oxford Cryosystems Low Temperature poster prize, 22nd International Union of Crystallography Congress, Madrid (2011)
- Magaret Etter Student Lecturer Award, 61st American Crystallography Meeting, New Orleans (2011)
- The Leadership Forum Award for Best Chemistry Student, European SET Student of the Year Awards (2010)
- Faculty of Science Prize for Best Natural Sciences Student, University of Bath (2007, 2008, 2010)
Professional memberships
- Member of the British Crystallographic Association
- Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry
Academic positions
- Jan 2018 - Jan 2020: Research Associate in Crystallisation Science for Manufacturing (CMAC), EPSRC grant EP/I033459/1, Department of Chemistry, University of Bath
- Jan 2014 - Jan 2018: Research Associate, Metastable Materials Group, EPSRC grant EP/K004956/1 Department of Chemistry, University of Bath
- Feb 2016 - Oct 2016: Impact Acceleration Fellow (secondment), EPSRC grant EP/I01974X/1, Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot
Committees and reviewing
- BCA Chemical Crystallography Group, Vice-Chair (2018 - 2019)
- BCA Chemical Crystallography Group, Ordinary member (2016 - 2018)
- BCA Young Crystallographers Group, Secretary/Treasurer (2012 - 2014)
Supervisions
As our research group specialises in the design of useful switchable materials and understanding the structure-property correlations that are responsible for their functionality, I am highly interested in supervising students with interests in several areas of chemistry, including:
- structural chemistry and crystallography
- analytical chemistry
- synthetic organometallic and inorganic chemistry
- advanced crystallisation techniques.
Current supervision
Sam Lewis
Research student
Debashish Das
Research student
Josh Morris
Research student
Contact Details
+44 29225 11783
Main Building, Room Room 2.82, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT