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Damien Murphy

Professor Damien Murphy

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Teams and roles for Damien Murphy

Overview

I am a Professor of Physical Chemistry, and joined Cardiff University in 1996. Before joining the University, I studied Chemistry in Ireland, Italy, France, and Portugal, notably at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Trinity College Dublin, Universita di Torino, Université P. et M. Curie, and Instituto Superior Technico. I have held several internal senior University management roles, notably Head of School, and external roles, notably secretary of the ESR Group of the Royal Society of Chemistry. I am a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and the Royal Society of Chemistry. I am currently a Co-Director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI). I am passionate about promoting the importance of the chemical sciences in University teaching and research.

My research interests are devoted to the field of radical chemistry and paramagnetic states, primarily in chemical transformations, catalysis, advanced materials, organometallic and coordination chemistry. Many chemical transformations are in fact catalysed by paramagnetic metal complexes or involve reactive oxygen species, and to improve catalyst design/function, one requires detailed knowledge of the structure, properties and reactivity of these often unstable radicals. Since this information cannot be readily extracted by conventional NMR methods, my research has led the way in applying advanced EPR methods to study these important open-shell paramagnetic systems. My research has been continually supported by several funding agencies and I have collaborated widely with various Industrial partners.

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Books

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Research

My research interests lie in the study of open-shell species (radicals and paramagnetic spins states) and primarily their role in controlling chemical reactivity. Free radicals and redox processes are ubiquitous in nature and indeed fundamental to life. Generally these radicals can display harmful or beneficial properties depending on the chemical or biological environment. Certainly in chemical systems, numerous transformations are actually dependent on the participation of open-shell species and their angular momentum, particularly in the field of catalysis. Despite their importance and almost universal presence in nature (including biology, food, water, atmosphere, materials, etc) the role and actions of free radicals remains exceedingly complex. Owing to their short lifetimes and transient state, these open-shell systems remain intriguing but elusive entities to study.

We therefore use and develope the advanced spectroscopic technique called Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and the related hyperfine methodologies, such as Electron Nuclear Double Resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy, to fully interrogate the electronic structures of these open-shell paramagnetic spin systems both in the ground and excited states. In turn this enables us to better understand the broad structure of these chemically active paramagnetic states and reactive intermediates, and in turn the central role of the unpaired spin state in the driving chemical transformations.

The principle field of our research activitiy revolves around developments in heterogeneous catalysis and photocatalysis, homogeneous catalysis, and the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in oxidation reactions. The group also provides insights into the weak secondary interactions that control reaction selectivity, the conformational changes that occur to catalyst structure, the free radical chemistry by the ROS and the redox/spin states involved in the electron transfer steps. We also utilise high field EPR in our catalysis research, and are exploring the use of perturbation methodologies (pressure and temperature jump EPR) to study the radical chemistry in unprecedented detail. Since temperature and pressure are primary thermodynamic parameters in reaction kinetics, chemical equilibria, molecular conformations and interactions, it is very important in catalysis as a manipulative tool to examine reaction mechanisms using PJ- and TJ-EPR capabilities.

More recently, we have investigated the role of microwaves in accelerating radical mediated chemical transformations using a novel dual mode MW-EPR resonator developed with colleagues in the School of Engineering. The ability to use microwaves to thermally drive chemical reactions when combined with suitable techniques to study the intermediates formed is therefore most revealing. As chemical reactions often generate reactive short-lived radical intermediates that direct the transformation of reactants to products, our in-situ MW-EPR offers a facile means to identify and understand the nature of the intermediates present, and their roles in associated reactions.

Teaching

I currently contribute to a 4th Year taught Module in Advanced Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

CH3410 Advanced Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Principles and Applications

CHT231 Advanced Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Principles and Applications

My previous teaching activities in the School included modules in

CH0001 Fundamental Aspects of Chemistry,

CH3101 Foundations of Physical Chemistry, 

CH2117 Environmental Chemistry,

CH2115 Chemistry of the Cosmos,

CH3204 Symmetry, Spectroscopy and Quantum Mechanics,

CH0215 Materials and Applications,

CH0306 Structure Determination,

CH2406 Theory of Electron Dynamics.

In addition I have contributed to all other aspects of teaching delivery, including tutorials, laboratory practicals and project supervision. I also oversaw a number of major changes to our degree programme.

Having taught EPR spectroscopy at Cardiff University for over 25-years, this experience stimulated me to contribute as a co-author to the Oxford University Press (OUP) primer textbook entitled Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (ISBN: 9780198727606).

Biography

Professor Damien Murphy joined Cardiff University in 1996 as a Lecturer in Physical Chemistry, and was later promoted to Senior Lecturer (2002), Reader (2008) and full Professor (2013). He is currently a Professor of Physical Chemistry, Co-Director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI) and a specialist in Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy. He has held several senior management roles in Cardiff University, including 6-years as Head of the School of Chemistry (2017-2023), and 4-years as Deputy Head of School and Director of Research (2013-2017).

He began his career by studying Applied Science (Chemistry) at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), Ireland (1986-1990), and later at the Universitá di Torino, Italy (1990-1993) and Trinity College Dublin (TCD), where he completed his PhD (under the supervision of Prof Elio Giamello) using EPR spectroscopy to study defect vacancies and radical species on oxide surfaces. He then moved to the Instituto Superior Technico (IST), Lisbon (1994-1995) to study the structure of small water clusters in asymmetric membranes using ATR-FTIR (with Prof. Maria de Pinho), and later to the Université P. et M. Curie, Paris (1995-1996) examining the structure of microporous materials and zeolites using FTIR and EPR (with Profs Michel Che and Pascale Massiani).

To date his research in EPR spectroscopy has received financial support through a number of large EU and UKRI grants. He collaborates widely with a number of academic partners both nationally and internationally, and he also works with various industrial partners. As an expert in the study of free radicals, he was awarded a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award (2014-2019). He is Fellow of the RSC (since 2009), a Fellow of the LSW (since 2018), and currently a Visting Professor at the Universita di Torino, Italy.

Contact Details

Email [email protected]
Telephone +44 29208 75850
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