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Functional Macromolecules and Porous Materials Research Group

Functional Macromolecules and Porous Materials Research Group

The Functional Macromolecules Research Group specialises on design, synthesis and engineering inclusion compounds, metal complexes, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), metal organic cages (MOCs) and their derivatives. Our primary focus is on developing eco-friendly and robust materials for applications such as gas capture, separation, catalysis and sensing.

We explore material properties starting from understanding their behaviour including molecular interactions, functionality and reactivity. This foundation allows us to tailor materials with desired properties, evaluate the performance for targeted applications and ultimately facilitate implementation in real-world scenarios.

Programmable and sustainable materials

Our team compose with synthetic chemists and engineers both in organic and inorganic areas. We are experienced in a range of synthetic methodologies and perform comprehensive characterization and analysis of material properties using various techniques. In particular at:

  • introduction of desired functional components,
  • determination of the molecular and framework structures,
  • study of stability under different conditions,
  • analysis of the optical responses,
  • measurement of accessible surface area,
  • visualisation of macro-scale morphology.

We also have hands-on skills to transform materials into practical phase. Our research spans from fundamental studies to industrial implementation. By integrating synthetic principles and programmable functionalities with innovative engineering approaches, the FunMaP group aims to explore new ways to improve material performance and overcome the challenge of existing technologies. Our multidisciplinary research not only enhances the properties of material but also paves the way for the development of sustainable solutions.

QREDIT – our core

Our group also value “QREDIT”

  • Quality
  • Respect
  • Ethics
  • Diversity
  • Innovation
  • Teamwork

With QREDIT, we provide space for researches and personal development. Together, we create a dynamic and inclusive atmosphere where everyone is valued to deliver credible and impactful science.

Porous materials usually contain large numbers of voids or pores within their structure/network that allow more efficient mass transfer thanks to their relatively large accessible surface area compared to non-porous materials. Common examples from nature is wood or zeolites. Owing to the specific porous features, porous materials have been extensively studies in decades and have been used in many industrial sectors. Porous materials includes: porous carbon, zeolites, metal organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and cages/polyhedral. Our focus mainly around metal-organic based porous materials. If you are interested, some of these up-to-date journals will provide you more insights.

Porous materials includes:

  • porous carbon,
  • zeolites,
  • metal organic frameworks (MOFs),
  • covalent organic frameworks (COFs)
  • and cages/polyhedral.

Our focus mainly around metal-organic based porous materials. If you are interested, some of these up-to-date journals will provide you more insights.

If you’re interested, the following recent publications may provide more information:

MOFs are porous infinite structures that composed of metal nodes (i.e. paddle wheel and cluster) and organic linkers (i.e. carboxylate and N-donor ligands) via coordination bonds. Owing to the specific coordination number of metal ions and the geometry of organic linkers. MOFs can be designed following the reticular chemistry and can be functionalised for desired applications.

Recommended sources:

MOCs (or MOPs) is a discrete cage like supramolecular structures. Similar to MOFs, it is constructed by metal ions and organic linkers but resulting in finite architectures.

Recommended source:

Porous liquid is a new class of materials that was invented in 2007. It has permanent intrinsic porosity in the liquid phase and classified into 3 types. Type 1 PL is the direct liquification of porous solid into liquid via post-functionalisation. Type 2 PL involves the dissolution of porous solid into liquid media and Type 3 PL is the dispersion of porous solid into liquid media. Until recently, a Type 4 PL has been developed, which is the melting of porous solid without losing all the porosity.

  • Typ 1 – is the direct liquification of porous solid into liquid via post-functionalisation
  • Typ 2 – involves the dissolution of porous solid into liquid media
  • Typ 3 – is the dispersion of porous solid into liquid media
  • Typ 4 – has been developed, which is the melting of porous solid without losing all the porosity

Polecane źródło:

Porous gel is a continuous microscopic structure with macroscopic dimensions that is unchanged over a period of time and possesses rheologically solid-like behaviour despite being liquid.

Recommended sources:

Macromolecules typically composed of numerous of monomers such as polymers or proteins. In biology, they play crucial roles in biological processes. In industry, they impact our daily life. Appropriate design and functionalisation allow implementation of macromolecules in a board range of applications.

Recommended sources:

Group members

Grupa Badawcza Makromolekuł i Materiałów Porowatych_Min Ying Tsang 2

Dr. Min Ying Tsang

Dr. Min is currently a Junior Principal Investigator of the Functional Macromolecules and Porous Materials Group at the Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development. She has extensive experience in the design, synthesis, and application of various materials. Throughout her career, she has focused on the development of porous materials, including metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), metal–organic cages, porous liquids, and lanthanide-based materials, and has investigated their application potential in areas such as water-splitting photocatalysis, carbon capture, optical sensing, and germicidal studies.

Building on her interest in fundamental phenomena, she seeks solutions for creating functional porous materials. Her international research experience across Hong Kong, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan, Austria, and Poland, along with participation in national and international conferences, has enabled her to establish scientific networks and engage in cross-disciplinary collaborations, including joint funding initiatives.

Her experience in industrial research, complemented by a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, has provided her with a strong background in technology transfer, commercialization, and outreach to the commercial sector, facilitating collaborations with industrial partners. She currently holds two US patents and has authored more than 20 publications in top-ranked journals. She is also a member of the EUROMOF international committee and the EU4MOFs COST Action.

As the leader of her research team, she aims to integrate the multidisciplinary expertise of team members with her vision of implementing porous materials to address current environmental challenges and advance technological development.

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Paweł Cwynar

I graduated from Wroclaw University of Science and Technology and from the French University Ecole Normale Superieure de Paris-Saclay. In Wroclaw I studied materials science and in Paris – nanobiophotonics,  as a part of the Erasmus Mundus Master Programme. I started working at Łukasiewicz – PORT in September 2020 as a process engineer and later I have started a PhD in the field of sensors for bioactive impurities of water.

Currently, I am working on the development of material for the detection of biologically active water contaminants such as the Bisphenol A(BPA), that is a commonly known endocrine disrupting chemical(EDC). Earlier, I was advancing the one-pot synthesis to facilitate fabrication of sequence-defined oligomers and polymers. Owing to previous projects I have got hands-on experience in organic chemistry, chromatography and mass spectrometry, while right now I am learning more skills in optical spectroscopic field.

Grupa Badawcza Makromolekuł i Materiałów Porowatych_Tapendu Samanta

Dr. Tapendu Samanta

Dr. Tapendu is a synthetic organic chemist specializing in polymer chemistry. His research centers on designing innovative monomers and polymerization techniques to explore and tailor the physicochemical properties of resulting materials for impactful applications. Initially, his work focused on creating fluorogenic and chromogenic polymeric materials as advanced sensing platforms for detecting environmental pollutants.

Building on this foundation, Dr. Tapendu Samanta shifted towards sequence-defined polymer synthesis, employing both conventional synthetic methods and automated synthesizers to achieve precision and control. His current research emphasizes novel synthesis strategies for sequence-defined, stereo-controlled oligomers, enabling fine-tuning of properties for specific applications.

Additionally, he is exploring the synthesis of ligands for metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with adaptable luminescent characteristics. Looking ahead, his goal is to develop polymeric materials with transformative potential in biomedical fields, particularly for bioimaging, drug delivery, and cancer theranostics, ultimately aiming to bridge fundamental research with real-world applications in healthcare and environmental solutions. The purpose of his scientific activity is to advance the synthesis and application of functional materials.

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Grupa Badawcza Funkcjonalnych Makrocząsteczek i Materiałów Porowatych_Mounika Joharian

Dr. Mounika Joharian

Dr. Mounika is currently a Senior Specialist – Postdoc Research Engineer at the Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development. She is an inorganic chemist with a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry and nearly three years of postdoctoral research experience at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in France.

She has extensive experience in the synthesis and design of porous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and in the investigation of their physicochemical properties for applications in catalysis, electrocatalysis, sensing, and gas adsorption.

In addition, she has experience in the synthesis of mesoporous silica materials and the development of various carbon-based nanocomposites.

Grupa Badawcza Makromolekuł i Materiałów Porowatych_Aleksandra Gerszendorf

Aleksandra Gerszendorf

Aleksandra graduated from Wrocław University of Science and Technology with a Master’s degree in Chemistry and Materials Engineering, specializing in Advanced Nano- and Biomaterials, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Physics. After graduation, she worked as an intern and researcher at the University of Porto, where she was involved in the project “Solar green hydrogen fuel Flexi-PEC’s: Flexible photoelectrochemical cells for water splitting.”

Her previous research work concerned nanostructured porous materials for applications in water splitting and green hydrogen production. She specialized in nanostructured carbon materials for electrochemical water splitting and later focused on hematite nanoparticle layers for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Currently, she continues her research in the field of porous materials, focusing on the synthesis and development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and exploring their tunable properties.

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