David Huang

Associate Professor David Huang

Associate Prof/Reader

School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


I use theory and computation to study condensed phase phenomena in chemistry and materials science on the molecular and nano scales. I am particularly interested in devising ways to control the properties of soft matter for applications in renewable energy and functional materials.

Soft Condensed Matter Theory and Computation

Research group website: https://huang-lab.org/

Organic Electronics

The performance of organic electronic devices such as solar cells is sensitive to the structural properties of organic semiconductors on a wide range of length scales from the atomic level up to the 100-nm scale. Elucidating these structural properties and how they correlate with electronic properties on all relevant length scales is thus highly challenging. To address this issue, we are developing coarse-grained computational models to study the self-assembly of the nano-scale structure and its impact on functional properties such as energy and charge transport in organic semiconductor materials like conjugated polymers.

exciton transport in conjugated polymers

Nanofluidics

The dynamics of liquids when they are confined by surfaces on the nano scale can deviate significantly from those at the macroscopic level. In particular, due to high surface-to-volume ratios, interface effects can dominate flow phenomena. We are using statistical mechanics and fluid dynamics to understand how molecular-scale surface interactions can be exploited to control nano-scale fluid flows, with a focus on applications to electrokinetic energy conversion processes.

transmembrane mixing

 

Open Positions

I am always looking for talented students and postdoctoral researchers to join my research group. If you are interested in joining the group, please send me your CV (and academic transcripts for students), along with a brief description of your research interests. 

Dates Funding Agency Scheme Grant Title Investigators Amount
2021–2023 Australian Research Council Discovery Projects Predicting concentration-gradient-driven liquid transport in 2D membranes DM Huang $330,000
2019–2021 Australian Research Council Discovery Projects Aggregation control for high-performance polymer electronics CR McNeill, DM Huang, M Heeney, M Sommer $370,000
2018 University of Adelaide Interdisciplinary Research Fund Advanced composite materials containing graphene micro­inclusions for underwater acoustic applications M Ayub, AC Zander, D Losic, MJ Nine, CQ Howard, BS Cazzolato, DM Huang $60,000
2016–2018 Australian Research Council Discovery Projects X-ray snapshots of chemical transformations in open framework materials CJ Doonan, CJ Sumby, DM Huang, N Champness $314,900
2011–2014 Australian Solar Institute (ASI) Round 2 Upconversion of the solar spectrum for improved PV energy conversion TW Schmidt, MJ Crossley, S Perrier, GJ Conibeer, NJ Ekin-Daukes, S Maier, KW Lips, DM Huang $811,000
2011–2013 Centre for Energy Technology–Adelaide Airport Partnership Generic Fund Solar hydrogen: photocatalytic generation of H 2 from water GF Metha, TW Kee, DM Huang, J Alvino $33,000

 

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor Towards overall water splitting for sustainable hydrogen production using novel organic semiconductors Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Zi Goh
    2022 Co-Supervisor The feasibility of a singlet fission enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution system Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Harrison Jake McAfee
    2022 Co-Supervisor Visible Light Photocatalysis by Organic Semiconductor Nanoparticles Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Andrew Dolan
    2022 Co-Supervisor Analysis of Unusual DNA Structures Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Gerardo Urbina
    2022 Principal Supervisor Predicting concentration-gradient-driven fluid flow in 2D membranes Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Holly Carol Maria Baldock
    2021 Co-Supervisor Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Products Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Matthew Alexander Coleman
    2021 Co-Supervisor Studies of Electron Transfer and Coherence in Organic Systems by Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Jessica Michelle De La Perrelle
    2020 Co-Supervisor Biophysical characterisation of DNA triplexes for antigene technology Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jack Klose
    2019 Principal Supervisor Systematic Molecular Coarse-Graining of Anisotropic Condensed Phases Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Huong Nguyen
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Coherence and Singlet Fission of TIPS-Pentacene Probed by Two-dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Jessica Michelle De La Perrelle
    2019 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Machine Learning Anisotropic Coarse-Grained Simulation Models of Small-Molecule and Polymeric Organic Semiconductors Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Marltan Oral Wilson
    2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Spectroscopic and Computational Studies of Morphology-Dependent Exciton Dynamics in TIPS-Pentacene Nanoparticles Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Rohan Joshua Hudson
    2018 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Understanding and Controlling the Microstructure of Organic Semiconductors Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Belinda Jayne Boehm
    2017 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Systematic Coarse-Graining and Dynamical Simulations of Anisotropic Molecules with Applications in Organic Semiconductors Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Ms Huong Nguyen
    2017 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Polarisation Effects of Exciton Migration and Singlet Fission in TIPS-Pentacene Nanoparticles Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Elisabeth Schrefl
    2017 - 2022 Co-Supervisor A Biophysical Investigation of Nucleic Acid Triplexes and Inversion Site Recognising Analogues Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Alexander Jacob Begbie
    2017 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Entrance Effects on Solution Transport Through Nanoporous Membranes Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Daniel Justin Rankin
    2016 - 2018 Principal Supervisor A Mechanistic Study of the Stability of Triple-Stranded DNA Structures Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mrs Belinda Jayne Boehm
    2016 - 2018 Co-Supervisor A Kinetic and Spectroscopic Analysis of Distance-dependent Singlet Fission in TIPS-Pentacene Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Ms Alexandra Nicole Stuart
    2015 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Computational Screening and Analysis of Functional Porous Materials Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Andrew Tarzia
    2015 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Interplay of Structural, Dynamical, and Electronic Properties in Doped Semiconducting Polymer Systems Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Ms Sophia Ackling
    2013 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Theoretical and Spectroscopic Studies of Energy and Charge Transport in Organic Semiconductors Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Patrick Charles Tapping
    2013 - 2016 Co-Supervisor Experimental and Numerical Investigation of a Carbon Nanotube Acoustic Absorber Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Md Ayub
    2012 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Simulations of Molecular and Extended Porous Materials Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jack Evans
    2011 - 2015 Co-Supervisor The Characterisation, Photocatalytic Performance, and Theoretical Investigation of Small Gold Clusters Supported on Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Jason Frankie Alvino
  • Position: Associate Prof/Reader
  • Phone: 83135580
  • Email: david.huang@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134380
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Badger, floor 1
  • Org Unit: Chemistry

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