Prof Klaas Wynne
- Chair in Chemical Physics (Chemistry)
telephone: 01413308522
email: Klaas.Wynne@glasgow.ac.uk
Research Summary
The ultrafast chemical physics group led by Klaas Wynne uses spectroscopy and imaging to study liquids, solutions, and proteins, and phase transitions in them. Femtosecond optical Kerr-effect spectroscopy (OKE) is used to get access to dynamics from the terahertz (1012 Hz) range down to megahertz. Dielectric spectroscopy – done with colleagues in Germany and Italy – provides a complementary view. Imaging and in particular confocal fluorescence spectroscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) is used to observe spatial fluctuations related to the dynamic separation of phases. With collaborators (in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US), we can also look at bonds directly using femtosecond two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy (2D-IR), at diffusion using NMR, at atomic-scale structure using X-ray and neutron scattering, and at interfaces using sum-frequency generation (surface SFG).
Publication Highlights
- D.A. Turton, C. Corsaro, D.F. Martin, F. Mallamace, K. Wynne, 'The dynamic crossover in water does not require bulk water', Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 14, 8067–8073 (2012). (http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C2CP40703E)
- D.A. Turton, T. Sonnleitner, A. Ortner, M. Walther, G. Hefter, K.R. Seddon, S. Stana, N.V. Plechkova, R. Buchner and K. Wynne, 'Structure and dynamics in protic ionic liquids: A combined optical Kerr-effect and dielec-tric relaxation spectroscopy study', Faraday Disc. 154, 145-153 (2012). (http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c1fd00054c)
- D.A. Turton, C. Branca, C. Corsaro, M. Candelaresi, K.R. Seddon, F. Mallamace, and K. Wynne, 'The structure and terahertz dynamics of water confined in nanoscale pools in salt solutions', Faraday Disc. 150, 493-504 (2011). (http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c0fd00005a)
- D.A. Turton, D.F. Martin, and K. Wynne, ‘Optical Kerr-effect study of trans-1,2-dichloroethene: liquid-liquid transition or super-Arrhenius relaxation’, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 12, 4191-4200 (2010). (http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/b918196b)
- D.A. Turton, K. Wynne, ‘Universal non-exponential relaxation: complex dynamics in simple liquids’, J. Chem. Phys. Communication 131, 201101 (2009). (http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3265862) [3rd most downloaded JCP paper in December 2009, 2009 JChemPhys editors’ choice.]
- D.A. Turton, J. Hunger, A. Stoppa, G. Hefter, A. Thoman, M. Walther, R. Buchner, and K. Wynne, ‘Dynamics of Imidazolium Ionic Liquids from a Combined Dielectric Relaxation and Optical Kerr Effect Study: Evidence for Mesoscopic Aggregation’, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 11140-11146 (2009). (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja903315v) [top 1%]
- D.A. Turton, J. Hunger, G. Hefter, R. Buchner, K. Wynne, ‘Glasslike Behavior in Aqueous Electrolyte Solutions’, J. Chem. Phys. Communication 128, 161102 (2008). (http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2906132) [Editors’ Choice in Science 320, 987 (2008) and 7th most downloaded JCP paper in May 2008]
Grants & Funding
- 2012-2015, EPSRC EP/J00975X/1, EP/J009733/1, "The structure and dynamics of water confined in nanoscale pools: the dynamic crossover", £586k, K. Wynne, N. Hunt.
- 2012-2015, EPSRC EP/J004790, EP/J004812, EP/J014478, "Liquid–liquid transitions in molecular liquids: from supramolecular structure to phase separation", £634k, K. Wynne, J. Sefcik.
- 2013, RSC, Faraday Discussion Meeting "Mesostructure and dynamics in liquids and solutions", K. Wynne, A. Soper (RAL), A. Angel (Arizona State U.), K. Seddon (Queen's U.), S. Meech (UEA), H.E. Stanley (Boston U.).
- 2010, ISIS 1010269, A liquid-liquid transition in supercooled Gallium (3 days on SANDALS), K. Wynne, F. Demmel, W.S. Howells, D.A. Turton
- 2008-2013, EPSRC EP/F06926X, Two-dimensional terahertz–IR spectroscopy: a unique probe of ultrafast hydrogen-bond dynamics of liquid water and model systems, £623k, K. Wynne, J. Karolin, D.J.S. Birch
- 2007-2011, EPSRC EP/E046541, Terahertz spectroscopy of aqueous ionic solutions to understand the role of hydrogen-bond network breaking and strengthening in the Hofmeister series, £470k, K. Wynne, N.T Hunt
- 2006-2011, EPSRC EP/D062861/1, Nanometrology for Molecular Science, Medicine and Manufacture, £3118k, Birch, Pickup, Faulds, O’Donnell, Smith, Martin, Wynne, Dawson, Girkin, Graham, Gnudi, Rolinski
- 2006-2011, SFC, Nanometrology for Molecular Science, Medicine and Manufacture, £1150k, Birch, Pickup, Faulds, O’Donnell, Smith, Martin, Wynne, Dawson, Girkin, Graham, Gnudi, Rolinski
- 2004-2007, EPSRC GR/S95510, A comparison of the THz-frequency vibrational spectra of (chiral) liquids obtained through ultrafast infrared and Raman spectroscopies, £252k, K. Wynne
- 2004-2005, Wolfson Foundation, Nanometrology of colloidal particles, £449k, Birch, Wynne, Smith, Graham
- 2004-2009, Leverhulme Trust F/00273/E, Surface-enhanced ultrafast Kerr-effect spectroscopy of dynamics in biomolecules, £125k, K. Wynne, D.J.S. Birch
- 2004-2007, EPSRC GR/S75369, Understanding the structural and dynamic basis of kinetics in biomolecules using novel ultrafast Raman techniques, £330k, K. Wynne, D.J.S. Birch, W.E. Smith, D. Graham, J.O. Karolin
- 2004-2005, SHEFC SRIF, Materials preparation and characterisation equipment, and solid-state ultrafast laser sources (SHEFC, Science Research Investment Fund), £470k, Several investigators including D.J.S. Birch and K. Wynne
- 2003-2006, EPSRC GR/S48110 & GR/S48127, Single Molecule Sensing in Clinical Medicine (EPSRC Adventure Fund), £528k, Birch, Pickup, Smith, Wynne, Graham, Gnudi, Rolinski
- 2003-2006, EPSRC GR/R97566, Using electromagnetic pulses emitted by ultrafast molecular currents for studying charge-transfer reactions, £211k, K. Wynne, D.A. Jaroszynski
- 2002-2006, EPSRC GR/R88090, Basic technology: Developing laser-plasma accelerators and coherent radiation sources as tools for time-resolved studies, £4270k, Jaroszynski, Burnett, Cairns, Dangor, Gillespie, Wark, Bingham, Poole, Norreys, Wynne, Hooker, Krushelnick, Walmsley
- 1999-2001, EPSRC GR/M75600, Ultrafast electron-energy loss/gain spectroscopy (fs-EELS/EEGS), £78k, K. Wynne, D.A. Jaroszynski
- 1999-2002, SHEFC RDG, X-ray to infrared sources for Strathclyde Terahertz to Optical Pulse Source (TOPS), £570k, D.A. Jaroszynski, A.D.R. Phelps, K. Wynne
- 1999-2003, PRF 34344 - AC6, Chemical reaction control with high-power femtosecond electrical pulses, £40k, K. Wynne
- 1999-2002, EPSRC GR/M52090, Study of superradiance and short pulse propagation in an underdense plasma, £406k, D.A. Jaroszynski, A.D.R. Phelps, K. Wynne
- 1999-2003, RS A20172, Femtosecond field emitter, £10k, K. Wynne
- 1999-2002, SHEFC , Strathclyde Synchronised Electron and High Power Ultra-Short Terahertz to Optical Pulse Source (TOPS), £530k, D.A. Jaroszynski, A.D.R. Phelps, K. Wynne
- 1999-2002, EPSRC GR/M39312, The solvent response to chemical reactions, £190k, K. Wynne
- 1997-1999, EPSRC GR/L91627, T-Ray near-field imaging, £51k, K. Wynne
- 1997-1999, EPSRC GR/K88002, Temporal and spectral dynamics of phonons in crystals excited using subpicosecond optical pulses, £193k, T.P.J. Han, K. Wynne
- 1996-1997, Strathclyde, Ultrafast reaction dynamics in proteins, £20k, K. Wynne
- 1997-1999, EPSRC GR/K88972, Fluorescence dynamics in confined water: application to the structure of silica hydrogels, £198k, D.J.S. Birch, K. Wynne
The Group comprises:
- Klaas Wynne, chair of chemical physics in the School of Chemistry at Glasgow University since 2010.
- David Turton, postdoc with KW since 2004. David is currently Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Chemistry at Glasgow University.
- Chris Syme, postdoc with KW since 2012.
- Scott Campbell, PhD student with KW since December 2007.
- Joanna Mosses, PhD student with KW since October 2010.
- Marc White, PhD student with Lee Cronin, Chick Wilson, and KW, since October 2010.
- Thomas Sonnleitner, visiting PhD student from the lab of Richard Buchner at the University of Regensburg
- Andrew Monaghan technician for the group
- Mrs Alexis Stevenson secretary
- Edward Castner, Jr. is visiting professor in the group through Strathclyde and professor of chemistry in the Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA.
- Robin Hochstrasser is visiting professor in the group through Strathclyde and Donner Professor of Physical Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania.
The new ultrafast laser lab on the 3rd floor of the Joseph Black building.
Teaching
- Level 1 - Thermodynamics
- Level 4 - Dynamics of molecular clusters and fluids
- Class Head for Chemical Physics (2012-present)
Awards
PhD (Amsterdam) FRSC FInstP
Marks of esteem
2011 Faraday Discussion Invited to organise a future Faraday Discussion Meeting on “Mesostructure and dynamics in liquids and solutions” to be held in 2013
2011 Guest editor Guest editor with Neil Hunt for special issue on Ultrafast Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics of PCCP to be published 2012.
- 2012 - Elected member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Physical Chemistry
- 2012 - Elected a member of the EPSRC college of peer reviewers
- 2012 - Elected member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Annual General Meeting of the European Molecular Liquids Group and Japanese Molecular Liquids Group (Lille, France, 2013)
- 2012 - Invited with Mischa Bonn (Director MPI for Polymer Research) to organise session on Biomolecular Terahertz Spectroscopy (SPIE Photonics West, BIOS, San Francisco, 2013).
- 2012 - PCCP 14, 6154 (2012) second most read PCCP article in April 2012.
- 2012 - The UCP 2011 meeting was the subject of a “news & views” article in the March 2012 issue of Nature Chemistry (doi:10.1038/nchem.1282)
- 2012 - Appointed visiting professor in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde
- 2012 - Elected member of the Board of Chemical Physics (Elsevier)
- 2011 - Invited to organise a Faraday Discussion Meeting on “Mesostructure and dynamics in liquids and solutions” to be held in 2013
- 2011 - Guest editor with Neil Hunt for special issue on Ultrafast Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics of PCCP to be published 2012.
- 2010 - J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 11140 (2009) was cited 19 times in the first 12 months since publication placing it comfortably in the top 1% of all papers in chemistry (according to Thomson Reuters Science Watch).
- 2010 - JCP 119, 464 (2003) chosen as highlighted reference in the JCP Spotlight Collection on ionic liquids, March 2010. See http://jcp.aip.org/jcp/about/spotlight/ionic_liquids
- 2010 - JCP 131, 201101 (2009) 3rd most downloaded JCP paper in December 2009. Selected JChemPhys editors’ choice as one of the most innovative and influential articles in the field of Chemical Physics in 2009. See http://jcp.aip.org/jcp/editors_choices_2009
- 2010 - Strathclyde Teaching Excellence Awards 2010, Certificate of Recognition awarded in recognition of outstanding teaching
- 2009 - Plenary lecturer EMLG-JMLG Meeting 2009, Salzburg, Austria
- 2009 - Elected member of the international organising committee of the conference on Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy
- 2008 - JCP 128, 161102 (2008) Editors’ Choice in Science 320, 987 (2008) and the 7th most downloaded JCP paper in May 2008
Selected Recent Talks
- K. Wynne, SPIE Photonics West, February 2013, San Francisco, USA (invited).
- D.A. Turton, T. Harwood, A. Lapthorn, E. Ellis, and K. Wynne, Advanced Photonics Techniques in Soft Matter and Biology, January 2013, London (invited).
- D.A. Turton, T. Harwood, A. Lapthorn, E. Ellis, and K. Wynne, Symposium on Structure and Dynamics, December 2012, IISER Pune, India (invited).
- D.A. Turton, C. Corsaro, D.F. Martin, F. Mallamace, and K. Wynne, 23rd International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy, August 2012, Bangalore, India (invited).
- K. Wynne, Ultrafast Chemical Physics 2011, December 2011, Glasgow, UK (invited).
- K. Wynne, EMLG/JMLG meeting “New outlook on molecular liquids”, tbg. September 2011, Warsaw, Poland (invited plenary lecture).
- D. Turton, T. Sonnleitner, G. Hefter, A. Thoman, M. Walther, R. Buchner, and K. Wynne, International Conference on Time Resolved Vibrational Dynamics, June 2011, Switzerland.
- K. Wynne, Faraday Discussion 150: Frontiers in Spectroscopy, April 2011, Basel, Switzerland.
- K. Wynne, Gordon Research Conference on Vibrational Spectroscopy, 1-6 August 2010, Biddeford, ME, USA (invited).
- D.A. Turton, J. Hunger, A. Stoppa, G. Hefter, A. Thoman, M. Walther, R. Buchner, and K. Wynne, SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, California, USA, 23-28 January 2010.
- N. Hunt, K. Wynne, UK Workshop on Ultrafast Dynamics, Belfast, 12 January 2010 (invited).
- K. Wynne, EMLG-JMLG Meeting 2009 on Intermolecular Interactions and Liquid Structure, 6-10 September 2009, Salzburg, Austria (invited plenary lecture).
- D.A Turton, K. Wynne, 14th International Conference on Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy, 9-14 May 2009, Meredith, NH, USA.
- D.A. Turton, J. Hunger, G. Hefter, R. Buchner, K. Wynne, 16th International Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena, 9-13 June 2008, Stresa, Italy.
- G.H. Welsh and K. Wynne, SPIE Photonics West, 19-24 January 2008, San Jose, CA, USA (invited).
Recent professional activities
- Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Physical Chemistry (2012-present).
- Initiated a collaboration between the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India and the University of Glasgow in the area of Dynamics and Structure leading to a bilateral meeting 10-12 December 2012 in Pune attended by 9 academic staff from Glasgow (2012).
- Member of the local organising committee of the SU2P Symposium (Glasgow, April 2013).
- Head of the Physical Chemistry section (2012-present).
- Member of the EPSRC college of peers (2012-present).
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Annual General Meeting of the European Molecular Liquids Group and Japanese Molecular Liquids Group (Lille, France, 2013).
- Organiser with Mischa Bonn (Director MPI for Polymer Research) of a session on Biomolecular Terahertz Spectroscopy (SPIE Photonics West, BIOS, San Francisco, 2013).
- Visiting professor in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at Strathclyde (2012-2014).
- Member of the Board of the Elsevier journal Chemical Physics (2012-2015).
- Organiser of a Faraday Discussion meeting on ‘Mesostructure and dynamics in liquids and solutions’ to be held in 2013.
- Guest editor with Neil Hunt for special issue on Ultrafast Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics of PCCP to be published 2012.
- Member of the local organising committee of the ‘European Conference of Crystal Growth’ ECCG4 to be held in 2012.
- Member of the Committee of the Liquids and Complex Fluids Group of the IoP (2011-present).
- Chair for ‘Perspectives in Multidimensional Spectroscopy’ in honour of Prof Robin Hochstrasser, University of Pennsylvania, March 2011.
- Co-organiser of the ‘International Workshop on Ultrafast Chemical Physics 2011’ to be held 14-16 December 2011 in Glasgow. Organising committee: Neil Hunt (Strathclyde), Klaas Wynne (Glasgow), David Klug (Imperial), Helen Fielding (UCL), Steve Meech (UEA), and Julia Weinstein (Sheffield).
- Member of the international organising committee of the international conference on Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy, TRVS (2009-present).
- Member programme Committee for SPIE Photonics West 2010 (Ultrafast Phenomena in semiconductors and Nanostructures), San Francisco, USA, 2010. (2009-present)
- Contributing to the ‘Survival Blog for Scientists’ at http://www.sciencesurvivalblog.com/ (2009-present).
- Organiser of the ‘International Workshop on Ultrafast Chemical Physics 2008’ held 30/31 October 2008 in Glasgow with nearly 100 attendees. Organising committee: Klaas Wynne, Neil Hunt (Strathclyde), Steve Meech (UEA), David Klug (Imperial), and Angus Bain (UCL).