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Smart Photonic Materials (SPM)

Chemistry and Advanced Materials

Group members

Group picture at LIBER Symposium in May 2023
SPM group at LIBER Symposium in Helsinki, May 2023

Group leader

Prof. Arri Priimägi

Prof. Arri Priimägi

I am a Professor of Chemistry and lead a research group Smart Photonic Materials. We conduct research on functional soft materials whose properties can be controlled by external stimuli. We especially focus on light-activated materials because light offers a clean and remote stimulus that can trigger material changes with high spatial and temporal resolution. We apply these materials to various directions such as soft robotics, photonics and biomaterials science.

Light has many faces, as do functional materials. Put them together, and the possibilities are limitless!

CV       Publications

Senior Research Fellows

Dr. Chiara Fedele

Dr. Chiara Fedele working on confocal microscope
I am fascinated by the potential of materials to improve human health, so I pursued a PhD at the Italian Institute of Technology, where I learned how to apply materials science to solve problems in biology. Now, working in the Smart Photonics Materials (SPM) group led by Prof. Arri Priimägi I also closely collaborate with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology. My research goal is to create materials and devices that can respond to light and change the behavior of cells in a dynamic way. I am also interested in how these materials can be translated into real-world applications that can benefit society, and I enjoy exploring opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialization of research.

Dr. Rijeesh Kizhakidathazhath

Smiling Rijeesh outside in a coat and a hat in an autumn background
I am a Materials Chemist with over a decade of experience in academic research and industry. Currently, I hold the position of Senior Research Fellow at the SPM group at Tampere University. My primary research focus lies in the design and development of multiresponsive liquid crystal elastomer materials, with particular emphasis on their applications in the emerging field of soft robotics. Additionally, my research interests extend to exploring the diverse applications of mechanochromic cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers across various domains, ranging from healthcare to fashion.

 

Postdoctoral researchers

Dr. Hongshuang Guo

Hongshuang Guo
I received my Ph.D. from the School of Chemical Engineering at Tianjin University, specializing in the preparation of functional coatings, electronic skin, and self-healing materials. Currently, as a postdoctoral researcher in the Smart Photonic Materials group, my primary focus lies in synthesizing novel liquid crystal elastomeric materials. My goal is to contribute innovative materials and structural designs through my research, aiming to introduce new phenomena that can extend the boundaries of existing research fields.

Dr. Shuai Zhang

Dr. Shuai Zhang
I am a postdoctoral researcher in SPM group. My current research interests are focused on: 1) microcavity mode modulation, 2) microcavity laser based on smart materials, 3) biochemical sensors. I aimed to explore novel methods to realize photonic devices with excellent properties.

Dr. Qi Yang

I am a postdoctoral researcher in the SPM group, specializing in the development of soft actuators and robots through the utilization of liquid crystal elastomers/networks, rubber elastomers, and other responsive materials. Rubber, as a distinct class of actuating materials, boasts remarkable attributes including high elasticity, strength, stretchability, and programmability. If you share an interest in the exploration and application of rubber-based materials, I encourage you to contact me for further discussion and collaboration opportunities.

Dr. Jie Jiang

Dr. Jie Jiang outside standing on a bridge over a river.
I completed Ph.D. in Chemistry at Université de Sherbrooke. My research interest is studying porous liquid crystal elastomer and exploring new actuations/functions, and their applications. I joined the SPM group as a postdoctoral researcher in January 2024. Currently, my work focuses on two main aspects: i) humidity-sensitive /water-containing LCEs; ii) electrically responsive LCEs. The research aims to contribute to the development of new-generation LCEs with multifunctional actuating mechanisms, and diverse applications through molecular-level and material structure design.

Dr. Alex Berdin

Alex Berdin's selfie with a road and snow on its sides background
In June 2024, I started as a postdoctoral researcher in SPM after PhD completion in the group. Actively researching liquid crystals, holography, and diffractive optics, my work seamlessly integrates fundamental research with application-driven objectives. Currently exploring the commercial viability of a cutting-edge holographic material, I aim to bridge the gap between theoretical advances and real-world applications in photonics. Open to collaboration and networking to further innovation in the field.

Doctoral students

Zixuan Deng

Zixuan Deng hiking in a snowy forest
I am a Marie Curie ITN doctoral student (https://storm-bots.eu/), working with Smart Photonic Materials Group at Tampere University since October 2020. My research is dedicated to designing and developing light-fueled soft robotics with varied functionalities. In particular, I am interested in coupling light-sensitive elements into liquid crystal elastomers, guided by the principle of ‘functioning at out-of-equilibrium’, which enables these actuators to perform tasks autonomously, and adaptively.

Henning Meteling

Henning Meteling
I am an organic chemist with a deep passion for supramolecular chemistry and all the beautiful phenomena that can be achieved by intermolecular recognition and interaction. My research resolves around the development of novel photo-responsive soft materials by synthesising both molecular (photo)switches and tailored polymers by controlled polymerisation and using these as building blocks for complex adaptive structures such as hydrogels.

Mari Isomäki

Mari Isomäki
I’m especially interested in cell-material interface and how we can harness light to create dynamic light-responsive platform for studying mechanobiology of cells. In my research, I use azobenzene-based thin films, which can be reversibly surface patterned with light. The light-triggered topographies can be used to guide cell alignment and migration. Other topic of my research aims to use light-responsive liquid crystal elastomers for cell culture applications.

Roshan Nasare

Roshan Nasare
I am working on multi-responsive liquid-crystal elastomers, especially those driven by light and humidity. My research background is related to computational and synthetic chemistry. My work is related to the synthesis of novel azobenzene-based photoswitchable molecules, understanding in depth their photophysics, and applying them to potential applications in soft robotics. In addition, I am trying to understand halogen-bonded self-assembly in liquid crystal elastomers.

Matias Paatelainen

Matias Paatelainen
Studied physics and chemistry, combined with pedagogical theory and teacher training. Currently doing PhD on hydrogel photonics in Smart Photonic Materials research group at Tampere University. My interest is in finding new possibilities to combine light and dynamic nature of hydrogels that could find use e.g. in medical treatments diagnosis in the future.

Sami Vesamäki

Sami Vesamäki in nature backgroung
I have always been interested in natural sciences and technology. I graduated with a master’s degree in chemistry in January 2021. Currently my doctoral studies focus around multiresponsive azobenzene derivatives. The main research questions are: How does humidity affect the isomerisation kinetics of certain azobenzenes, how can the humidity sensitivity be controlled and what applications can benefit from this property? My work involves thin film fabrication and steady-state and time-resolved UV-Vis spectroscopy.

Yasaman Nemati

Yasaman Nemati
I hold a master‘s degree in Polymer Engineering and joined the SPM Group in late 2021. My research focuses on multi-responsive liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), specifically magneto-photo-responsive ones. The goal is to create light robots, and I’m genuinely excited about the potential applications of these materials in the future.

Artem Boichuk

Artem Boichuk outside in summer shirt on a street.
My research interests are: 1) studying dependencies between the chemical structure of photochromic liquid crystalline polymers, their phase behavior, and photo-optical properties, 2) development of new photoresponsive LC materials and exploring their applications. Currently, I am working in the field of photoalignment of azobenzene LC polymers and exploring the features of phototuning of the helix pitch length of promising hydrazone-containing LC polymers.

Antti Siiskonen

Antti Siiskonen's portrait picture
I am an organic chemist with background in medicinal chemistry. At the moment my research focuses on studying the azobenzene structures and their interactions with emphasis on halogen bonding.

 

Sudharsana Pillailokam

A man (sudharsana) standing near a wall with Tampere University logo, green grass background.
Driven by a strong zeal for light-matter interaction, I pursue my doctoral research in harnessing digital holographic microscopy for enhanced light-patterning of photonic components. The focus is to explore the photomechanics of light-sensitive polymers for the precise fabrication of various smart photonics materials. This will certainly help us to extend the real-world applications of DHM. Previously, I had short stints in metaplasmonics and nanooptics research.

VIPs

Dr. Suvi Lehtimäki

Suvi Lehtimäki
I work as a staff scientist in the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, in the Materials Science and Environmental Engineering unit. My main resopinsibilily is the Redlabs research infrastructure, which comprises research equipment for photochemistry, photonics, solar cells and synthetic chemistry research. My research interests include soft and polymeric materials, liquid crystal elastomers, atomic force microscopy and the mechanical testing of soft materials.

Dr. Ekaterina (Katya) Lisitsyna

Ekaterina Lisitsyna
I am a research project manager responsible for research administration and coordination in the group such as research data management organization, group web page construction, organization of research events, reporting to funding agencies and many other tasks. I also have PhD and over-10-year research experience mainly in interdisciplinary projects combining physical chemistry, biology and pharmaceutical sciences with a particular focus on biomaterials development and using light-based technologies in materials engineering.

Dr. Markus Lahikainen

Markus Lahikainen
I’m a university teacher with a PhD, specializing in chemistry. My role extends beyond the lecture room, delving into research on light-activated polymers, including hydrogels and liquid crystal polymers.

Alumni

Please check our former group members here