James Gardner
Associate professor
Details
Researcher
About me
James Gardner graduated from Tulane University with a joint Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Environmental Science in 2004 and received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from The Johns Hopkins University in 2009. James joined the faculty of KTH in 2012 as the Assistant Professor of Photoelectrochemistry. Photochemistry was been a focus for in James' research since he was a PhD student studing the photochemical formation of chemical bonds. During his post-doctoral research at Uppsala University (2009-2011), Dr. Gardner explored interfacial charge transfer chemistry by time-resolved spectroscopies. In 2016, James received the title of Docent and was promoted to tenured Associate Professor. From 2018 to 2024, Dr. Gardner was the Division Head for Applied Physical Chemistry. Those same years, James was Deputy Head of the Center for Molecular Devices (CMD). The CMD is a collaborative research environment between KTH and Uppsala University that focuses on all aspects of emerging solar cell technologies. Dr. Gardner is currently an editor at the journalsEnergies (since 2020) andNanoenergy Advances (since 2022).
My Research
The photochemistry and photophysics of molecules at interfaces have been an overarching research theme. Of particular interest is understanding the energetics, kinetics, and conditions that promote interfacial charge transfer chemistry as this relates to dye-sensitized, quantum dot, and perovskite solar cells.
To understand interfacial charge transfer in perovskite solar cells, the Gardner lab applies its expertise to the synthesis, photophysics, and photochemistry of perovskites. An overarching goal of these studies is to make safe and stable materials for high efficiency solar cells.
Our studies of molecular materials have focused on copper compounds for use in dye-sensitized solar cells , sensors, and optoelectronic applications.
Copper coordination complexes may one day supplant ruthenium complexes as the go-to photochemistry molecules. These molecules have similarly long excited state lifetimes, rely on an abundant metal, and have comparatively direct syntheses. However, these molecules are hampered by their relative (photo)chemical instability. A deeper understanding of the bonding in copper coordination may lead to more robust molecules and less expensive solar cells.
The Gardner lab has studied ruthenium coordination complexes for their potential use in tandem solar cells made from strictly molecular materials. Ruthenium complexes are well known for their photostability and tunable redox chemistry and comparatively long-lived excited states.
In the News
Moisture tolerant perovskite solar cells: link
James was awarded the element Tantalum from IUPAC for the Periodic Table of Younger Chemists: link
KTH News:
1) Meeting with KTH's Energy Platform
2) Possible solution to flaw in promising solar material
3) Solar cell performance improves with ion-conducting polymer
Courses
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (CK2020), examiner, course responsible | Course web
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (FCK3319), examiner, course responsible, teacher | Course web
Analytical Chemistry (CK1290), teacher | Course web
Analytical Chemistry with Statistics (CK1295), teacher | Course web
Batteries (CK2300), teacher | Course web
Batteries (CK206V), teacher | Course web
Chemical Equilibrium (CK1285), examiner, course responsible, teacher | Course web
Chemical Equilibrium (CK1280), examiner, course responsible, teacher | Course web
Degree Project in Chemical Engineering and Technology, First Cycle (KH138X), examiner | Course web
Degree Project in Chemistry, Second Cycle (KD200X), examiner | Course web
Degree Project in Engineering Chemistry, First Cycle (KA103X), assistant | Course web
Introductory Chemistry (KD1020), teacher | Course web
Materials Chemistry and Properties (KF1165), teacher | Course web
Project in Chemistry (KD2905), examiner | Course web
Project in Chemistry (KD2910), examiner | Course web
Project in Chemistry (KD2920), examiner | Course web