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UTS: Institute for Nanoscale Technology

Andrew McDonagh received his PhD from the Australian National University in 1999 for work investigating the nonlinear optical properties of some transition metal acetylide complexes. He then took up a post-doctoral research position at the University of Bristol, UK. He was awarded a UNSW Vice-chancellor's Post-doctoral Research Fellowship at the University of New South Wales in 2001 and was made lecturer in 2002. He joined UTS in 2003 as a lecturer in chemistry. He is currently an ARC Post-doctoral Research Fellow.

He has expertise in the design and synthesis of functional molecules together with experience in the construction of micro- and nanoscale devices. His projects involve the design and synthesis of light-harvesting ruthenium-based dyes, nanoparticles for forensic fingermark detection, light-responsive molecular structures, molecules for electrochemical switching of nonlinear optical properties, and new types of self-assembled monolayers.

Selected Publications

N. T. Lucas, J. M. Hook, A. M. McDonagh, S. B. Colbran. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry (2005) 496-503 "Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Functionalized with Pd and W Complexes of a Catecholphosphine Ligand."

M. J. Ford, R. C. Hoft, A. M. McDonagh Journal of Physical Chemistry B 109 (2005) 20387-20392 "Theoretical study of ethynylbenzene adsorption on Au(111) and implications for a new class of self-assembled monolayer."

A. M. McDonagh, C. E. Powell, J. P. Morrall, M. P. Cifuentes, M. G. Humphrey. Organometallics 22 (2003) 1402-1413. "Convergent Synthesis of Alkynylbis (bidentate phosphine) ruthenium Dendrimers"

M. G. Wheatley, A. M. McDonagh, M. P. Brungs, R. P. Chaplin, E. Sizgek. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 76 (2003) 175-181. "A study of reverse bias in a dye sensitised photoelectrochemical device."

Asselberghs, K. Clays, A. Persoons, A. M. McDonagh, M. D. Ward, J. A. McCleverty. Chemical Physics Letters 368 (2002) 408-411. "In situ reversible electrochemical switching of the molecular first hyperpolarizability".

A. M. McDonagh, S. R. Bayly, D. J. Riley, M. D. Ward, J. A. McCleverty, M. A. Cowin, C. N. Morgan, R. Varrazza, R. V. Penty, I. H. White. Chemistry of Materials 12, (2000), 2523-24. "A Variable Optical Attenuator Operating In The Near-infrared Region Based On An Electrochromic Molybdenum Complex".