- Research , Student
- 17/10/2024
Beslać received an award from The Royal Dutch Chemical Society (KNCV) for his research titled “Triazatruxene-based supramolecular polymers”. Although he had to wait a while for that. For five months he already knew he was among the top three nominees, but only last Thursday he received the redeeming word during De Avond van de Chemie (The Evening of Chemistry). His parents were there, traveling from Serbia. “That night we had some drinks and the day after we had a nice family dinner to celebrate.”
His thesis was an ‘absolute pleasure’ to read, the judges wrote in a press release. ‘Marko demonstrated he is insightful in his research approach, and he can also reflect on his results in a critical manner. He took significant strides in the development of these novel supramolecular monomers that will have an impact in the areas of organic electronics and optoelectronics.’
Photosynthesis
Beslać's research relates to supramolecular chemistry; how molecules interact and connect to form larger structures. “To design new materials with tailored properties, it is essential to understand exactly how molecules interact to obtain large assemblies with precise microstructures,” he said.
Beslać drew inspiration for his research from nature, specifically the process of photosynthesis. “That's an incredibly efficient process for making energy, but not the kind of energy we as humans can use to power machines and devices,” he said. His research mimicked the mechanics behind photosynthesis and looked at how synthetic molecules respond to light. “The idea behind it is that this would allow us, for example, to make solar cells generate energy more efficiently.”
Beslać is currently developing his thesis into a scientific paper. When that is finished, he will remain at TU/e for some time. He has accepted a PhD position, which he is looking forward to.
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