Hunt Research Group
Our research is focused towards understanding the chemistry and physics associated with solvents and solvation, particularly as this applies to ionic-liquids and deep eutectic solvents.
We study the making and breaking of molecules. This includes catalytic mechanisms (for group II and frustriated lewis acid-base pairs) and chemical decomposition (for green fuels, bio-fuels and ionic-liquids).
Overarching all of these areas is a specialisation in hydrogen-bonding, acid-base interactions and an expertise in the MO theory of bonding. We have developed the Effective MO Method for interrogating the electronic structure of liquids and study charge partitioning and interactions within molecules.


October 2021
Molecular orbital of the month
The Al-battery works via a liquid (electrolyte) which contains molecular ions that carry charge between the electrodes. The exact nature of the molecular ions and the reactions that occur at the Al electrode are unclear.
This MO is from a molecular ion [Al2Cl5]2- stabilised by coordination to urea and is one of the potential reactive species we have been investigating.
October 2021
Latest News 2 PhD Thesis submitted and Tricia talking about hydrogen bonds
Tricia has been talking about how hydrogen bonding makes water a "weird"" liquid on the BBC Radio 4 podcast The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry. Two episodes:
The Weirdness of Water Part 1
The Weirdness of Water Part 2
Sophie: Modelling the Environmental Decomposition of Nerve Agents



George: Beyond iron: the role of siderophores in the biogeochemistry of late first-row transition metals