Richard Robson (chemist)
Richard Robson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 June 1937 |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (BA, 1959) (DPhil, 1962) |
| Known for | Coordination Polymers |
| Awards | Burrows Award, Inorganic Division of RACI Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Inorganic Chemistry |
| Institutions | University of Melbourne |
| Website | https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/15996-richard-robson |
Richard Robson FAA FRS (born 4 June 1937) is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne.[1] Robson has published over 200 articles, specialising in coordination polymers, particularly metal-organic frameworks.[2] He has been described as "a pioneer in crystal engineering involving transition metals".[3][4]
Education
[edit]Robson was born in Glusburn in West Yorkshire in the UK, and read chemistry at the University of Oxford (BA 1959, DPhil 1962). He undertook postdoctoral research at California Institute of Technology 1962-64 and at Stanford University 1964-65, before receiving a Lectureship in chemistry at the University of Melbourne 1966-70 where he remained for the duration of his career.
Research
[edit]Richard Robson's groundbreaking research is in the field of coordination polymers, particularly in the infinite polymeric framework,[2] later termed as Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).[5] His journey into this field began in 1974 when he was tasked with building large wooden models of crystalline structures for first-year chemistry lectures. In the 1990s, Robson created a new class of coordination polymers that would inspire an entirely new field of chemistry.[6] His approach involved using copper in the oxidation state known as copper I, which has a preference for tetrahedral geometry, and mixing it with a specially designed tetranitrile organic compound.[6] This method resulted in the creation of crystal-like scaffolds with a diamond-like structure but with significant space within the framework.[6]
Recognition
[edit]Professor Robson is a recipient of the prestigious Burrows Award, Inorganic Division of The Royal Australian Chemical Institute 1998 and was made a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science 2000.[7] In 2022 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.[8]
References
[edit]
- ^ "Robson, Richard - Biographical entry - Encyclopedia of Australian Science".
- ^ a b Hoskins, Bernard F.; Robson, Richard (1989). "Infinite polymeric frameworks consisting of three dimensionally linked rod-like segments". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 111 (15): 5962–5964. Bibcode:1989JAChS.111.5962H. doi:10.1021/ja00197a079.
- ^ Wise, Donald (27 March 1998). Electrical and Optical Polymer Systems: Fundamentals: Methods, and Applications. CRC Press. p. 872. ISBN 978-0-8247-0118-5.
- ^ Stuart R. Batten; Suzanne M. Neville; David R. Turner (2009). Coordination Polymers: Design, Analysis and Application. Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-85404-837-3.
- ^ Bruin, Tyler (24 November 2023). "Professor Richard Robson elected Fellow of the Royal Society". About us. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ a b c "The man who built a whole new field of chemistry". Pursuit. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "The Burrows Award: Inorganic Division of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)".
- ^ "Outstanding Academy Fellows elected to Royal Society". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
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