Van Landeghem, M.; Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Herckens, R.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D.; Van Doorslaer, S.; Goovaerts, E. "Light-Induced Charge Transfer in Two-Dimensional Hybrid Lead Halide Perovskites". J. Phys. Chem. C.; 2021, 125, 33, 18317–18327 (DOI:10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c05005)
Research
The research activities of the HyMaD group focus on the design, synthesis, and characterization of hybrid organic-inorganic materials towards improved and tunable optoelectronic properties and enhanced stability.
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The HyMaD expertise group seeks to leverage knowhow in the combination of organic and inorganic chemistry that has been built up over the past 10 years to design and synthesize hybrid materials tailored towards various optoelectronic applications. The ultimate goal is to gain a high level of control over the design of the hybrid materials such that these can be custom-made for a specific application. These activities are strongly embedded in the Institute for Materials Research (IUMAT) of Hasselt University, facilitating interaction with materials and device physics experts as well as engineers and providing access to state-of-the-art equipment. Beyond the institute, HyMaD is embedded in a strong international network of collaborators (see Partnerships below).
Research lines
The HyMaD group is mainly focusing on the design, synthesis, and characterization of novel hybrid perovskites of different structural dimensionalities (3D, 2D, 1D, 0D). Using our extensive background in organic semiconductors, we design and synthesize organic cations for use in the hybrid perovskites in order to, on the one hand, enhance their intrinsic stability and, on the other hand, obtain synergistic (opto-)electronic properties between the organic and inorganic components.
Obtaining synergy between the organic and inorganic components
Through the design of organic cations for use in 2D and 1D hybrids, we aim to obtain hybrid materials where the organic component plays a direct role in the optical and electronic properties. We are experienced in the synthesis of organic cations containing an extended conjugated system (carbazole, dibenzocarbazole, pyrene, BTBT, oligothiophenes,...) for incorporation into hybrids. Furthermore, we have developed a strong expertise in optimizing the processing of the hybrids in the form of thin films as well as single crystals. This optimization is guided by in-depth material characterization, including in-situ techniques.
Enhancing the intrinsic material stability
Hybrid perovskites are sensitive to a variety of stress factors such as humidity, elevated temperature, and (intense) light. We aim to determine strategies to enhance the intrinsic material stability by tuning the molecular structure of the organic component. We have published several examples (1, 2, 3) where the intrinsic material stability of the hybrids has been significantly enhanced by the incorporation of designed organic cations as compared to the simple, commercially available, organic cations that are commonly used such as phenylethylammonium and butylammonium.
Designing organic molecules for use as interlayers
In collaboration with the engineers in the Thin-Film PV group at EnergyVille, we design and apply organic molecules as interlayers at the interfaces between the perovskite active layer and the electron/hole transporting layers of the solar cells in order to obtain devices with increased performance and stability. HyMaD has developed novel organic ammonium halide salts as well as phosphonic acid derivatives as interlayer materials for perovskite solar cells with enhanced stability and efficiency.
Formulating design rules for 2D hybrid perovskites
We perform fundamental studies into defining design rules to control the formation, structure, and properties of 2D hybrid perovskites.
Examples include:
- The influence of the width of the organic cation relative to the size of the inorganic cage as determined by the choice of halides, on the formation of a 2D hybrid perovskite.
- The influence of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the organic layer on thermochromism and piezochromism in 2D hybrid perovskites.
- The influence of the degree of octahedral tilting of the inorganic layer on the effective mass of charge carriers and the exciton binding energy.
- Understanding the influence of energy funneling and singlet-triplet annihilation in quasi-2D perovskite films on the build-up of amplified spontaneous emission, towards lasing.
Integrating 2D perovskites into optoelectronic devices
Hybrid perovskites towards water splitting
Within the CleanH2 project, the HyMaD group is involved in the design and synthesis of perovskite materials for tandem solar cell devices to be integrated into a solar-driven water-splitting system.
Projects
Publications
2026
2026
Paola La Magna, Ediz Garip, Ian Pompermayer Machado, Christian Göb, Davy Deduytsche, Dirk Poelman, Arthur Maufort, Laurence Lutsen, Christophe Detavernier, Anna M. Kaczmarek, Elien Derveaux, Peter Adriaensens, Claudio Quarti, David Beljonne, Wouter T. M. Van Gompel, Kristof Van Hecke, "Organic Layer Reorganization across a Phase Transition in Benzotriazole-Based 2D Hybrid Perovskites with Humidity-Assisted Reversibility", Chemistry of Materials, 2026 (DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.6c01340)
Franziska Schölzel, Arina Narudin, Aleksandra Ciesielska, Alexander Ehm, Dietrich R. T. Zahn, Wouter Van Gompel, Simon Kahmann, Georgeta Salvan, "A step-by-step workflow to account for linear polarization artifacts in circular dichroism of thin films", Applied Physics Letters, 129, 080501, 2026 (DOI: 10.1063/5.0340813)
Stijn Lenaers, Stijn Lammar, Anurag Krishna, Brent Motmans, Bart Ruttens, Jan D'Haen, Tom Aernouts, Danny E.P. Vanpoucke, Koen Vandewal, Giuseppe Portale, Laurence Lutsen, Dirk Vanderzande, Wouter T.M. Van Gompel, "Carbazole-based organic ammonium iodide salts as a versatile interlayer for the H, TL/perovskite interface in inverted perovskite solar cells", SolMat, 2026 (DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114662)
Jiaxiong Li, Mordechai Kot, Nina Cielica, Jacopo Pinna, Lijun Chen, Francesco Modena, Laurence Lutsen, Wouter T. M. Van Gompel, Maria Antonietta Loi, "Liquid Surface Synthesis of Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Metal Halide Perovskite", ACS Materials Letters, 2026 (DOI: 10.1021/acsmaterialslett.5c01358)
Wouter T.M. Van Gompel, Maxime Deutsch, Sébastien Pillet, "Emerging trends and future perspectives for hybrid metal halides under pressure", MRS Bulletin, 2026 (DOI: 10.1557/s43577-025-00998-5). Full view-only access via: https://rdcu.be/fiFOA (Springer Nature SharedIt).
2025
2025
Ilan Devroey, Yorrick Boeije, Peter Banks, Claudio Quarti, Paola La Magna, Aleksandra Ciesielska, Laurence Lutsen, Elien Derveaux, Peter Adriaensens, Kristof Van Hecke, David Beljonne, Samuel D Stranks, Wouter T.M. Van Gompel "Ultrafast Charge Transfer and Coherent Phonons in Electroactive Organic Cation-Templated Low-Dimensional Perovskite Analogues" Nanoscale Horizons; 2025 (DOI: 10.1039/D5NH00494B)
Yorrick Boeije, Fabian Lie, Milos Dubajic, Ediz Garip, Arthur Maufort, Raisa-Iona Biega, Stijn Lenaers, Mylene Sauty, Pratyush Ghosh, Aleksandra Radic, Amelie Loher, Paola La Magna, Hayden Salway, Ashoka Ashoka, Xian Wei Chua, Qichun Gu, Kristof Van Hecke, Laurence Lutsen, Dirk Vanderzande, Akshay Rao, Wouter T.M. Van Gompel, Linn Leppert, Samuel D. Stranks "Molecular Engineering of Interlayer Exciton Delocalization in 2D Perovskites" Journal of the American Chemical Society; 2025 (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5c05621)
Isabella Wagner; Wouter T.M. Van Gompel; Robin Erkens; Bart Ruttsen; Jan D'Haen; Laurence Lutsen; Dirk Vanderzande; Chern Chuang; Sheng Hsiung Chang; Paul A. Hume; Michal B. Price; Pieter Geiregat; Justin M. Hodgkiss; Kai Chen "Critical Roles of Ultrafast Energy Funnelling and Ultrafast Singlet-Triplet Annihilation in Quasi-2D Perovskite Optical Gain Mechanisms" Advanced Materials; 2025 (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202419674)
Arthur Maufort; Melissa Van Landeghem; Maxime Deutsch; Peter Banks; Paola La Magna; Kristof Van Hecke; Jesús Cerdá; Laurence Lutsen; Dirk Vanderzande; Claudio Quarti; David Beljonne; Sébastien Pillet; Koen Vandewal; Wouter T.M. Van Gompel. "Structural rigidity, thermochromism and piezochromism of layered hybrid perovskites containing an interdigitated organic bilayer" Chemical Science; 2025 (DOI: 10.1039/D4SC06637E)
2024
2024
Lenaers, Stijn; Lammar, Stijn; Krishna, Anurag; Stacchini, Valerio; Cardeynaels, Tom; Penxten, Huguette; Weijtens, Christ; Verhage, Michael; Ruttens, Bart; Maes, Wouter; D'Haen, Jan; Musiienko, Artem; Aernouts, Tom; Lutsen, Laurence; Vanderzande, Dirk; Poortmans, Jef; Van Gompel Wouter. "Pyrene-Based Self-Assembled Monolayer with Improved Surface Coverage and Energy Level Alignment for Perovskite Solar Cells" Advanced Functional Materials; 2024 (DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202411922L)
Peksa, Paulina; Maufort, Arthur; Baranowski, Michal; Surrente, Alessandro; Lutsen, Laurence; Plochocka, Paulina; Van Gompel, Wouter T.M.; Dyksik, Mateusz. "Engineering the Effective Mass in 2D Perovskites via Octahedral Distortion" The Journal of Physical Chemistry C; 2024 (DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.4c05300)
Maufort, Arthur; Cerdá, Jesús; Van Hecke, Kristof; Deduytsche, Davy; Verding, Arne; Ruttens, Bart; Li, Wei; Detavernier, Christophe; Quarti, Claudio; Lutsen, Laurence; Vanderzande, Dirk; Beljonne, David; Van Gompel, Wouter T.M.. "Elucidating the Non-Covalent Interactions that Trigger Interdigitation in Lead-Halide Layered Hybrid Perovskites" ACS Inorganic Chemistry; 2024 (DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c04536)
2023
2023
Zhang, X.; Eurelings, S.; Bracesco, A.; Song, W.; Lenaers, S.; Van Gompel, W.; Krishna, A.; Aernouts, T.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D.; Creatore, M.; Zhan, Y.; Kuang, Y.; Poortmans, J.. "Surface Modulation via Conjugated Bithiophene Ammonium Salt for Efficient Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells" ACS Appl Mater Interfaces; 2023 (DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c08119)
Boeije, Y.; Van Gompel, W. T. M.; Zhang, Y.; Ghosh, P.; Zelewski, S.; Maufort, A.; Roose, B.; Ying Ooi, Z.; Chowdhury, R.; Devroey, I.; Lenaers, S.; Tew, A.; Dai, L.; Dey, K.; Salway, H.; Friend, R. H.; Sirringhaus, H.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D.; Rao, A.; Stranks, S. D.. "Tailoring Interlayer Charge Transfer Dynamics in 2D Perovskites with Electroactive Spacer Molecules" Journal of the American Chemical Society; 2023 (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c05974)
Van Gompel, Wouter T.M.; Lutsen, Laurence; Vanderzande, Dirk. "2D and quasi-2D hybrid perovskites containing organic cations with an extended conjugated system: opportunities and challenges" Journal of Materials Chemistry C.; 2023 (DOI: 10.1039/D3TC02553E)
Caiazzo, Alessandro; Maufort, Arthur; van Gorkom; Bas T., Remmerswaal, Willemijn H. M.; Ferrer Orri, Jordi; Li, Junyu; Wang, Junke; Van Gompel, Wouter T. M.; Van Hecke, Kristof; Kusch, Gunnar; Oliver, R.A.; Ducati, Caterina; Lutsen, Laurence; Wienk, Martijn M.; Stranks, Samuel D.; Vanderzande, Dirk; Janssen, René A. J.. "3D Perovskite Passivation with a Benzotriazole-Based 2D Interlayer for High-Efficiency Solar Cells" ACS Appl. Energy Mater.; 2023 (DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.3c00101)
2022
2022
Lammar, Stijn; Van Gompel, Wouter T.M.; Lenaers, Stijn; Mertens, Martijn; Boyen, Hans-Gerd; Desta, Derese; Hadipour, Afshin; Lutsen, Laurence; Vanderande, Dirk; Krishna, Anurag; Abdulraheem, Yaser; Aernouts, Tom; Poortmans, Jeff. "Organic ammonium iodide salts as passivation for buried interface enables efficient and stable NiOx based p-i-n perovskite solar cells". Journal of Materials Chemistry C; 2022 (DOI: 10.1039/D2TC04215K)
Denis, Paul-Henry; Mertens, Martijn; Van Gompel, Wouter T.M.; Maufort, Arthur; Mertens, Sigurd; Wei, Zimu; Van Landeghem, Melissa; Gielen, Sam; Ruttens, Bart; Deduytsche, Davy; Detavernier, Christophe; Lutsen, Laurence; Grozema, Ferdinand; Vandewal, Koen; Vanderzande, Dirk. "Quasi-2D Hybrid Perovskite Formation Using Benzothieno[3,2-b ]Benzothiophene (BTBT) Ammonium Cations: Substantial Cesium Lead(II) Iodide Black Phase Stabilization". Advanced Optical Materials; 2022 (DOI: 10.1002/adom.202200788)
Pitaro, Matteo; Pau, Ricardo; Duim, Herman; Mertens, Martijn; Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Portale, Giuseppe; Lutsen, Laurence; Loi, Maria Antonietta. "Tin-lead-metal halide perovskite solar cells with enhanced crystallinity and efficiency by addition of fluorinated long organic cation". Applied Physics Reviews; 2022, 9, 021407 (DOI: 10.1063/5.0083642)
2021
2021
Denis, P.-H.; Mertens, M.; Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Van Hecke, K.; Ruttens, B.; D'Haen, J.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D., "Directing the Self-Assembly of Conjugated Organic Ammonium Cations in Low-Dimensional Perovskites by Halide Substitution". Chem. Mater.; 2021, 33, 13, 5177–5188 (DOI:10.1021/acs.chemmater.1c01221)
Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Herckens, R.; Mertens, M.; Denis, P.-H.; Ruttens, B.; D'Haen, J.; Van Hecke, K.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D., "Study on the dynamics of phase formation and degradation of 2D layered hybrid perovskites and low-dimensional hybrids containing mono-functionalized oligothiophene cations". ChemNanoMat; 2021, 7, 9, 1013-1019 (DOI:10.1002/cnma.202100169)
2020
2020
Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Herckens, R.; Denis, P.-H.; Mertens, M.; Gélvez-Rueda, M.; Van Hecke, K.; Ruttens, B.; D'Haen, J.; Grozema, F.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D., "2D layered perovskite containing functionalised benzothieno-benzothiophene molecules: formation, degradation, optical properties and photoconductivity". J. Mat. Chem. C.; 2020, 8, 7181-7188 (DOI:10.1039/D0TC01053G)
Gélvez-Rueda, M.; Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Herckens, R.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D.; Grozema, F., "Inducing Charge Separation in Solid State 2D Hybrid Perovskites Through the Incorporation of Organic Charge-Transfer Complexes". J. Phys. Chem. Lett.; 2020, 11, 3, 824-830 (DOI:10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b03746)
2019
2019
Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Herckens, R.; Van Hecke, K.; Ruttens, B.; D'Haen, J.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D., "Towards 2D layered hybrid perovskites with enhanced functionality: introducing charge-transfer complexes via self-assembly". Chem. Comm. 2019, 55, 2481-2484 (DOI:10.1039/C8CC09955C)
Marchal, N.; Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Gélvez-Rueda, M.C.; Vandewal, K.; Van Hecke, K.; Boyen, H.-G.; Conings, B.; Herckens, R.; Maheshwari, S.; Lutsen, L.; Quarti, Q.; Grozema, F.; Vanderzande, D.; Beljonne, D., "Lead-halide perovskites meet donor-acceptor charge-transfer complexes". Chem. Mater. 2019, 31, 17, 6880-6888 (DOI:10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b01289)
2018
2018
Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Herckens, R.; Van Hecke, K.; Ruttens, B.; D'Haen, J.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D., "Low‐dimensional hybrid perovskites containing an organic cation with an extended conjugated system: tuning the excitonic absorption features". ChemNanoMat 2018, 5, 3, 323-327 (DOI:10.1002/cnma.201800561)
Herckens, R.; Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Song, W.; Gélvez-Rueda, M.C.; Maufort, A.; Ruttens, B.; D'Haen, J.; Grozema, F.C; Aernouts, T.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderande, D., "Multi-layered hybrid perovskites templated with carbazole derivatives: optical properties, enhanced moisture stability and solar cell characteristics". J. Mat. Chem. A. 2018, 6, 45, 22899-22908 (DOI:10.1039/C8TA08019D)
Van Gompel, W.T.M.; Herckens, R.; Reekmans, G.; Ruttens, B.; D'Haen, J.; Adriaensens, P.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D., "Degradation of the Formamidinium Cation and the Quantification of the Formamidinium–Methylammonium Ratio in Lead Iodide Hybrid Perovskites by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy". J. Phys. Chem. C. 2018, 112, 8, 4117–4124 (DOI:10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b09805)
Facilities
Since December 2020, the HyMaD group has moved into the brand new Science Tower at UHasselt, together with all other MATCHEM colleagues! Take a look at the IUMAT website to know more about our infrastructure and equipment.
Partnerships
Since the foundation of HyMaD, (inter)national partnerships have always been treated as a priority to support and valorize our research.
Would you like to discuss a new opportunity or get in touch with one of our partners? Do not hesitate to contact us.
Dr. Tom Aernouts; Thin-Film PV; Energyville
Prof. dr. Kristof Van Hecke; XStruct; Ghent University
Prof. dr. Ferdinand Grozema; Grozema group; TUDelft
Dr. David Beljonne; Laboratory for Chemistry of Novel Materials (CMN); UMons
Prof. dr. Sam Stranks; Optoelectronic Materials and Device Spectroscopy Group (StranksLab); University of Cambridge
Prof. dr. René Janssen; Molecular Materials & Nanosystems; TU Eindhoven
Prof. dr. Maria Antonietta Loi; Photophysics and OptoElectronics Group; University of Groningen
Prof. dr. Henk Bolink; Molecular Opto-Electronic Devices group; University of Valencia
Dr. Sébastien Pillet; Crystallography, Magnetic Resonance and Modeling Laboratory (CRM^2); Université de Lorraine
Prof. dr. Paulina Plochocka; Laboratory for Optical Spectroscopy of Nanostructures; Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
Prof. dr. Simon Kahmann; KahmannLab; Chemnitz University of Technology
Prof. dr. Lin Leppert; Leppert Lab; University of Twente
Contact
Prof. dr. Wouter Van Gompel
Location
Agoralaan Gebouw F, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
Function
Assistant Professor (Tenure Track)
HyMaD group leader
E-mail
wouter.vangompel@uhasselt.be
Phone
+32(0)11 26 85 69
Materials chemistry
Location
Agoralaan Gebouw F, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
Function
Research centre
E-mail
iumat@uhasselt.be
Phone
+32 11 26 82 03