Klaus Bechgaard
Encyclopedia
Klaus Bechgaard is a Danish scientist
and chemist
, noted for being one of the first scientists in the world to synthesize a number of organic
charge transfer complexes and demonstrate their superconductivity
, threreof the name Bechgaard salt
. These salts all exhibit superconductivity at low temperatures.
The first unconventional superconductor
composed of organic material, was discovered by Bechgaard and Denis Jerome in 1979. This discovery garnered attention in the international scientific community, and for a period he was one of the most quoted scientists in the field of natural sciences. He also received a nomination for the Nobel Prize
in chemistry for this discovery.
, where he also held a Professorship in organic chemistry
until 1993. From 1993 until 2000 he was the chairman of the Department of Physics and Chemistry at Risø and in 2001 he was appointed head of the newly assigned Department of Polymer
Research at Risø. From 2001 and onwards he has been the head of Risø's nano technology programme, and The Danish Center of Polymers which is a joint venture between the Technical University of Copenhagen and Risø.
Currently Bechgaard conducts research in the field of polymers and nano technology at the University of Copenhagen
.
Academic Appointments:
of Department
Other:
Honours:
Publications:
Awards:
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
and chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
, noted for being one of the first scientists in the world to synthesize a number of organic
Organic compound
An organic compound is any member of a large class of gaseous, liquid, or solid chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of carbon-containing compounds such as carbides, carbonates, simple oxides of carbon, and cyanides, as well as the...
charge transfer complexes and demonstrate their superconductivity
Superconductivity
Superconductivity is a phenomenon of exactly zero electrical resistance occurring in certain materials below a characteristic temperature. It was discovered by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes on April 8, 1911 in Leiden. Like ferromagnetism and atomic spectral lines, superconductivity is a quantum...
, threreof the name Bechgaard salt
Bechgaard salt
A Bechgaard salt is any one of a number of organic charge-transfer complexes that exhibit superconductivity at low temperatures . They are named for chemist Klaus Bechgaard, who was one of the first scientists to synthesize them and demonstrate their superconductivity with the help of physicist...
. These salts all exhibit superconductivity at low temperatures.
The first unconventional superconductor
Unconventional superconductor
Unconventional superconductors are materials that display superconductivity which does not conform to either the conventional BCS theory or the Nikolay Bogolyubov's theory or its extensions....
composed of organic material, was discovered by Bechgaard and Denis Jerome in 1979. This discovery garnered attention in the international scientific community, and for a period he was one of the most quoted scientists in the field of natural sciences. He also received a nomination for the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in chemistry for this discovery.
Research
Klaus Bechgaard did research at the University of CopenhagenUniversity of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
, where he also held a Professorship in organic chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
until 1993. From 1993 until 2000 he was the chairman of the Department of Physics and Chemistry at Risø and in 2001 he was appointed head of the newly assigned Department of Polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
Research at Risø. From 2001 and onwards he has been the head of Risø's nano technology programme, and The Danish Center of Polymers which is a joint venture between the Technical University of Copenhagen and Risø.
Currently Bechgaard conducts research in the field of polymers and nano technology at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
.
Career and achievements
Education:- 1969: Cand scient. Organic Chemistry, University of Copenhagen
- 1973: Lic.Scient. (Chemistry), University of Copenhagen.
Academic Appointments:
- 1974-84: Lecturer at the University of Copenhagen.
- 1984-89: Research Professor at the University of Copenhagen
- 1989-93: Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen.
- 1993-2000: Head of the Department of Condensed Matter PhysicsCondensed matter physicsCondensed matter physics deals with the physical properties of condensed phases of matter. These properties appear when a number of atoms at the supramolecular and macromolecular scale interact strongly and adhere to each other or are otherwise highly concentrated in a system. The most familiar...
and Chemistry. Risø. - 2001: In charge of the Interdisciplinary Nanotechnology Programme, Risø
- 2001-2003: Temporary Head of The Danish Polymer Centre and the Polymer Department Risø
- 2004–present: Professor of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen (May 2004-). Deputy Head
of Department
Other:
- 2004–present: A. J. Heeger Endowed Chair, UCSB, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CaliforniaSanta Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
Honours:
- 1983: Elected member of the Danish Academy of Natural Sciences
- 1984: Elected member of the Royal Danish Academy.
- 2002: Elected member of the French Academy of SciencesFrench Academy of SciencesThe French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research...
Publications:
- Approximately 370 peer reviewed papers in Chemistry and Solid State Physics, 7 patents
Awards:
- 1991: The Hewlett Packard Europhysics prize
- 1997: The NKT scientific prize
- 2000: The EU Descartes prize
- 2008: The Hartmann Foundation memorial prize
See also
- Bechgaard saltBechgaard saltA Bechgaard salt is any one of a number of organic charge-transfer complexes that exhibit superconductivity at low temperatures . They are named for chemist Klaus Bechgaard, who was one of the first scientists to synthesize them and demonstrate their superconductivity with the help of physicist...
- Unconventional superconductorUnconventional superconductorUnconventional superconductors are materials that display superconductivity which does not conform to either the conventional BCS theory or the Nikolay Bogolyubov's theory or its extensions....
- Organic superconductorOrganic superconductorIn physical chemistry and condensed matter physics, an organic superconductor is an organic compound which exhibits superconductivity at low temperatures...
- Van Hove singularityVan Hove singularityA Van Hove singularity is a kink in the density of states of a solid. The wavevectors at which Van Hove singularities occur are often referred to as critical points of the Brillouin zone...
- TetrathiafulvaleneTetrathiafulvaleneTetrathiafulvalene is a organosulfur compound with the formula 2. Studies on this heterocyclic compound contributed to the development of molecular electronics. TTF is related to the hydrocarbon fulvalene, 2, by replacement of four CH groups with sulfur atoms...
- TetracyanoethyleneTetracyanoethyleneTetracyanoethylene is a clear colored organic compound consisting of ethylene with the four hydrogen atom replaced with cyano groups. It is an important member of the cyanocarbons.-Synthesis and reactions:...
- Solid-state chemistrySolid-state chemistrySolid-state chemistry, also sometimes referred to as materials chemistry, is the study of the synthesis, structure, and properties of solid phase materials, particularly, but not necessarily exclusively of, non-molecular solids...