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SUMMARY:Explaining the Broadband Absorbance of Melanins - Jennifer Riesz\,
  University of Queensland\, Brisbane\, Australia
DTSTART:20060704T131500Z
DTEND:20060704T141500Z
UID:TALK5146@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:vh233
DESCRIPTION:Melanins are the dark biopigment that colours the hair\, skin 
 and eyes of many species\, including humans.  They have many fascinating p
 hysical properties including condensed phase electrical conductivity\nand 
 photoconductivity\, the ability to efficiently non-radiatively relax photo
 excitations\, and most significantly\, unique broad band monotonic absorpt
 ion in the UV and visible ranges.  Attempts to explain these properties ar
 e hampered by a lack of knowledge of the physical structure of melanin\, p
 articularly at the secondary (nanometer) level.  I will discuss our progre
 ss in investigating the tructure-property-function relationships of melani
 n using spectroscopic and quantum chemical methods\, and our interpretatio
 n of these results in the context of the chemical disorder structural mode
 l of melanins.
LOCATION:IRC in Superconductivity Seminar Room\, Cavendish Laboratory
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