Our main research interests are the design, synthesis, characterization, self-assembly, and application of π-conjugated molecular architectures for solar energy conversion and the development of novel photochemical reactions. 

Please check the following articles to find out more about the main topics that we are currently pursuing:

• "Self-assembled π-conjugated chromophores: preparation of one- and two-dimensional nanostructures and their use in photocatalysis" Nanoscale, 2024, 16, 9153-9168. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4NR00383G (PDF) (by Cappelletti, D.; Barbieri, M.; Aliprandi, A.; Maggini, M.; Đorđević, L.*). 

• "Mechanical and Light Activation of Materials for Chemical Production" Adv. Mater. 2025, 37 (1), 2418137. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202418137 (PDF) (Đorđević, L.; Jaynes, T. J.; Sai, H.; Barbieri, M.; Kupferberg, J.E.; Sather, N. A.; Weigand, S.; Stupp, S.I.;)

• "ATP-regulated Formation of Transient Peptide Amphiphiles Superstructures" Small 2025, 21 (13), 2410850. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202410850 (PDF) (by Cappelletti, D.; Lancia, F.; Basagni, A.; Đorđević, L.*).

• Barbieri, M.; Doardo, M.; Fortunati, I.; Fortunato, A.; Collini, E.; Arcudi, F.; Đorđević, L.*; "Controlled aggregation of pyrene-based supramolecular nanostructures for light-driven switchable H2 or H2O2 production" in revision 2025 (preprint)

We also like to develop novel photocatalytic systems for homo- and hetero-geneous production of solar fuels or commodity chemicals:

• Please have look at our latest work if you would like to know more: Stone, A.; Fortunato, A.; Wang, X.; Saggioro, E.; Snurr, R.; Hupp, J.; Arcudi, F.; Đorđević, L.*; "Photocatalytic Semi-Hydrogenation of Acetylene to Polymer-Grade Ethylene with Molecular and Metal-Organic Framework Cobaloximes" Adv. Mater. 2025, 37 (1), 2408658, https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202408658 (PDF);

• Another recent example is "Aqueous Photocatalytic Glycerol Oxidation to Formic Acid Coupled to H2O2 Production with an Anthraquinone Dye" Adv. Sustain. Syst., 2025, 9 (1), 2400538 https://doi.org/10.1002/adsu.202400538 (PDF).

None of the research described here would have been possible without supportive collaborators, colleagues and advisors. Highlighted below are, in particular, ongoing and previous collaborations:

• Supramolecular and systems chemistry - Prof. Fraser Stoddart (NU)

• Photochemistry - Prof. Francesca Arcudi (UNIPD), Prof. Emily Weiss (NU), Prof. Andrea Sartorel (UNIPD)

• Electrochemistry - Prof. Andrea Sartorel (UNIPD) and Prof. Christian Durante (UNIPD)

• Organic synthesis - Prof. Michele Maggini and Prof. Tommaso Carofiglio (UNIPD)

• Photophysics - Prof. Elisabetta Collini (UNIPD), Prof. Dirk Guldi (FAU), Prof. Alejandro Cadranel (FAU, UBA)

• X-ray scattering - Dr. Steven Weigand (Argonne National Labs), Dr. Heinz Amenitsch (Elettra Synchrotron)

• Single X-ray determination - Dr. Nicola Demitri (Elettra Synchrotron), Dr. Charlotte Stern (NU)

• Surface chemistry and imaging - Prof. Willi Auwärter (TUM), Prof. Giovanni Costantini (Warwick), Prof. David Ecija (IMDEA)

During Luka's postdoc at the Universities of Trieste (IT) and Cardiff (UK) (2016-2018), he initiated new lines of inquiry through the preparation and characterization of novel heteroatom-doped molecules and nanomaterials. Luka prepared oxygen-doped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, investigated their optoelectronic and redox properties, and prepared mixed valence conductive crystals (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 4106;  Org. Lett. 2020, 22, 4283).
During this period, Luka also prepared nitrogen-doped carbon-based nanoparticles and investigated ways to tune their properties (Nat. Nanotechol. 2022, 17, 112-130;  Nat. Protoc. 2019, 14; 2931;  Adv. Sci. 2021, 2100125). For example, he prepared nanoparticles that could be used as templates for formation of chiral supramolecular polymers (Nat. Commun. 2018, 9 (1), 3442) or to arrange multichromophoric arrays (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 12779;  Mater. Chem. Front. 2020, 4, 3640). This work was also the basis of the ERC Advanced Grant awarded to Prof. Prato in 2019 ("e-DOTS"). Moreover, the work in nanotechnology and photo-responsive systems (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60 (1), 313) was highly ranked in terms of scientific quality and, as a result, Luka was awarded the "2018 Primo Levi Award" and the "2020 Giacomo Ciamician medal". During this period, Luka also supervised a Ph.D. student, whose work was recognized as main author in Angewantde Chemie and Nature Communications articles.

In 2016, Luka obtained a PhD degree in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, under the supervision of Prof. Davide Bonifazi. The PhD research work has contributed to (nano)structuration of organic nanomaterials in solution and surfaces (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 8150–8160;  Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2016, 18, 11858–1186). Luka proposed and developed new methods for transferring precise supramolecular nanostructures from solutions to surfaces based on organic and supramolecular chemistries. As a result of this work, Luka received the "2017 CINMPIS award for best PhD dissertation". During the PhD, he also spent one year as visiting scholar at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (USA), and his work there has led to one research article and two patents.