Hannah Sayre

Assistant Professor,  Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Assistant Professor,  Chemical Engineering

Contact

Research Focus

Design photocatalysts to improve efficiency and reactivity. Elucidate light-activated chemical reaction mechanisms with time-resolved spectroscopy.

Education

  • PhD, Chemistry, The Ohio State University, 2018

Research Overview

Design photocatalysts to improve efficiency and reactivity. Elucidate light-activated chemical reaction mechanisms with time-resolved spectroscopy.

Sayre Research Group

The Sayre Group designs, synthesizes, and investigates light-activated catalysts (photocatalysts) with the goal of light-powered chemical manufacturing. We investigate photocatalysis mechanisms with spectroscopy and electrochemistry and apply mechanistic insight to improve photocatalyst efficiency.

Sayre Research Group

Department Research Areas

Selected Publications

  • DiLuzio, S.; Kudisch, M.; Kannadi Valloli, L.; Chambers, D. T.; Rumbles, G.; Reid, O. G.; Bird, M. J.; Sayre, H. J., Reconceptualizing the IrIII Role in Metallaphotoredox Catalysis: From Strong Photooxidant to Potent Energy Donor, ACS Catalysis, 2024, 14, 11378-11388, DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.4c03350
  • Earley, J. D.; Zieleniewska, A.; Ripberger, H. H.; Shin, N. Y.; Lazorski, M. S.; Mast, Z. J.; Sayre, H. J.; Knowles, R. R.; McCusker, J. K.; Scholes, G. D.; Reid, O. G.; Rumbles, G. “Dipole Moment and Charge Reorganization in Photoredox Catalysts” Nature Chemistry, 2022, 14, 746-753, DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-00911-6
  • Guerra, W. D.; Sayre, H. J.; Ripberger, H. H.; Odella, E.; Scholes, G. D.; Moore, T. A.; Knowles, R. R.; Moore, A. L. “Ir(III)-Naphthoquinone Complex as a Platform for Photocatalytic Activity” Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2022, 9, 10098-10104, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpap.2021.100098
  • Sayre, H. J.; Ripberger, H.; Odella E.; Zieleniewska, A.; Heredia, D. A.; Scholes, G. D.; Moore, T. A.; Moore, A. L.; Knowles, R. R. “Bimolecular Charge Recombination Inhibited by PCET Ligand Coordination to an Ir(III) Photocatalyst” Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2021, 143, 13034-13043, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c01701, indicates co-first author
  • Sayre, H. J.; Tian, L.; Son, M.; Hart, S. M.; Liu, X.; Arias-Rotondo, D. M.; Rand, B. P.; Schlau-Cohen, G. S.; Scholes, G. D. “Solar Fuels and Feedstocks: The Quest for Renewable Black Gold” Energy and Environmental Science, 2021, 14, 1402-1419, DOI: 10.1039/D0EE03300F
  • Xue, C.; Sayre, H. J.; Turro, C. “Electron Injection into Titanium Dioxide by Panchromatic Dirhodium Photosensitizers with Low Energy Red Light” Chemical Communications, 2019, 55, 10428-10431, DOI: 10.1039/c9cc04677a.
  • Sayre, H. J.; Millet, A.; Dunbar, K. R.; Turro, C. “Photocatalytic H2 Production by Dirhodium(II,II) Photosensitizers with Red Light” Chemical Communications, 2018, 54, 8332-8334, DOI: 10.1039/c8cc03631d.
  • Whittemore, T. J.; Millet, A.; Sayre, H. J.; Xue, C.; Dolinar, B. S.; White, E. G.; Dunbar, K. R.; Turro, C. “Tunable Rh2(II,II) Light Absorbers as Excited-State Electron Donors and Acceptors Accessible with Red/Near-Infrared Irradiation” Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2018, 140, 5161-5170, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b00599, indicates co-first author
  • Whittemore, T. J.; Sayre, H. J.; Xue, C.; White, T. A.; Gallucci, J. C.; Turro, C. “New Rh2(II,II) Complexes for Solar Energy Applications: Panchromatic Absorption and Excited-State Reactivity” Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2017, 139, 14724-14732, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b08489
  • Sayre, H. J.; White, T. A.; Brewer, K. J. “Increased Photocatalytic Activity in Ru(II),Rh(III) Supramolecular Bimetallic Complexes with Terminal Ligand Substitution” Inorganica Chimica Acta, 2017, 454, 89-96, DOI: 10.1016j.ica.2016.06.020
  • Zigler, D. F.; Morseth, Z. A.; White, T. A.; Canterbury, T. R.; Sayre, H. J.; Rodríguez-Corrales, J. Á.; Brennaman, M. K.; Brewer, K. J.; Papanikolas, J. M. “Ultrafast Kinetics of Supramolecules with a Ru(II)- or Os(II)-polypyridyl Light Absorber, cis-Rh(III)Cl2-polypyridyl Electron Collector, and 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine Bridge” Inorganica Chimica Acta, 2017, 454, 266-274, DOI: 10.1016j.ica.2016.06.034
  • Sayre, H. J.; Milos, K.; Goldcamp, M. J.; Schroll, C. A.; Krause, J. A.; Baldwin, M. J. “Mixed-Donor, alpha-Hyµdroxy Acid-Containing Chelates for Binding and Light-Triggered Release of Iron” Inorganic Chemistry, 2010, 49, 4433-4439, DOI: 10.1021/ic9018629

Students: Undergraduate

Sep 21, 2026

Fall 2026 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research

Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of the Fall 2026 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.

Hannah Sayre

Faculty

Aug 18, 2021

New Faculty Spotlight: Hannah Sayre

Hannah Sayre joins the Chemical Engineering department in August 2021 as an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in Chemistry and Chemical Biology.

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