Miriam Unterlass

The research interests of Miriam Unterlass focus on functional materials rich in aromatic and heterocyclic compounds. These structural features impart outstanding material properties such as high thermal stability, chemical resistance, and fluorescence. These materials show interesting optoelectronic properties and can be used as dyes, for example. Recent studies investigate their potential application in cell staining.

Moreover, the Unterlass Lab develops a range of sustainable advanced materials, including low-molecular-weight organic compounds, high-performance linear and branched polymers, covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and inorganic-organic hybrid materials.

A major emphasis is placed on designing novel, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and efficient synthetic methods - particularly through hydrothermal and solvothermal synthesis as well as solid-state reactions. The Unterlass Lab’s research spans both fundamental research and applied materials science. By combining computational tools with automation, the lab accelerates its research. Using automated flow reactors, the team explores uncharted areas of the chemical space to discover materials.

Miriam M. Unterlass studied chemistry, materials science, and chemical engineering in Würzburg, Southampton, and Lyon. Between 2009 and 2011, she worked on her PhD thesis at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Postdam, followed by a postdoc at ESPCI in Paris. In December 2012, she established her research group “Advanced Organic Materials” at the Institute of Materials Chemistry at Technische Universität Wien (TU Wien). In September 2018, Miriam obtained her habilitation venia docendi in materials chemistry and in June 2019, she became assistant professor at TU Wien. She joined CeMM as an adjunct principal investigator in 2018 and in June 2021, she became full professor of solid-state chemistry at Universität Konstanz (Germany). In October 2024 Miriam was appointed Director of Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg. She also joined Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, where she holds the Chair for Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis. 

Drpic D et al. Lophine analogues as fluorophores for selective bioimaging of the endoplasmic reticulum. ChemComm. 2025 Mar 17;61: 5293-5296 (abstract)

Amaya-García F et al. High temperature water unlocks urea as nitrogen-source towards imidazoles. Green Chem. 2024 Sep 20;26(20):10411-10421. (abstract)

Moura HM et al. Green hydrothermal synthesis yields perylenebisimide-SiO2 hybrid materials with solution-like fluorescence and photoredox activity. J Mater Chem A Mater. 2022 June 13;10(24):12817-12831. (abstract)

Amaya-García F et al. Synthesis of 2,3-Diarylquinoxaline Carboxylic Acids in High-Temperature Water. Synthesis. 2022 54(15), 3367-3382. (abstract)

Lahnsteiner M et al. Hydrothermal polymerization of porous aromatic polyimide networks and machine learning-assisted computational morphology evolution interpretation. J Mater Chem A Mater. 2021 Sep 8;9(35):19754-19769. (abstract)

Amaya-García F et al. Green Hydrothermal Synthesis of Fluorescent 2,3-Diarylquinoxalines and Large-Scale Computational Comparison to Existing Alternatives. ChemSusChem. 2021 Apr 22;14(8):1853-1863. (abstract)

Taublaender MJ, Glöcklhofer F, Marchetti-Deschmann M, Unterlass MM. Green and Rapid Hydrothermal Crystallization and Synthesis of Fully Conjugated Aromatic Compounds. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2018 Sep 17;57(38):12270-12274. (abstract)

Unterlass MM. Hot Water Generates Crystalline Organic Materials. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2018 Feb 23;57(9):2292-2294. (abstract)

Leimhofer L, et al. Green one-pot synthesis and processing of polyimide/silica hybrid materials. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2017,5, 16326-16335. (abstract)

Baumgartner B, Svirkova A, Bintinger J, Hametner C, Marchetti-Deschmann M, Unterlass MM. Green and highly efficient synthesis of perylene and naphthalene bisimides in nothing but water. Chem Commun (Camb). 2017 Jan 19;53(7):1229-1232. (abstract)

Baumgartner B, et al. Geomimetics for green polymer synthesis: Highly ordered polyimides via hydrothermal techniques. Polym. Chem. 2014,5, 3771-3776. (abstract)