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Jacek Klinowski

Eulogy in connection with the award of the Kołos Medal to Professor Jacek Klinowski

Mrs. President, Mr. Dean,
Dear Jacek and Margaret,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Professor Jacek Klinowski was born on October 11, 1943 in Kraków, where he spent his childhood and youth. In 1956 he graduated from the Władysław Jagiełło primary school and began education at the Bartłomiej Nowodworski High School in Krakow, where in 1960 he obtained his high school diploma. He has had an interest in chemistry since he was a child. Between 1960 and 1965 he studied chemistry and mathematics at the Jagiellonian University, where under the supervision of Professor Maciej Leszko he obtained his master’s degree. In April 1968, Jacek Klinowski received a doctorate in chemical sciences from the Jagiellonian University on the basis of the distinguished dissertation: “Some physicochemical properties of liquid ion exchangers”, and soon he started working, first at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland (1968-1969), then in 1969 -1979 at the Imperial College London, where in 1973 he received his second doctorate on the basis of the dissertation: “Theoretical and experimental studies of crystalline ion exchangers”. He then worked in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, where in 1988 he was given the degree of MA “Master of Arts”. From 1980 to 2000 Jacek Klinowski went through all levels of a scientific career at Cambridge from: “Senior Research Associate” (1980-1985), “Assistant Director of Research” (1985-1998) and “Reader” (in 1998-2000) to become “Doctor of Science” in 2000 on the basis of his scientific achievements then consisting of over 250 publications. From 1998-2000 he was also “Official Fellow and Director of Studies in Chemistry” at Peterhouse – the oldest college in Cambridge. In the years 2000-2011 Jacek Klinowski was “Professor of Chemical Physics” and “Professorial Fellow” at Peterhouse. In 1998 he was also made professor by the President of the Republic of Poland. Since 2011 Jacek Klinowski is a distinguished professor at the University of Cambridge (Professor Emeritius), and since 2012 Honorary Professor of the Jagiellonian University. In 1996-2011 he was also a visiting professor at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, University of Aveiro in Portugal and University of Cagliari in Italy. Almost a year ago, on the 8th of December 2021, Professor Klinowski received an honorary doctorate of our University, an occasion which many of us remember very well.

An important step in the scientific work of Jacek Klinowski was the position at the Imperial College in London, where he worked under the supervision of Professor Richard Maling Barrer, who had created modern zeolite chemistry. Zeolites, crystalline aluminosilicates with an ordered system of micropores, synthesized in megaton amounts, are ion exchangers, sorbents and key catalysts, especially in the oil refining industry: 8 out of 9 catalytic processes in refineries involve zeolites.

Jacek Klinowski is one of the pioneers of the method of studying zeolite catalysts using the new – at that time – method of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with magic angle spinning of the sample (MAS NMR). This method has found widespread use in the study of solids. Almost all contemporary publications on the chemistry of zeolites (several thousand such papers are published annually) contain results obtained through the MAS NMR technique. Jacek Klinowski is a pioneer in the application of solid state NMR in studies of phase transitions and the three-dimensional structure of solids, the theory of cross-polarization [1], applications of reverse cross-polarization (1H →13C, 31P →1H i 2H →1H) [2,3 ], double rotation [4,5], nutation of quadrupole nuclei [6,7], applications of proton NMR in the solid state [8], or quantitative analysis of difficult to interpret 27Al MAS NMR spectra.

Professor Klinowski became famous for his in-situ NMR experiments which allowed him to follow the individual stages of the zeolite-catalyzed conversion of methanol into a mixture of hydrocarbons forming petrol. These papers, published, among others, in Nature [9] and JACS [10] allowed the tracking and understanding of individual stages of the conversion process, their nature and course inside the catalyst crystal lattice.

Numerous works by Professor Klinowski also concerned the synthesis and characterization of zeolite molecular sieves with different pore sizes used for the separation of molecules of different sizes and for the catalytic cracking of heavier hydrocarbon fractions [11, 12]. In his work Professor Klinowski showed the possibility of optimizing both the catalyst and the conversion process itself, he obtained sieves with the desired pore size necessary for specific applications and he examined the structure of many natural and artificial silicates [13].

Work devoted studying the consequences of introducing different ions into the lattice of aluminosilicates disturbing their structure and modifying their properties, cations of elements such as gallium, vanadium and titanium, as well as works devoted to explanation of the mechanism of channel formation in such systems was pioneering [14, 15].

Professor Klinowski also studied various minerals, carbon, especially its new allotropic forms, i.e. fullerenes, wood, and ceramic, biological and other materials. The work of Professor Klinowski is interdisciplinary: for example, NMR studies of mineralized brain tissue of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease showed for the first time the presence of aluminum in the human nervous system [16]. It should be mentioned that Professor Klinowski undertook the first spectroscopic studies of inorganic pathological deposits in living organisms [17], as well as studies of toxic radicals generated by aluminosilicates [18, 19].

Research carried out by Professor Klinowski also concerned fullerenes and their complexes [20-23], the structure of graphite oxide used as an electrode in lithium batteries and in membranes and composite materials [24-27]. After the award of the Nobel Prize for graphene in 2010 these papers have been cited thousands of times (one more than 3659 times and the other more than 1756 times).

It is also worth mentioning the work of Jacek Klinowski on the synthesis and characterization of new metal-organic coordination frameworks, important for their application for gas storage, photoluminescent, magnetic, optical, catalytic and photochromic properties [28-33]. Several of these papers are cited more than 500 times each.

Professor Klinowski is an authority in the field of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. The list of his publications includes 502 items which had a huge impact on the scientific community. More than a dozen publications appeared in the most prestigious journals in the world, such as: “Nature” (10 papers),”Science” (3 papers) or “The Lancet”. 51 papers by Professor Klinowski have more than 100 citations (two have over a thousand). The total number of citations so far is 20,632, while the Hirsch index reached an impressive 69, one of the highest ever achieved by a scientist of Polish heritage. He is also the co-author (with Professor Jacek Hennel) of two monographs on NMR spectroscopy and editor of three other books.

The important position of Professor Klinowski among scientists dealing with MAS NMR spectroscopy is shown by the fact that for 20 years, until 2011, he was the editor-in-chief of the scientific journal “Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance”.

Another object of interest to Professor Klinowski is mathematics, which he studied years ago at the Jagiellonian University in parallel with chemistry. He has published 23 papers on applied mathematics devoted to such issues as: global minimization, minimal surfaces in physics and chemistry, number theory, Riemann zeta functions and continued fractions. One of the most interesting results in this area allows enumeration – using “tiling theory” – all possible hypothetical types of structures for one, two and n-component systems [34], [35]. This revealed many new types of structures and elegantly summarised all available knowledge about possible crystal structures. The structures obtained can be checked for their chemical and structural sense, especially those having large free spaces (voids, channels) in which important chemical reactions can be performed with the aid of catalytically active functional groups. The work of Professor Klinowski contributed to the synthesis of many important structures envisaged by such theoretical considerations [36, 37].

Many detailed problems in science, natural science, technology, economics, electronics, and logistics require finding the global minimum of the functions of many variables. This global minimization / optimization is one of the most universal research problems in the modern world and at the same time one of the most complex, due to the need to find a global minimum in the presence of a large number of ubiquitous local minima. In this field, Professor Klinowski also made his mark by publishing papers devoted to a new global minimization algorithm called “Taboo Search” [38].

In subsequent papers [39, 40] Professor Klinowski showed that the use of Taboo Search leads to a global minimum and introduced a practical method of global optimization. These methods are now widely used in predicting macromolecular structures and researching the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and mad cow disease.

The study using the Monte Carlo method for research on the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa is also very interesting [41].

35 years ago it was discovered that there had been a Shakespearean theatre in Gdańsk. Although William Shakespeare himself never visited Poland actors from his company performed here. A foundation Theatrum Gedanense was created with a view to rebuilding the theatre. The patrons were the present King of England and Andrzej Wajda. The theatre opened in 2015. Jacek Klinowski is a member of the board of trustees of the charity organization “British Friends of the Gdansk Theatre”, who support this Foundation.

Professor Klinowski’s interest in film is worth mentioning, as shown by his co-authorship of a multi-volume book, which first appeared in the United States as “Cinema, the Magic Vehicle” and in Polish as “Kino, wehikuł magiczny“. The English version is available from Amazon.com as an e-book. Professor Klinowski has greatly contributed to the education of scientific staff: he has promoted more than 27 doctors (he himself is not sure how many), eight of whom are now rectors, and three others pro-rectors of their universities.

The association of Professor Klinowski with Poland is very strong. For 30 years he has been a foreign member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, an honorary member of the Polish Chemical Society and of the Polish Zeolite Society. For many years while professor at the University of Cambridge, he also lectured the Ph.D. students at the Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University on NMR spectroscopy. Young academics from the Jagiellonian University and other Polish universities, including our University of Warsaw, did research internships in Cambridge under the supervision of Professor Klinowski, and participated in joint research projects. Out of 502 publications by Professor Klinowski, several dozen have as co-authors Polish colleagues.

Jacek, one of the scientific leaders of the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, is known for his excellent lectures. He amazes with the importance of his achievements, versatile interests and interdisciplinary approach, an excellent example of the creative possibilities for a man who participates in international science at the highest level.

I would like to strongly emphasize the extraordinary kindness and hospitality of Professor Klinowski and his wife Margaret, who have supported numerous groups of young and experienced researchers from Poland and the wider world. Every year many people visited their house in Cambridge or their flat in London, always receiving help and hospitality.

The scientific achievements and the life of Professor Klinowski, a true Renaissance Man, a scientist of world class and achievements, a long-standing ambassador for scientific cooperation around the world as well as to the scientific world in Poland, a scientist who has left his mark in so many fields, a long-time friend of Polish scientists, fully justify granting Professor Klinowski the Kołos Medal.

On this very special occasion of awarding the Kołos Medal of the University of Warsaw and the Polish Chemical Society, I wish you, dear Jacek, health and further success in both your scientific and numerous non-scientific activities.

Krzysztof Woźniak

References

  1. Kołodziejski, J. Klinowski, Kinetics of cross-polarization in the solid-state NMR. A guide for chemists, Chemical Reviews, 102 (2002) 613–628.
  2. Kołodziejski, J. Klinowski, 13C→1H and 1H→13C cross-polarization NMR in toluene-solvated fullerene-70, Chem. Phys. Lett., 247 (1995) 507–509.
  3. Kołodziejski, H.Y. He, J. Klinowski, 31P solid-state NMR study of cross-polarization and spin difusion in the molecular sieve VPI-5 using variable-speed MAS, Chem. Phys. Lett., 191 (1992) 117–124.
  4. J. Barrie, M.E. Smith, J. Klinowski, Double-rotation 27Al NMR studies of the aluminophosphate molecular sieve AlPO4-11, Chem. Phys. Lett. 180 (1991) 6–12.
  5. Jelinek, B.F. Chmelka, Y. Wu, P.J. Grandinetti, A. Pines, P.J. Barrie, J. Klinowski, Study of the aluminophosphates AlPO4-21 and AlPO4-25 by 27Al double-rotation NMR, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 113 (1991) 4097–4101.
  6. P. Man, J. Klinowski, Quadrupole nutation 27Al NMR studies of isomorphous substitution of aluminium in the framework of zeolite Y, Chem. Phys. Lett., 147 (1988) 581–584.
  7. Hamdan, J. Klinowski, Quadrupole nutation NMR reveals the presence of a new aluminium species in hydrothermally treated zeolites, J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., (1989) 240–242.
  8. Freude, J. Klinowski, H. Hamdan, Solid-state NMR studies of the geometry of Brønsted acid sites in zeolitic catalysts, Chem. Phys. Lett., 149 (1988) 355–362.
  9. W. Anderson, J. Klinowski, Direct observation of shape selectivity in zeolite ZSM-5 by magic-angle-spinning NMR, Nature, 339 (1989) 200–203.
  10. W. Anderson, J. Klinowski, Solid-state NMR studies of the shape-selective catalytic conversion of methanol into gasoline on zeolite ZSM-5, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 112 (1990) 10–16.
  11. Ramdas, J. Klinowski, A simple correlation between isotropic 29Si NMR chemical shifts and T-O-T angles in zeolite frameworks, Nature, 308 (1984) 521–523.
  12. L. Barr, J. Klinowski, H.Y. He, K. Alberti, G. Muller, J.A. Lercher, Evidence for strong acidity of the molecular sieve cloverite, Nature, 365 (1993) 429–431.
  13. Klinowski, S.W. Carr, S.E. Tarling, P. Barnes, Magic-angle-spinning NMR shows the aluminosilicate framework of ultramarine to be disordered, Nature, 330 (1987) 56–58.
  14. H. Luan, C.F. Cheng, W.Z. Zhou, J. Klinowski, Mesopore molecular sieve MCM-41 containing framework aluminium, J. Phys. Chem., 99 (1995) 1018–1024.
  15. F. Cheng, D.H. Park, J. Klinowski, Optimal parameters for the synthesis of the mesoporous molecular sieve [Si]-MCM-41, J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans., 93 (1997)193–197.
  16. M. Candy, J. Klinowski, A.E. Oakley, T.A. Carpenter, R.H. Perry, J.R. Atack, E.K. Perry, G. Blessed, A. Fairbairn, J.A. Edwardson, Aluminosilicates and senile plaque formation in Alzheimer’s disease, The Lancet, 1 (1986) 354–357.
  17. Seal, S. Krezoski, S. E. Hardcastle, T. L. Barr, D. H. Petering, C.F. Cheng, J. Klinowski, P.H. Evans, Investigations of the surface chemistry of pathogenic silicates, J. Vacuum Sci. Technol., A13 (1995) 1260–1266.
  18. H. Evans, E. Peterhans, T. Burge, J. Klinowski, Aluminosilicate-induced free radical generation by murine brain glial cells in vitro: potential significance in the etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer’s dementia, Dementia, 3 (1992) 1–6.
  19. H. Evans, E. Peterhans, T. Bürge, J. Klinowski, E. Yano, Senile neurodegeneration: pathogenic role of microglia-derived free radicals, Chapter in book “Oxidative Stress and Aging” (R.G. Cutler, L. Packer, J. Bertram, A. Mori, Eds.), Birkhauser, Verlag, Basel, (1995) 319–330.
  20. Kołodziejski, A. Corma, J. Barras, J. Klinowski, Detection of fulleroid sites in fullerene-60 by high-resolution solid-state 1H NMR, J. Phys. Chem., 99 (1995) 3365–3370.
  21. Kołodziejski and J. Klinowski, 13C→1H and 1H→13C cross-polarization NMR in toluene-solvated fullerene-70, Chem. Phys. Lett., 247 (1995) 507–509.
  22. Y. He, J. Barras, J. Foulkes, J. Klinowski, Solid-state NMR studies of fullerene C60/benzene solvates, J. Phys. Chem., B101 (1997) 117–122.
  23. Y. He, J. Teixeira Dias, J. Foulkes, J. Klinowski, 13C solid-state MAS NMR studies of the low temperature phase transition in fullerene C60, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2 (2000) 2651–2654.
  24. Y. He, T. Riedl, A. Lerf, J. Klinowski, Solid-state NMR studies of the structure of graphite oxide, J. Phys. Chem., 100 (1996) 19954–19958.
  25. Lerf, H.Y. He, T. Riedl, M. Forster, J. Klinowski, 13C and 1H MAS NMR studies of graphite oxide and its chemically modified derivatives, Solid State Ionics, (1997) 857–862.
  26. Lerf, M. Forster, H.Y. He and J. Klinowski, A new structural model for graphite oxide, Chem. Phys. Lett., 287 (1998) 53–56.
  27. Y. He, A. Lerf, M. Forster, J. Klinowski, Structure of graphite oxide revisited, J. Phys. Chem., B102 (1998) 4477 – 4482.
  28. A. Almeida Paz, J. Klinowski, Hydrothermal synthesis and structural characterisation of a novel cadmium–organic framework, J. Solid State Chemistry 177 (2004) 3423–3432.
  29. Mafra, F.A. Almeida Paz, F.-N. Shi, J. Rocha, T. Trindade, C. Fernandez, A. Makal, K. Wozniak, J. Klinowski, X-ray diffraction and solid-state NMR studies of a germanium binuclear complex, Chemistry: A European Journal, 12 (2006) 363–375.
  30. Orlov, Q.-Z. Zhai, J. Klinowski, Photocatalytic properties of the SBA-15 mesoporous molecular sieve modified with titanium, Journal of Materials Science, 41 (2006) 2187–2193.
  31. A. Almeida Paz, J. Klinowski, Crystal gazing: designing novel metal-organic frameworks, Chemistry and Industry, 6 (2006) 21–23.
  32. A. Almeida Paz, D. Majda, R.G. Bell, J. Klinowski, Discovering new crystal architectures. Chapter in book “Adventures in Solid-State and Surface Chemistry” (K.D.M. Harris and P.P. Edwards, Eds.), Royal Society of Chemistry, (2007) 221–238.
  33. M. Thomas, J. Klinowski, Systematic enumeration of microporous solids: towards designer catalysts, Angew. Chem. Intl. Ed. 46 (2007) 7160–7163.
  34. Delgado Friedrichs, A.W.M. Dress, D.H. Huson, J. Klinowski, A.L. Mackay, Systematic enumeration of crystalline networks, Nature, 400 (1999) 644–647.
  35. D. Foster, O. Delgado Friedrichs, R.G. Bell, F.A. Almeida Paz, J. Klinowski, Chemically feasible hypothetical zeolites, Nature Materials, 3 (2004) 234–238.
  36. Majda, F.A. Almeida Paz, O. Delgado Friedrichs, M.D. Foster, A. Simperler, R.G. Bell, J. Klinowski, Hypothetical zeolitic frameworks: In search of potential heterogeneous catalysts, Journal Physical Chemistry, 112 (2008) 1040–1047.
  37. C.R. Soares-Santos, F.L. Sousa, L. Cunha-Silva, L. Mafra, J. Rocha, A.M.V. Cavaleiro, T. Trindade, F.A. Almeida Paz, J. Klinowski, H.I.S. Nogueira, Two novel supramolecular organic-inorganic adducts containing dibenzo-30-crown-10 and H3PM12O40 (M = W or Mo), Journal of Molecular Structure, 888 (2008) 99–106.
  38. Cvijovic, J. Klinowski, Taboo Search: an approach to the multiple-minima problem, Science, 267 (1995) 664–666.
  39. J. Ji, J. Klinowski, Convergence of Taboo Search in continuous global optimization, Proc. Royal Soc. Lond. A462 (2006) 2077–2084.
  40. J. Ji, J. Klinowski, Taboo Evolutionary Programming: a new method of global optimization, Proc. Royal Soc. Lond., 462, (2006) 3613–3627.
  41. Auvert, M. Moore, W.E. Bertrand, A. Beauchet, P. Aegerter, D. Lusamba, K.T. Diong, J. Klinowski, Dynamics of HIV infection and AIDS in central African cities, International Journal of Epidemiology, 19 (1990) 417–428.