John P. Ferraris

John P. Ferraris (April 1947 – May 2025) was an American chemist and professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. He was known for his pioneering work in the field of organic electronics, particularly the discovery that a charge-transfer complex between tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) exhibits high electrical conductivity. This finding helped establish the foundation for the development of conducting polymers and organic electronic materials.

Early life and education Ferraris earned his B.A. in chemistry from Saint Michael's College in Vermont in 1969. He then completed both an M.A. (1971) and a Ph.D. (1974) in organic chemistry at Johns Hopkins University.

Career Ferraris joined the chemistry faculty at the University of Texas at Dallas in 1975.

Research Contributions Organic Conductors Ferraris co-authored the 1973 paper reporting high conductivity in the TTF-TCNQ charge-transfer complex.

Nanotechnology and Devices Ferraris co-developed super-tough carbon nanotube fibers and co-invented chemically powered artificial muscles. Cecil H. and Ida Green Chair in Systems Biology Science, held from 2006 to 2009.

Selected publications Ferraris, J. P.; Cowan, D. O.; Walatka, V.; Perlstein, J. H. (1973). "Electron transfer in a new highly conducting donor-acceptor complex". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 95 (3): 948–949. doi:[10.1021/ja00784a066](https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00784a066). Dalton, A. B. et al. (2003). "Super-tough carbon-nanotube fibres". Nature. 423: 703. doi:[10.1038/423703a](https://doi.org/10.1038/423703a). Ebron, V. H. et al. (2006). "Fuel powered artificial muscles". Science. 311 (5767): 1580–1583. doi:[10.1126/science.1121401](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1121401).