Tags: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Seminar


Geometrical Frustration in Quantum Materials:
To Order or Not To Order?

One of the major focuses of solid-state chemistry is properties-structure relation. Geometrical frustration is an intriguing structural property which can lead to various quantum phenomena. On one hand, geometrical frustration suppresses long-range magnetic ordering in systems with localized magnetic moments and leads to exotic quantum states, such as quantum spin liquid. In contrast, it can host interesting electronic structures that are…


Chemical- and High-Pressure-Induced Band Engineering and Polymorphism in Complex Zintl Phases

Structurally complex charge-balanced polar intermetallic compounds, such as Zintl pnictides (i.e., those containing Group 15 elements) and heteroanionic pnictide oxides, are promising candidates for advancing thermoelectric technology. We present novel layered Zintl pnictide oxides Ba2Zn2Pn2O (Pn = As, Sb, Bi), which feature two distinct [Zn2Pn2O]2− anionic substructures composed of corner-sharing, distorted tetrahedral ZnPn3O units. We provide…


Research Seminar: Hope Long


Application of PNIPAM-Based Microstructured Surfaces for Label-Free Cell Sorting

Cell sorting enables the separation of specific cell types from heterogeneous populations and is widely used in biomedical research, drug development, and regenerative medicine. Existing methods fall into two categories: label-based techniques, such as fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS), which rely on antibodies conjugated to fluorescent dyes or magnetic beads; and label-free techniques, which…


Research Seminar: Zhizi Feng


Hansen Solubility Parameters as a Predictive Tool for Formulating Amorphous Solid Dispersions

 A major challenge in pharmaceutical development is the poor aqueous solubility of majority of the crystalline active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) generated in drug discovery.  Amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) improve solubility by molecularly dispersing amorphous APIs within a glassy polymer matrix; however, their utility is often constrained by limited drug loading capacity and incomplete drug dissolution. To address these…


Novel Bio-based Plasticizers for Poly(Vinyl Chloride)

Poly(Vinyl Chloride) is the third most synthesized and utilized commodity plastic. While its unplasticized form is used extensively in construction materials because of its toughness and rigidity, it is also desirable for biomedical and packaging applications due to its sterility and chemical resistance, requiring plasticization which accounts for 80% of the world's plasticizer usage. The most common plasticizer for PVC, Di-2-EthylHexyl…


Nanoparticle Superlattices

Nanoparticle superlattices are ordered assemblies of nanoscale building blocks that mimic atomic crystals while exhibiting unique, tunable properties. These structures can be formed through bottom-up self-assembly processes, where nanoparticles are considered analogous to atoms connected by programmable interactions. By adjusting the nanoparticle core composition and surface ligands, researchers can precisely control lattice…


Sustainable Pathways for the Direct Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries

As the popularity of electric vehicles continues to rise so does the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIB). A common cathode material for LIBs used in electric vehicles is lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides (Li-NixCoyMn1−x−yO2, NMC). This is due to its high specific capacity (160 – 200 mAh/g) and voltage (~3.6 V). Currently, there are two types of battery recycling methods that are in use in at an industry level scale: hydrometallurgy and…


Understanding and Overcoming Limitations in Perovskite Quantum Dots for High-Performance Light-Emitting Devices

Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor materials that emit light when current passes through them. The discovery of LEDs in 1962 has revolutionized modern optoelectronics. These LEDs have evolved from the early GaAsP-based red emitters to more efficient GaN-based devices, and the latest development is LEDs incorporating perovskite quantum dots. Perovskite quantum dots show high PLQY, narrow emission linewidth, fast radiative…
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