Tags: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Seminar


Form and Function: Understanding and Controlling Processes at the Nanoscale Through Synthesis and Spectroscopy

At the nanoscale, magnetic, optical, electronic, and thermal processes can differ drastically from their bulk counterparts. These deviations stem from reduced crystalline domains, large surface areas, and quantum confinement, leading to physical and chemical properties intricately dependent on size, morphology, and ligand identity as opposed to purely compositional structure. This remarkable tunability, combined with their solution…


Designing Material Properties from Molecular Principles

Targeted design of electronic and magnetic properties in novel materials remains a critical bottleneck in the development of many next-generation electrical and electrochemical devices. In this talk, I will describe how the principles of molecular inorganic chemistry can be applied to systematically engineer materials hosting a diverse range of desired properties. First, I will discuss a family of redox-active metal–organic frameworks, in which…


From Rare-Earth Extraction to Polymer Recycling: Innovations in Materials for Sustainability

The transition to a sustainable future requires innovative approaches in materials design, utilization, and recycling. In this talk, I will discuss two advancements at the intersection of polymer chemistry and sustainability: the development of metal-chelating polymers for rare-earth element (REE: La–Lu, Y, and Sc) extraction, and the synthesis of chemically recyclable polymers. First, I will present our work on polymers for the selective…


Hierarchical Molecular Design at Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Lattices

The pursuit of next-generation materials to address the energy and sustainability crisis hinges on hybrid crystalline systems, particularly layered lattices with well-defined organic-inorganic interfaces. These materials harness the vast chemical space of organics and the superior electronic, photonic, or catalytic performance of inorganics, making the assembly tunable and solution processable. While organic sublattices play crucial roles…


Fundamental Mechanisms in Sustainable Materials from Global Environment to Climate Change

Climate change and global air pollution are the world’s two most serious issues. Negative carbon and polluted air capture are critical strategies for addressing rising CO2 and air pollution levels. State-of-the-art materials design at the atomic level is in high demand, and their fundamental mechanism must be revealed using cutting-edge microscopic and spectroscopic methodologies. As a result, the utilization of sustainable materials (e.g. wood…


Synthesis and Structure-Property Characterization of Lignin-Derived Thermoplastic Poly(ether ester)s

Semi-aromatic polyesters derived from petroleum are an important class of polymers that encompass a wide variety of thermal and mechanical properties. Unfortunately, replacing the aromatic component with cost-competitive bioderived monomers is an ongoing challenge. In this presentation, we describe the synthesis of nine different polyesters made from AB monomers that can be derived from lignin, and include full characterization of their thermal…


Recent Approaches to 2D and 3D Materials for Second Harmonic Generation

The second harmonic generation (SHG) is a nonlinear coherent second-order scattering process that causes frequency doubling of incident light. It is widely used in laser technology, spectroscopy, microscopy, wireless communication technology and fiber-optic communication systems. The main requirement for the SHG process is the noncentrosymmetry of the material, since the second-order susceptibility coefficient, which is responsible for the…


Multifunctional Hydrogels for Wound Healing

Zoom link for seminar: https://zoom.us/j/92955070680 Wound healing has always been a clinical challenge. Traditional wound dressings, such as gauze and bandages, provide only limited support for the healing process. These conventional solutions lack the ability to address complex wound care needs. In response to increasing clinical demands, multifunctional hydrogels have emerged as a revolutionary advancement in wound healing. These hydrogels…


Through Thick and Thin: Chemical Strategies Towards Unique Electronic and Optical Landscapes in Atomically Precise One-Dimensional Solids

The physical properties of solids are inherently coupled to their structure and dimensionality. As such, the discovery of nascent physical phenomena and the realization of complex miniaturized devices in the solid state have incessantly relied upon the creation of stable low-dimensional crystals that approach the atomic limit. Towards this end, us in the Maxx Lab are focused towards the discovery and chemical understanding of several classes of…


Microneedles for Drug Delivery: Technology and Applications

Transdermal drug delivery offers an alternative to traditional oral and intravenous methods, addressing challenges like poor bioavailability and patient discomfort. However, this approach is limited to molecules with specific physicochemical properties (such as low molecular weight, high potency, and moderate lipophilicity) due to the skin’s stratum corneum barrier. Among various enhancement techniques, microneedle (MN) technology has emerged as…
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