Nanoscience & Materials

From the tall to the small, we strive to synthesize and characterize nanoscopic to macroscopic materials. A major goal is to understand the fundamental links among structure, microstructure, composition, properties, reactivity, and function. We collaborate across departments to pull together interdisciplinary teams of students and faculty members that can tackle fundamental and applied materials chemistry challenges. Our researchers gain hands-on experiences with state-of-the-art instrumentation at our excellent facilities.

Many of our students benefit from research opportunities through the NSF Materials Research in Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), and the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology. In addition, our faculty and students make valuable career connections with industrial partners through participation in the Industrial Partnership for Research in Interfacial and Materials Engineering (IPRIME). 

Research topics encompass:

• novel organic and inorganic materials synthesis,
• properties and reactivity of natural and synthetic nanoparticles,
• hierarchically structured materials,
• state-of-the-art materials characterization,
• nanoscience and nanotechnology, and
• contemporary computational chemistry.