IRG 2: Molecular Crystal Growth Mechanisms assembles a team from Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics to investigate the fundamental science of molecular crystal growth, an area of vital interest for pharmaceuticals, organic electronics, and other technologies. While crystal growth of metals, semiconductors, and binary oxides is highly developed, understanding of basic elements of molecular crystal growth is lacking. The IRG advances the understanding of essential aspects of crystal growth science and engineering, investigating nucleation, dislocation generation and structure, multi-step assembly at the unit cell level, and origins of non-classical morphologies in molecular crystals. IRG 2 combines theoretical modeling, computer simulation, and experiment to develop predictive models  of crystal structure and free energy and to investigate the dynamic aspects of crystal growth.

 

Senior Participants: Daniella Buccella, Bruce. Garetz, David G. Grier, Maranda Holmes-Cerfon, B. Kahr, Robert Kohn, Jin Montclare, Mark Tuckerman, Michael D. Ward, Marcus Weck. 

Mission

• Answer fundamental questions about the basic properties of spin excitations in organic semiconductors (OSEC).
• Apply this knowledge toward development and fabrication of spin-related OSEC devices.

Why Organic Spintronics?

• Rich physics from the precursor polaron-pair state: spin-mediated organic electronics.
• Rich chemistry: OSEC are lightweight, environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and very versatile.
• Engineering and commercializationpotential: several existing companies focus on organic optoelectronics.

Questions

The goal of IRG-2 in Organic Spintronics is to provide insight to the following questions:

• Can we control the ratio between spin triplet and singlet excitations in OSEC and organic devices?
• Can we control and manipulate the interaction between spin-aligned carriers and nuclear spin polarization?
• Can organic-ferromagnet electrodes serve as spin injectors into OSEC?
• What are the temperature limitations of organic spintronics?
• Can we control the spin-injected current by an external electric field?
• Is there a Hanle effect in organic spin valves?
• How do we make devices stable?

Potential Applications

• Organic spin-valves → inexpensive mass-producible magnetic sensors (data storage).
• Spin-organic LED with color tuned by magnetic field → displays.
• Organic optoelectronic devices → environmental sensors (e.g., electronic properties change as a function of imbibed gas).
• Organic photovoltaics → more efficient, inexpensive, and robust solar cells.

The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University of Alabama carries out a vigorous program on materials with potential applications in ultra-high density data storage. Two interdisciplinary groups investigate thin films and particulate materials, respectively. Of particular interest in thin films are fundamental studies of magnetotransport, nanoscale surface studies, the investigation of high speed magnetic switching phenomena, as well as nanoscale tribological studies. In the area of particulate materials the focus is on potential applications in flexible (tape and floppy disk) storage media. Investigations include the synthesis of small, orientable magnetic nanoparticles, and the characterization and simulation of the microstructure of magnetic particle dispersions. The Center has an educational outreach program to high school science teachers and has very strong links with the information storage industry.

Principal Investigators
Robert J. Cava (Chemistry)
Andrew B. Bocarsly (Chemistry)

* This seed is inactive.

No artificial photosynthesis process has yet been industrialized to economically produce chemical fuels from renewable feedstock. Our long‐term goal for this project is to find new semiconductor‐photocatalysts to increase the diversity and efficiency of energy converting materials while addressing the issue of the excess greenhouse gas CO2 in the atmosphere. One PI has extensive knowledge in solid‐state materials design, while the other is an expert in photoelectrochemistry. Specific goals of this project are: 1) To look for new semiconductor photocatalysts with robust corrosion resistance and suitable band‐gaps for water photolysis or CO2 reduction catalysis under visible light irradiation, with a focus on bandgap engineering through systematic doping and nitriding/sulfiding; 2) to develop synthetic methods that optimize photocatalysts’ efficiency in water photolysis and CO2 reduction and study their structural/physical‐photocatalytic property relationships; 3) to establish a straightforward electrochemical methodology to screen potential semiconductor‐photocatalysts by using a custom‐built photoelectrochemical cell that directly compares samples’ current density under dark and illuminated conditions and performs bulk electrolysis analysis.

The laws of equilibrium statistical mechanics impose severe constraints on the properties of conventional materials assembled from inanimate building blocks. Consequently, such materials cannot exhibit spontaneous motion or perform macroscopic work. Inspired by biological phenomena such as ciliary beating, Drosophila cytoplasmic streaming and actin treadmilling, this IRG will develop an entirely new category of materials assembled from animate, energy-consuming building blocks. Released from the constraints of equilibrium, such materials will acquire new functionalities.  For example, in contrast to conventional gels, which remain quiescent unless driven by external forces, the spontaneous internal flows of active gels exert macroscopic force on the boundaries of a rheometer. Such force-producing active fluids are just one example of highly-sought biomimetic functionalities that are found in internally driven active materials. Fully functional biological structures are fragile and difficult to control and are thus poorly suited for materials science applications. To overcome this limitation, we will develop tunable and robust biomimetic systems from a few well-characterized building blocks. These systems will serve as an ideal platform for developing novel material applications, testing fundamental models of far-from-equilibrium active matter, and potentially shedding light on self-organization in living cells. Ultimately, our work will bridge the chasm between the remarkable properties of animate biological organelles or cells and traditional materials science, which has focused on building inanimate structures.

Mission

• Understand the basic properties of surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) in conventional metals, their alloys, and exotic metals, from THz to the UV spectral range.
• Apply this knowledge to develop new devices and spectroscopic capabilities.

Why Plasmonic Metamaterials?

• THz Plasmonic Metamaterials
  • Conventional dielectric materials are lossy in the far-infrared
  • In contrast, conventional and exotic metals exhibit low loss
  • Almost no device technologies currently exist in the THz range
• Magneto-Plasmonics for Organic Spintronics
  • Spin polarization in organic spintronic devices diminishes with temperature due to smaller surface spin polarization
  • Use of magneto-plasmons may increase the spin polarization at the FM surface and reduce its temperature dependence
• UV Plasmonics
  • UV excitation allows access to resonant electronic states of photochemical precursors and biological molecules
  • Use Al and new alloys for high field enhancement in the UV
  • Localized immobilization and direct detection of biomolecules

Questions

The goal of IRG-1 is to provide insight to the following questions:

• What are the dielectric/magnetic/electronic property limitations for supporting SPPs?
• Can we synthesize appropriate materials to obtain the desired plasmonic response?
• What are the SPP properties of superconductors above and below the phase transition temperatures?
• To what extent do magneto-plasmons influence the spin polarization at the ferromagnetic/organic interface?
• To what extent can photochemical reactions be locally enhanced and spatially controlled?
• Can hot spots be used to interrogate chemical structure and reactions on the molecular scale?

The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University of Alabama investigates new materials that may lead to future information technologies. The Center involves interdisciplinary research by faculty participants from the Departments of Physics, Chemistry, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering. The MRSEC research is organized into two interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs). IRG1, Dynamics and Transport in Nanostructured Magnetic Materials, focuses on the synthesis, characterization, modeling and optimization of films of ordered, self-assembled, monodisperse, magnetic nanoparticles that may serve as future extremely high density magnetic recording media. IRG2, Dendrimer-Based Materials for Information Technology, investigates new dendrimer-based materials for information technology and evolves from a seed project that demonstrated long-term charge storage in special redox gradient dendrimer molecules.

The Center maintains shared experimental facilities in support of its research and for student training. The MRSEC also supports education and outreach efforts that include development of instructional materials for middle school students by teachers and MRSEC faculty, a summer research experience for teachers and undergraduates, and a summer research program for faculty and students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Center has strong interactions with the magnetic recording industry that inform the fundamental research done by the MRSEC participants of 'real wotld' contraints and needs.

The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University of Colorado at Boulder supports innovative research and education in liquid crystals, ranging from cutting-edge, basic liquid crystal and soft materials science to the development of enhanced capabilities for photonic, chemical, and biotech applications of liquid crystals. A multi-disciplinary team of physicists, chemists, biochemists, molecular biologists, chemical engineers and materials scientists work collaboratively on research and education projects. The Center offers a broad program of activities directed towards education and enhancement of science literacy. These include summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Research Experiences for Teachers. Its K-12 outreach program, Materials Science from Colorado University, brings Center personnel into classrooms and uses the understanding of materials to teach physical science concepts. Outreach activities to the public include the Liquid Crystal Wizards family science show. The MRSEC will participate in a University-wide program (Red Shirt Program) designed to offer a pre-freshman year of preparatory STEM instruction, communication skills development, and clustered housing to help prepare underserved high school students for success as science and engineering undergraduates. The Center pursues collaborative research with a variety of companies and international collaborators and offers its excellent experimental and computational shared facilities for outside users.

Research at the MRSEC is organized as a single Interdisciplinary Research Group, Liquid Crystal Frontiers, with three research thrusts. The Liquid Crystal Macro/Nano/Molecular thrust focuses on the science and technology of bulk and composite liquid crystal systems, pursuing the design and synthesis of new materials, and the discovery and exploration of novel themes of self assembly and ordering. The Active Liquid Crystal Interfaces thrust pursues the science and applications of soft interface structures, emphasizing those that respond to external stimuli, such as light, fields, or chemical composition, and in doing so affect the surrounding bulk media. The Functional Liquid Crystal Assemblies thrust advances the science and technology of hierarchically-structured soft condensed phases, emphasizing nanophase segregation as a path to novel functional materials.

Biological membranes are exceptional materials that combine seemingly divergent properties. They are mechanically tough and difficult to rupture, yet they are highly fluid and readily change shape. They are permeable to certain molecules while impermeable to others. These unique properties make membranes an indispensable structural component of all living organisms and it has been proposed that life originated from simple protocell vesicles. These attributes also make membranes attractive from a materials perspective, leading to their use in diverse applications including drug delivery and biosensors. A materials scientist and a biological cell face similar challenges when using membranes to build materials or organelles. How can laterally heterogeneous compartmentalized membranes be designed? How can 3D membrane shape be dynamically manipulated? How can transport across membranes be regulated? We will elucidate design principles that govern these structures and processes, to enable engineering membrane-based materials and to illuminate how biological cells use  membrane-based structures  to achieve specific functions.

The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) addresses fundamental problems in materials science and engineering that are important to the scientific community, society and the future economic growth of the United States. Current areas of interest include the support of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary materials research and education of the highest quality in the areas of new semiconductors for microelectronics, novel nanostructures for high speed communication devices and advanced polymeric materials. A prime driver behind the research activities of the UCSB MRSEC is to address problems of a scope and complexity requiring the advantages of scale and interdisciplinarity that can only be provided by a campus-based research center. The MRSEC has a leadership role in Educational Outreach programs and in the development of Industrial and International Collaborations on the UCSB campus. It provides undergraduate research opportunities, graduate student training, outreach to K-12 students and teachers, and community outreach. The outstanding Central Facilities program plays a fundamentally important role in the research of all MRSEC programs and additionally has a broad impact on the materials research community at UCSB, local and national companies, and government laboratories.

The MRSEC consists of the following IRGs: IRG-1: Specific, Reversible and Programmable Bonding in Supra- and Macromolecular Materials identifies new experimental and computational methods for precisely controlling the structure and properties of materials based on directed and reversible interactions.. IRG-2: Oxides as Semiconductors focuses on the theory, growth, and application of ultra-pure semiconducting oxides. IRG-3: Soft Cellular Materials seeks to use tailor made/functionalized nanoparticles and block copolymers, in association with polymer blends, to develop new soft materials with precisely controlled cellular structures. IRG-4: Nanostructured Materials by Molecular Beam Epitaxy will examine the development of all-epitaxial metal/semiconductor nanocomposite systems for potential applications in high speed and Terahertz technology.