A New Route to Novel Materials: Reactions of Zintl Phases and Anions in Ionic Liquids

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Professor Arnold M. Guloy of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Houston is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program to prepare and study novel crystalline and nanocrystalline Ge and Si materials for possible applications in optoelectronic and thermoelectric devices. His synthetic strategy employs a unique step-wise growth method for generating novel Ge and Si structures via the oxidative polymerization/coupling of molecular Zintl anion clusters, polymers and networks in ionic liquids. The interplay of non-covalent molecular interactions leads to self-organized nanoscale assemblies and Professor Guloy's approach will continuously control the size, shape, orientation, and order of the structures by appropriate molecular design and chemical synthesis. A significant advantage of this method is that it can be readily adapted to a variety of polar intermetallic precursors and chemical functionalities.The fundamental understanding of molecular level, main group intermetallics in terms of molecular reactivity and structure-property modulation will allow for the synthesis of novel materials with tunable properties for use in novel devices. The proposed Ge-and Si-based materials and devices will be investigated as optical and electronic materials with potential applications as quantum, photonic, and thermoelectric devices. Undergraduate and graduate students will be involved in the multidisciplinary research. Students will have a unique opportunity to learn inorganic and organic synthetic methods as well as materials characterization involving solid state, polymer, thin film and surface science techniques. Finally, the proposed research will include an international collaboration with Professor Yuri Grin's group at the Max-Planck-Institute in Dresden, Germany. This relationship will enhance graduate student training through exchange and visiting research programs.