The Search for Noble Multifunctional-Nanocrystal Architectures

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It has recently been recognized that a new class of advanced materials can be created by designing and fabricating nanocrystal architectures that contain more than one type of functional nanoscale components. This award supports fundamental research to elucidate the principles of folding atomically layered 2D materials, which can control the assembly of unique multifunctional nanocrystal architectures. Understanding design and fabrication principles for ordered nanocrystal architectures controlled by 2D-material folds will promote discovery and invention of novel multifunctional materials for a broader range of applications. The testbed material system for the research is a high-performance optoelectronic device composed of metallic gold nanocrystals and semiconductor nanoparticles. Broader impacts of the research include advances in the fundamental science of nanostructured materials, with applications ranging from high-resolution bio-imaging to efficient solar-energy harvesting. Thus, the research will not only move forward science, but also build up technology for national health, prosperity, and welfare. The multi-disciplinary research in science and engineering will train a diverse group of students for the development of next-generation STEM workforces critically needed to compete globally in nanotechnology. To this end, this award will also support the inclusion of undergraduate students in research, integration of research and education through collaboration with global industries and institutions, recruitment of underrepresented students, and interactions with K-12 students through outreach programs at Brown University.Scalable assembly of programmable multifunctional nanostructures has long been elusive. This research aims to elucidate principles of multiscale nano-structural assembly to create distinctive material properties for a broad range of applications through the novel architecture of multifunctional nanostructures. The multiscale-assembly strategy relies on physical chemistry and the mechanics of self-organization on three levels: 1) synthesis and characterization of nanocrystals; 2) density functional theory of quantum-flexoelectric crinkles in 2D-materials; and 3) variational analysis of interactions among the nanocrystals and the crinkles. The test material system is a hybrid architecture of gold nanocrystals and CdSe-CdS core-shell quantum dots for plasmon-exciton coupling, aligned by crinkles in multilayer graphene and/or hexagonal boron nitride. This interdisciplinary effort will offer some new insights in the mechanics and physics of materials at the nanoscale, as well as methods of creating novel multifunctional materials. This new fundamental knowledge will serve as a guide to elucidate the distinct roles of nano and micromechanics of materials in developing novel advanced materials.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.