Engineering New Molecular Materials

我和我的研究小组对分子材料的科学和技术有着广泛的兴趣。我们正在学习这种材料的结构和性能是如何依赖于构建它们的单个分子的，我们正在利用这种理解通过设计创造出有价值的新材料。这项工作很重要，因为未来技术中使用的材料必须具有纳米级精度的结构和性能。这一领域的进步需要一个多学科的方法，使用来自许多科学领域的工具和理解。我们的团队在最近几年的工作中发展了这种技能，我们已经做好了准备，进行一系列雄心勃勃的新项目，概括如下：1)多晶性：合理控制结晶，以产生新的多晶型，基于使用分子仿制技术在特定工程表面上诱导的晶体-晶体转化和结晶2)结晶聚合物：类似于钻石和石墨的共价键合分子材料3)孔隙度：制造具有高固有孔隙度的分子固体和液体的新方法4)非晶态材料：基于使用添加剂和特殊结构修改而设计的结晶抑制5)分子纳米颗粒和纳米晶体：合理的方法控制大小，形状，纳米级分子物体的表面和结构6)纳米表面：平面和曲面上的程序化分子吸附7)薄膜器件：控制薄膜的分子结构和性质的方法，利用此类薄膜制造光伏电池和其他器件，并表征所产生的器件的性能8)设计缺陷：对如何在分子晶体中引入缺陷的系统研究这些项目有望导致基础科学发现和宝贵的新技术，并将帮助该集团在分子材料领域保持国际领先地位。通过允许学生在一个充满活力的领域从事多学科工作，并有许多机会在基础科学和应用科学方面取得进展，这些项目将有助于培养高技能的年轻研究人员。

My research group and I are broadly interested in the science and technology of molecular materials. We are learning how the structures and properties of such materials depend on the individual molecules from which they are built, and we are using this understanding to create valuable new materials by design. This work is important because the materials used in future technology must have structures and properties controlled with nanometric precision. Advances in this area require a multidisciplinary approach, using tools and understanding taken from many areas of science. Our group has developed such skills in the course of its work during recent years, and we are well positioned to undertake a series of ambitious new projects, summarized below: 1) Polymorphism: Rational control of crystallization to produce new polymorphs, based on crystal-crystal transformations and crystallization induced on specifically engineered surfaces using molecular mimicry 2) Crystalline polymers: Covalently-bonded molecular materials analogous to diamond and graphite 3) Porosity: New ways to make molecular solids and liquids with high intrinsic porosity 4) Amorphous materials: Designed inhibition of crystallization, based on the use of additives and specific structural modifications 5) Molecular nanoparticles and nanocrystals: Rational methods for controlling the size, shape, and structure of nanoscale molecular objects 6) Nanopatterned surfaces: Programmed molecular adsorption on flat and curved surfaces 7) Thin-film devices: Methods for controlling the molecular organization and properties of thin films, using such films to fabricate photovoltaic cells and other devices, and characterizing the performance of the resulting devices 8) Defects by design: Systematic studies of how defects can be introduced in molecular crystals These projects promise to lead to fundamental scientific discoveries and to valuable new technology, and they will help the group maintain a position of international leadership in the field of molecular materials. By allowing students to engage in multidisciplinary work in a dynamic field with many opportunities to make advances in basic and applied science, the projects will help train highly skilled young researchers.