Materials at the Nanoscale: Structure, Properties and Applications

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The behavior of materials with nanometer scale dimensions is often profoundly altered from that prevailing in the bulk. Dimensionality introduces an additional avenue to tune the mechanical, optical, thermal, electrical and magnetic properties which allows further exploration of the fundamental processes as well as generating new opportunities across a wide gamut of materials-related applications. Structural characterization at the nanometer scale and below is an essential component of the development and understanding of these novel materials. Using transmission electron microscopy as the primary investigative technique, the proposed research will examine low-dimensional and nanoparticle systems with applications ranging from electronics and industry to medicine and the environment. Among the systems to be investigated are nanocomposites involving superparamagnetic iron oxide particles, which have recently attracted considerable attention related to their potential for the transport of therapeutically important compounds as well as the development of improved industrial catalysts. Low-dimensional materials exhibiting charge density waves (CDW) represent a second area of research focus. A CDW is a periodic, coupled distortion of the atomic lattice and the conduction electron density often observed in transition metal chalcogenide compounds. Advances in crystal growth, have created new opportunities to investigate the effects of reduced dimensionality on CDW properties in these compounds and will provide new insights to ultimately enable these unique systems to be tuned and exploited for practical applications.