Seminar "Understanding the structure function relationship at the nanoscale from photovoltaics to biomimetic materials" by Dr. Paul Ashby, Molecular Foundry, LBNL, USA
June 14, 2018 Seminar Room, 11 AM.
My group investigates a variety of phenomena at the nanoscale by probing the functional properties of materials in-situ. I will present three current projects in my group. The first project investigates the role of morphology and chemical heterogeneity in determining the efficiency of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) photovoltaic materials. We see a combination of very active grains and grain boundaries with inactive grains. We also combine this with two photon photoluminescence to probe carrier lifetime through the sample. The second project measures the dynamics of nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) assembled at water?oil interfaces. These responsive films can transition between a fluid state and jammed rigid state enabling the creation of reconfigurable structured liquid interfaces. I will present our study of the role of chemistry to determine the properties and direct observation of the nanoscale of the assembly dynamics. The third project involves the creation of a living hybrid structural material that is responsive to external stimuli. We have engineered bacteria to covalently bind various materials to S-layer surface and are using those linkages to modulate the mechanical properties of bacterial assemblies.
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