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RESEARCH INTERESTS
Flash-Thermal Shock Lamping: Synthesis of Advanced Catalysts and Nanomaterials
Momentary high-temperature annealing methods (up to 3,000 K within 20-milliseconds duration) hold unforeseen scientific and technological promise in areas such as catalyst synthesis (single atoms, high-entropy alloys, and ex-solution catalysts), doping with hetero-atoms, and phase engineering on oxides. We propose a straightforward method conducted in ambient air to manipulate the physicochemical and electronic characteristics of various materials including graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), Mxenes, and metal oxides.
[Outcomes] Adv. Sci., 7, 1903318 (2020), Chem, 8 (4), 14, 1014-1033 (2022), ACS Nano, 17, 23, 23347–23358 (2023), Adv. Mater., 2305222 (2023)
Nanofiber Yarn Platform for Smart-Electronics Textiles
Nanofiber yarn is a promising sensing platform based on a single-strand yarn consisting of ultra high-density electrospun nanofibers which exhibits high surface-to-volume ratio and well-developed porosity. Depends on functionalization strategies of yarn, various modes of sensors can be prepared: deposition of metal or metal oxide leads to chemiresistive-type sensor, loading colorimetric dyes lead to colorimetric sensor, and so on. We are also interested in the development of multi-modal sensing in the single yarn platform as futuristic wearable sensors.
[Outcomes] ACS Nano, 13, 5, 6071-6082 (2019), ACS Nano, 14, 12, 16907–16918 (2020), Adv. Mater., 2105869 (2022), Adv. Func. Mater., 2200463 (2022)
Synthesis of Porous Inorganic Nanomaterials & Sensing Device (MEMS) Fabrications
Inorganic nanostructures with well-established porosity offer enhanced gas diffusion pathways, expediting surface reactions within sensing layers. Employing sacrificial templating methods using such as graphene oxide, polystyrene beads, carbon nanotubes, and cellulose nanocrystals as templates, facilitates the creation of highly porous oxide nanofiber, nanotube, and hierarchical structures. These structures significantly enhance gas sensing properties by augmenting gas diffusion and reactions, primarily through increased surface area and improved porosity.
[Outcomes] Sens. Actuators B, 273, 1296-1277 (2018), Sens. Actuators B, 259, 616-625 (2018), J. Mater. Chem. A, 6, 13825-13824 (2018), ACS Sens. 3, 6, 1164-1173 (2018), Small, 14, 44, 1802260 (2018), ACS Nano, 15, 9, 14207-14217 (2021), ACS Nano, 17, 6, 5842-5851 (2023)
Metal-Organic Frameworks for Sensing and/or Molecular Sieving Membrane
MOFs-based molecular sieving: Introducing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) onto nanomaterials, including transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), metal oxides, and carbon nanotubes-based sensing layers, endows them with gas selectivity tuning behaviors based on chemical and/or physical sieving effects. We are interested in demonstration of sieving effects based on experiments and simulations (collaboration for DFT calculations & molecular dynamic simulations).
MOFs-based gas sensing: In the MOF-based sensing field, the chemical versatility inherent in metal nodes and organic ligands makes MOFs appealing for finely tuning sensitivity and selectivity across a broad range of gas analytes. Additionally, the ability to control pore size serves as an extra parameter for size-exclusion-based sensing. Particularly intriguing are electrically conductive MOFs (cMOFs), which modulate conductance within the framework as they interact with guest molecules, enabling the identification and quantification of these guests. However, cMOFs-based sensors often suffer from inherently poor reversibility and sensitivity. We aim to address the inherent limitations of pure cMOFs by employing diverse strategies centered around constructing cMOFs-based composites.
[Outcomes] Adv. Func. Mater., 2207265 (2022), Adv. Mater., 2105869 (2022), Adv. Mater., 2312382, (2024)
Conjugated Polymers
Flexible and mechanically robust gas sensors are pivotal for wearable and implantable electronics. Conjugated polymers (CPs) offer great promise in this regard, thanks to their exceptional optoelectrical properties, mechanical resilience, and ease of solution processing, surpassing conventional materials. The introduction of doping agents or gas-absorbing side chains onto CPs can enhance their gas-sensing capabilities. Incorporating these CPs into thermally stable polymer blends further augments their thermal stability.
[Outcomes] Adv. Sci., 2200270 (2022), ACS Sens. 8, 10, 3687–3692 (2023)
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