Dmitri Talapin

Ernest DeWitt Burton Distinguished Service Professor
Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
The University of Chicago

dvtalapin@uchicago.edu

Project Description

Synthesis of novel quantum dot materials, Surface chemistry of MXenes

Low-dimensional materials, including nanocrystals and atomically thin two-dimensional sheets, effectively bridge the gap between bulk solids and molecules. These materials have advanced significantly in recent years, largely due to their potential for real-world applications. My group is developing novel functional materials through the integration of concepts from solid-state chemistry, molecular chemistry, and nanotechnology.

For example, we are expanding the range of synthesizable nanomaterials by developing a new class of colloidal systems—colloids in molten inorganic salts. Using molten salts, we successfully synthesized the first colloidal GaAs and GaN quantum dots with band edge emission, as well as various other functional nanomaterials previously considered impossible to synthesize via colloidal methods.

In another example, we combine principles from solid-state and molecular chemistry to advance two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, known as MXenes. These materials combine the electronic and mechanical properties characteristic of inorganic 2D crystals with nearly limitless opportunities to tailor their surface chemistry. Understanding MXene surfaces requires concepts from coordination chemistry, self-assembled monolayers, and surface science. We demonstrate that MXene surface groups actively contribute to the materials’ conductivity, superconductivity, and catalytic activity.

Requirement

Chemistry, materials physics