Electrochemical cell devices are increasingly being sought for energy conversion and storage applications due to their high efficiencies and their potential for operating free of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Solid Acid Electrochemical Cells (SAECs), which most commonly employ CsH2PO4 (CDP) as the electrolyte component, are uniquely suited to meet the...
Discrete molecules, linear and branched polymers, and disordered cross-linked networks are well studied objects of chemical synthesis. However, two-dimensional polymers (2DPs) have been long missing from this continuum of molecular architectures, both in chemical synthesis and in Nature. Recently, new polymerization strategies and characterization methods have enabled the unambiguous realization...
Throughout history, the development of materials has relied heavily on the empirical judgment of scientists and engineers and on prolonged experiments proton to errors. Due to the complexity of material behavior, successful discovery of new candidates has been serendipitous, and down-selection of candidates remains a time-consuming process that requires repetitive...
Thermoelectric materials are of particular interest in a variety of fields because of their ability to directly convert heat to electricity (and vice versa), however, they struggle to gain widespread adoption because of their low efficiency. A common strategy in the field of thermoelectricity is to introduce material defects into...
High performance polymers and their composites have wide ranging application in advanced and emerging material systems. The macroscale performance of these advanced materials is often defined by interfaces that induce nanoscale changes in the microstructure or molecular conformations (termed the ‘interphase’) of the polymer. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an...
Given directives such as the UN Global Goals targeting sustainable development, the research presented herein makes but a small contribution to the advancement of alternative energy technologies. Nevertheless, the present work was largely motivated to address specific points of intrigue within the thermoelectrics community. The general principles demonstrated, however, may...
Structural colors originate from the interaction between the incident light and a surface with periodic submicron structures. They enable the creation of a spectrum of nonfading colors, potentially replacing toxic metal oxides and conjugated organic pigments. However, significant challenges remain, including lack of contrast needed for the complete gamut of...
A series of theories and models are developed and used to investigate the growth of protective oxide films on metal and alloy surfaces for cases in which Wagner's classical model of oxidation does not hold. First, irreversible thermodynamics is applied to formulate a model for the outward growth of rocksalt...
Part I: Design of Photo-Responsive Molecules towards Biomedical ApplicationsThe use of light to control systems provides numerous advantages such as spatiotemporal precision, non-invasive penetration, and precise energy input. Specifically, molecules that undergo photoinduced cleavage, photoremovable protecting groups (PPGs) have emerged as an active area of research due to their broad...
A significant portion of material science research is concerned with understanding theway that defects affect the properties materials. In the field of thermoelectrics introducingor removing point (0D), dislocation (1D), grain boundary (2D), or precipitate (3D) defectsare popular methods for altering a materials thermoelectric efficiency. Herein I discussdifferent studies conducted during...