Synergistic Approaches for Precision in Material Engineering: Defects, Synthesis, and Applications
08 Jan 2024
02.00 PM - 03.00 PM
ABN Seminar Room 1-1 (ABN-01a-CF2)
Alumni, Current Students
Abstract
In the pursuit of enhanced material functionality, precise atomic and electronic interfaces have already proven pivotal across catalysis, separations, and electronics. Single-atom dopants elevate catalytic activity, while line defects transform semiconductor electronics. Despite inherent material restrictions, understanding and controlling defects offer pathways to materials with superior performance. In this talk, I will present two studies that exemplify this approach:
- I investigated a porous MFI-zeolite membrane using advanced characterization techniques. Employing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a pattern detection algorithm, I uncovered single-unit-cell MEL defect patterns at the Å-scale. At the nm-scale, I studied pore deformations caused by xylene molecule diffusion and discovered that introducing rigid MEL defects enhanced membrane selectivity for xylene isomer separation by up to 5 times under industrial conditions (patent approved) [1,2].
- I created photonically active metasurfaces for LIDAR devices involving the synthesis of chiral microparticles that resemble bowtie shapes and tuning their morphology across nm to µm scales. Understanding self-assembly origins via microscopy, spectroscopy, and growth models allowed me to scale-up to gram-scale powders for practical information storage coatings (patent filed) [3].
These studies showcase the synergistic use of colloidal synthesis, transmission electron microscopy, chiroptical spectroscopy, and continuum modelling to craft materials with controlled defects. Expanding on this, my future research envisions engineering porosity and chirality in material platforms for wearable disease diagnostic sensors.
Representative Publications:
1. Kumar, P. et al. Nature Comms., 6, 7128 (2015).
2. Kumar, P. et al. Nature Materials, 19, 443–449 (2020).
3. Kumar, P. et al. Nature 615, 418–424 (2023) (Cover article).
Biography
Dr Prashant Kumar
Prashant Kumar holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in metallurgical and Materials Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras (2012). He earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, focusing on analytical transmission electron microscopy. Under the guidance of Profs. K. Andre Mkhoyan and Michael Tsapatsis, his research pioneered the development of two-dimensional porous materials, resulting in 18 publications in esteemed journals like Nature, Science, and Angewandte Chemie. He was also granted a patent related to zeolite membranes. Prashant garnered recognition, receiving graduate student awards from Materials Research Society (MRS) and Microscopy Society of America (MSA). Transitioning to a post-doctoral role at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, under the mentorship of Prof. Nicholas Kotov, he ventured into colloidal chemistry. His innovative work on multi-scale porosity and chirality control using biomimetic self-assembly earned publication in Nature's cover and 12 other peer-reviewed papers. Prashant's contributions were acknowledged with the Biointerfaces’ Institute Post-Doctoral Innovator Award at the University of Michigan. Passionate about microscopy, he advocates for STEM careers and mentors aspiring scientists. Beyond research, he finds joy in yoga, weightlifting, badminton, and photography.
Dr Prashant Kumar
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
Department of Bioengineering
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, United States.