Stephen Lee and Francis J. DiSalvo of Cornell University and Dhandapani Venkataraman of the University of Massachusetts are supported by the Division of Chemistry and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate for their interdisciplinary collaboration aimed developing crystal design strategies for molecular metals. They will study ways to control the transition from the insulating state to the metallic state in organic systems. Because the superconducting critical temperature, Tc, is highest in metals containing light elements, (ie., the carbon and oxygen in fullerides and copper oxides) this study will focus on a number of distinctly different multi-dimensional organic metals. Important multi-dimensional crystal design parameters, such as packing efficiencies, local dipole-dipole interactions, hydrophobic-hydrophilic interactions, hydrogen bonding and coordination bonding, will be delineated. In these systems, which will include multidimensional pi coordinated molecular networks, pthalocyanines and inorganic clusters coupled to pi organics, effects of electronic structure on Tc- will be investigated, and connections made to the problem of hole and electron mobility in organic semiconductors.
Collaborative Research in Chemistry (CRC) awards are given to interdisciplinary teams of scientists working on problems of broad chemical interest. The emphasis in these awards is on new collaborative modes of research and training.
