With this project, supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry Program in the Division of Materials Research, principal investigator (PI) Prof. Efrain Rodriguez and his research group at the University of Maryland will develop new types of quantum materials consisting of elements such as iron, cobalt, and nickel that are sandwiched between thin layers of other elements such as sulfur. The concept of developing new types of electronic materials that possess unique quantum properties can enable the revolution in quantum information long sought after by many scientists. A unique aspect of the work is that the incorporation of metal sulfide layers invokes other physical properties such as magnetism that are enticing for quantum information applications. These layers, however, do not randomly stack on top of one another and instead molecules are inserted that guide the stacking sequence. Chemical control at the atomic level therefore allows these molecules to ‘twist’ or ‘bend’ the metal sulfide layers into producing attractive properties for quantum technologies. This precise control at the atomic scale allows the design of novel quantum materials. These research activities also include outreach to the local community around College Park in education through the use of 3D printers. The PI and his students have taken close to 50 different molecules and materials from chemical databases and turned them into 3D printed structures. Their model kits called MolecularCraft serve as instructional tools in the chemistry classroom in local high schools. The PI collaborates with the faculty at the nearby International High School at Langley Park (IHSLP), which is a school that serves students underrepresented in STEM. The PI and students from the University of Maryland propose to engage with IHSLP students using their local 3D printers but also resources on the university campus. The aim is to teach the students about materials that make technologies possible and to inspire them to consider STEM careers.
This project, supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry Program in the Division of Materials Research, will examine how two or more disparate components can be formed to create new types of hybrid materials which can open new avenues towards emergent phenomena. In the proposed research activities, hybrid materials consist of metal-amine complexes inserted into two-dimensional (2D) metal chalcogenides. The metal-amine molecular units are chiral and serve as structure directing agents to form crystal structures that break inversion symmetry. The research activities also investigate how much hydrogen bonding between the –NH2 groups of the metal amine complexes and the terminal Q2- anions (Q = S and Se) of the metal chalcogenides dictates crystal structure. To give rise to non-centrosymmetric quantum materials, such interactions should either twist or bend the 2D layers. The crystal growth of non-centrosymmetric quantum materials takes place under solvothermal conditions. The solvent for crystal growth is an amine bidendate ligand L that forms [ML3]n+ complexes, where M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, or Cu. The hosting MQ layers are classified as tetrahedral transition metal chalcogenides (TTMCs), which in contrast to the well-studied transition metal dichalcogenides (e.g. MoS2, WTe2), have a square metal sublattice and accommodate smaller transition metals of the first row. The targeted phases include Fe- and Ni-based TTMCs for non-centrosymmetric superconductivity and Co- and Mn-based TTMCs for ‘ferroelectric’ itinerant magnetism. Outreach to the local school, IHSLP, uses 3D printing to teach students about inorganic molecules and inorganic materials. Students learn about structure-property relationships and about materials that play important roles in technology such as rechargeable batteries, solar cells, and superconductors. The 3D printing MolecularCraft kits start with Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory, to teach students the basics of structure. IHSLP also has 3D printing capabilities, and the PI has a webpage where all the 3D printing files are currently hosted. Representation matters too, so another goal includes demonstrating to the students a more diverse representation in the sciences. The 3D printing project serves as a bridge to connect them with information on the pathways to different STEM careers.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
