Dr. Pingyun Feng, Chemistry, Department, University of California - Riveside, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division for the synthesis, structural characterization, and optical studies on semiconducting tetrahedral clusters and their crystalline superlattices. One synthetic objective is to prepare uniform semiconducting clusters at the lower limit of the size spectrum for nanoparticles. Another is to use functional organic ligands, including optically active dyes, to organize, stabilize, and assemble semiconducting hybrid metal clusters. Various compositional and structural factors will be investigated, including the size of the nanoclusters, the relative ratios of hexagonal and cubic components in clusters, the chemical compositions including core-shell configurations, the type of surface ligands, and the inter-cluster interactions. The project will concentrate on tetrahedral clusters of cadmium supported by sulfide, thiolate, and some extended organic dye ligands.
These new materials could lead to new technologies for electrocatalysis, photovoltaics, chemical sensors, biosensors etc. Additionally, the project will broaden teaching and research opportunities for to a diverse student population including African-Americans and Hispanics. Undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students will be provided the opportunity to participate in a diverse materials chemistry program, which will prepare them for future scientific careers.
