Professor Donald Perry of the University of Central Arkansas is supported by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular, Nanochemistry (MSN) Program in the Division of Chemistry to investigate the catalytic and thin film growth properties of small organic and biological molecules on elongated metal nanostructures (EMNs) formed by oblique angle deposition (OAD). The long term goals of the project are to develop transformative methodologies of growing EMNs using OAD over a range of metals for applications in surface-enhanced vibrational spectroscopies, and to demonstrate the versatility of EMNs by exploring their catalytic properties and characterizing how an array of EMNs composed of different metals can alter the intermolecular forces in thin organic/biological films.
The research will provide new methodologies for growing metal nanostructures and will influence a range of applications in chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and engineering where the interactions of metal nanoparticles with organic and biological molecules are important. Undergraduate students will also be impacted by exposing them to new developments in nanotechnology and the possibilities of a research oriented career in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field. Involvement of undergraduates in research will also motivate students to choose careers in Arkansas where only 20% of the population has a four-year college degree.
