This project from Professor Joel Harris at the University of Utah focuses on the development of analytical spectroscopic methods for the characterization of colloids and colloid-derived structures. Time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy will be used to probe surface photoreactions and their kinetics, vibrational spectroscopy will be used to monitor these surface reactions, and photon-burst techniques will be developed to determine particle sizes.
Finely dissolved solid materials dispersed in liquids are known as colloids. Colloids are used in coatings, inks, and adhesives, as well as serving as the basis for many modern drug delivery systems. The project work here uses modern analytical techniques to look at the chemical and physical properties of the colloidal particle surface, which determines whether the colloid is suitable for practical applications.
