Research

Single-nanocrystal studies are the state-of-the-art in terms of elucidating key structure-property relationships that are essential for conceptual breakthroughs in nanoscience. However, single-nanocrystal studies are not yet widely adopted on account of being experimentally complicated, low-throughput, and without sufficient correlated sample information. We consider the screening challenge presented by nanocrystal heterogeneity to be like that of drug discovery and design, where there is a similarly large, multidimensional experimental space from which a lead target is to be identified or by which a suite of structure-property relationships can be elucidated. Given the conceptual similarities, the defining features of our research projects include 1) the development of high-throughput technologies to screen the structure and properties of nanocrystal collections and single-nanocrystals and 2) high-resolution and computational methodologies that facilitate new structure-property correlations of single-nanocrystals. This nanocrystal design process is depicted below and completed by 3) studies of the origin and propagating features of nanocrystal heterogeneity so that next-generation nanocrystals can be synthesized reproducibly for testbed applications. We encourage you to look at our recent publications.

CSENND’s nanocrystal (NC) design process that integrates synthesis, measurement, and
modeling in both high-throughput and high-resolution studies of nanocrystals. See our
perspective on nanocrystal heterogeneity.

Our High-throughput Subgroup has created Legion as a new high-throughput electrochemistry platform based on a 96-well plate platform. We are now using this platform for high-throughput nanocrystal synthesis and nanocrystal catalyst screening, the latter of which leverages recent advances in mass spectrometry. We are also developing high-throughput assays for nanocrystal structure determination based on optical microscopy. A long-term objective is to replace or minimize the reliance on electron microscopy to assess the heterogeneity of nanocrystal collections and enable new, information-rich correlative studies that interface optically derived structural and compositional information with other property measurements.

Our High-resolution Subgroup is pushing the frontiers of what types of property measurements are possible from single-nanocrystals. They are achieving high-resolution structure-property correlation of single-nanocrystal catalysts of complex compositions, where experiment and theory are integrated fully to provide atomic level insight into catalyst activity and selectivity. There are also correlating the dielectric functions of individual nanocrystals to their photothermal response. We are positioning ourselves to integrate the high-throughput and high-resolution workflows through development of multimodal methods that will be applicable to diversity of nanocrystal types and application spaces.

Our Reproducibility and Design Subgroup is driving lead nanocrystals identified through our integrated high-throughput and high-resolution workflows to translation. This objective is being met by studying the origins and propagating features of heterogeneity in nanocrystal syntheses. This effort is paired with the promotion of reproducible nanocrystal syntheses wherein environmental monitoring of batch and flow syntheses of nanocrystals is undertaken across laboratories. This monitoring provides a data pipeline that can feed into the synthesis of next-generation nanocrystals and identify common sources of irreproducibility within and across laboratories.