Metal Nanostructures and Beyond: From Syntheses to Applications

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences presents professor Jingyi Chen from the U of A. Her lecture on "Metal Nanostructures and Beyond: From Syntheses to Applications " will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept.17, in the Chemistry Building, room 144.

Chen's lecture will cover how reducing the size of metal down to the nanoscale enables fascinating properties markedly different from their larger counterparts. These properties can be tuned depending on size and shape of the metal nanoparticles. Her research program centers on the methodology development of synthesis and surface modification of well-defined metal nanostructures for different applications ranging from energy conversion to tribology and nanomedicine.

This presentation will take copper as an example to illustrate the research progress in the laboratory. Copper is one of the earth-abundant materials that exhibits distinct optical properties in the visible region, excellent catalytic properties for a number of reactions, and other properties such as superior electrical and thermal conductivities. Copper can be alloyed with other metals, unifying their different functions, or converted into copper-based materials with new functions. Because of its reactivity, it is very challenging to control the size and shape of copper.

Chen has demonstrated a solution-based method for the synthesis of uniform copper and copper-based nanostructures. These nanostructures with well-defined morphology allow us to study and establish a structure-composition-property-performance relationship. They can be used as catalysts for electrochemical reactions and fillers in tribofilms, among others. In addition to copper, the discussion will be extended to their recent progress on silver and silver nanostructures for antimicrobial applications in an effort to fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This extended topic shines some light on the development of nanomedicine towards the treatment of infectious diseases.

Chen received a B.S. in chemistry from Zhongshan (Sun Yat-Sen) University, Guangzhou, China (1997). She came to the United States in 2001, received a M.A. in chemistry (with professor Kimberly A. Bagley) from SUNY College at Buffalo (2002), and a Ph.D. in chemistry (with professor Younan Xia) from the University of Washington at Seattle (2006). She worked as a postdoctoral researcher (with professor Stanislaus S. Wong) at Brookhaven National Laboratory and then a research assistant professor of biomedical engineering at  Washington University in St. Louis. In 2010, she started her independent career as a tenure-track assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the U of A. She was promoted to associate professor in 2016. She was also visiting professor at Brookhaven National Laboratory working with Dr. Yimei Zhu (2017-2018). Her research interests include synthesis, characterization and surface modification of nanostructured functional nanomaterials for energy conversion, tribology, and biomedical applications.

About the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: Fulbright College is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with 19 departments and more than 30 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students and is named for J. William Fulbright, former university president and longtime U.S. senator.