Designing/Programming Energy Landscape for Self-Assembling Shaped Nanocrystals

Thermodynamics of Cesium Lead Halide Perovskites • Improved CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) perovskite single phase purity to over 95%. • Designed calorimetric routes to study thermodynamics of CsPbX3 perovskites. • Verified room temperature metastability of solar active cubic CsPbI3 phase. • Discovered decreasing perovskite stability in the order CsPbCl3, CsPbBr3, CsPbI3. • Published 4 papers as lead author.Thermodynamics of Two-Dimensional (2D) Dion–Jacobson and Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskites: Collaboration with Kanatzidis Group at Northwestern University • Proposed thermochemical cycle to quantify formation enthalpies of 2D perovskites. • Discovered layer limit 7 for 2D perovskite layers beyond which thermodynamically unstable. • Published 1 paper as second author.Intercalation of Heavy Metal Atoms into Two-Dimensional (2D) Layered Chalcogenides • Synthesized 2D transition metal chalcogenide nanomaterials on silicon/quartz/sapphire substrates. • Tuned electric, optical, structural properties via metal intercalation. • Characterized electric, optical, structural properties using XRD/FTIR/Raman/SEM/TEM.

Led laboratory and discussion sessions in a 24-student classroom setting, for undergraduate courses including General Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry (Instrumental Analysis), host office hours, graded lab reports and exams

Construction of Highly Efficient Cu-based Catalysts for Dimethyl Oxalate Hydrogenation • Developed synthesis of Cu/TiO2 catalysts for hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate. • Improved dimethyl oxalate conversion ratio to 100% and ethylene glycol yield to 98.9%. • Published 2 papers as lead author, 2 as coauthor, and filed 1 Patent.