My PhD research is focused on using thin film catalysts and electrochemical screening to identify relationships between material properties and catalytic reaction mechanisms.I developed a scanning electrochemical system and investigated platinum group and transition metal alloys for oxygen evolution reaction using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and chronoamperometry. I synthesized combinatorial material libraries of quaternary alloys via magnetron sputtering and measured their material properties using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence (WDXRF), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM).Publications:N. Page, J. Lucchi, J. Buchan, A. Fones, H. Hamilton, T. Scabarozi, L. Yu, S. Amini, J. Hettinger, The effect of deposition parameters on microstructure and electrochemical performance of reactively sputtered iridium oxide coatings, Materials Today Communications, Volume 29, 2021, 102967, ISSN 2352-4928, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcomm.2021.102967.Y. Xue, K. Jackson, N. Page, X. Mou, S. Lofland, and X. Hu, Water-annealing regulated protein-based magnetic nanofiber materials: tuning silk structure and properties to enhance cell response under magnetic fields, Materials Today Chemistry, Volume 22, 2021, 100570, ISSN 2468-5194, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtchem.2021.100570.

I qualified a variety of custom physical vapor deposition systems for multiple designs and applications. This included developing processes to meet customer desired requirements and specifications. I performed factory acceptance testing and on-site post-installation acceptance testing for customer systems, including extensive training in software, maintenance, and process development.

I synthesized a variety of coatings for neural interface electrodes via reactive magnetron sputtering, some investigated materials include TiN, ZrN, IrO, Pd, Au, etc. I characterized deposited films using WDXRF, XRD, SEM, and CV.

As a student lab coordinator I had many routine tasks maintaining air compressors, cryogenic N2 tanks, and water coolers. I had hands-on experience repairing lab equipment such as sputtering cathodes, power supplies, vacuum chambers, temperature controllers, and others. With the assistance of the instrument coordinator, we designed and built a reactive magnetron sputtering system.

I investigated high frequency strain in ferromagnetic thin films using the magneto-optic Kerr effect. I was awarded a Peer and Faculty Selected Poster Award for my presentation on this work at the UNL REU Symposium.

Organization of library resources and assisting staff and patrons