Illinois Tech Associate Professor of Chemistry Adam Hock will present a seminar, “Chemistry on the Edge: Controlling the Atomistic Interfaces Between Materials,” from 12:25 a.m.–12:40 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24, in Robert A. Pritzker Science Center, room 121. It will also be streamed on Zoom.

Abstract

It has long been known that defects between substances can have one of two “killer” impacts on performance, either as defects or “benefects.” Understanding and controlling the precise atomic arrangements at interfaces between two materials is at the heart of solving challenges in the semiconductor, catalysis, and energy conversion fields. While many existing strategies use empirical approaches to preventing or removing such defects, we have been pursuing direct reaction chemistry capable of specifically targeting different reaction sites on materials. This talk will outline our research into understanding, quantifying, and controlling these sites using selective interface reaction (SIR) chemistry, including atomic layer deposition (ALD), atomic layer etching (ALE), and other techniques. The application of these techniques to improving electrical properties, catalytic behavior, and other outcomes will also be discussed.