Seminar announcement at the Department of Chemistry: Adventures with Nanomaterials and Surface Plasmons

Title: Adventures with Nanomaterials and Surface Plasmons

Speaker: Dr. S. R. C. Vivekchand, a Post Doctoral Research Associate at Northwestern University, Illinois, USA

Venue : L3 Date & Time : 9th July, 2012: 3.00 pm - 4:00 pm

Abstract: The field of nanoscience and nanotechnology has been rapidly expanding in the last decade, with the exciting new discoveries involving nanomaterials of various sizes andshapes. In the first part of my talk, I will present my research on the chemistry of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene and inorganic nanowires. Aspects relating to the large-scale synthesis and purification of carbon nanotubes, preparation of chemically bonded-ceramic oxide coating on carbon nanotubes and inorganic nanowires will be covered. Application of nanomaterials in nanocomposites (polymerinorganic nanowire composites) and renewable energy (first demonstration of graphene based electrochemical supercapacitors) will also be discussed. In the second part of the talk, I will present my recent work on ‘liquid plasmonics’ and on the use of 3D-pyramidal grating structures for bio-molecular sensing. Liquid plasmonics involves the manipulation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in a liquid plasmonic metal by changing its physical phase. This was achieved by the fabrication of 1D Ga gratings using a simple molding process. The solid and liquid phases were found to exhibit different plasmonic properties, where light coupled to SPPs more efficiently in the liquid phase. Demonstration of real-time sensing of bio-molecules using 3D-pyramidal grating structures will be also be touched upon.