Organic & Nanomaterials Research

This area of research involves the design, synthesis and characterization of new molecules and materials based on carbon building blocks for applications that improve our quality of life.

Exploring Carbon Chemistry and Nanoscale Materials for Real-World Impact

Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-containing compounds, focusing on their structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation. It's a broad field that encompasses everything from basic molecular structures to complex biological systems. Essentially, it's the chemistry of carbon and its compounds.

Materials at the nanoscale (1 - 1000 nm) have unique properties that provide access to new chemistries, and can be employed in a range of different applications, including sensing, drug delivery, environmental chemistry, catalysis, and biochemistry.

Research Projects

  • 3 dimensional representation of molecule

    Professor Penghao Li

    Dr. Li's research group utilizes the toolboxes of physical organic and supramolecular chemistry to synthesize novel molecular, supramolecular, and macromolecular architectures composed of pi-conjugated building blocks. There materials exhibit unique optical, magnetic, and recognition behaviors, which will be useful for the development of optoelectronic and biomedical related technologies. Dr. Li's research projects include (1) precise synthesis of graphene nanoribbons and nanographene radicaloids, (2) molecular recognition of curved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and (3) development of molecularly thin 2D supramolecular materials.

    Carbon Nanoarchitecture

Nanomaterials Faculty

Meet the faculty who research in the subfield of nanomaterials.
Saumen Chakraborty

Saumen Chakraborty

  • Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
James Cizdziel

James Cizdziel

  • Chair and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Kensha Clark

Kensha Clark

  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Nathan Hammer

Nathan Hammer

  • Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Jonah Jurss

Jonah Jurss

  • Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Penghao Li

Penghao Li

  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Jinchao Lou

Jinchao Lou

  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Daniell Mattern

Daniell Mattern

  • Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Jason Ritchie

Jason Ritchie

  • Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Stefani-Miller Chair for Teaching Excellence
Vig Sundaresan

Vig Sundaresan

  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Eden Tanner

Eden Tanner

  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Co-Director for the Center for Nano-Bio Interactions

Organic Faculty

Meet the faculty who teach and research in the subfield of organic chemistry.
Penghao Li

Penghao Li

  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Jinchao Lou

Jinchao Lou

  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Daniell Mattern

Daniell Mattern

  • Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry