Emily Tsui
University of Notre Dame, IN·Chemistry·Early-career
Many useful chemical reactions depend on materials that move electrons. Two kinds of such materials are studied here: semiconductor nanocrystals that capture light to drive reactions, and metal complexes containing chains of sulfur atoms.
- Fields
Chemistry
Materials Science
- Topics
inorganic chemistry
semiconductor nanocrystals
quantum dots
- Grants
- 2 known grants, through Aug 2029
What they work on
- Characterize oxidation and reduction reactions at the surfaces of metal chalcogenide semiconductor nanocrystals, including oxidative addition and reductive elimination, using infrared and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic reporters.
- Identify and quantify the surface products that form on semiconductor nanocrystals to understand how they change during photocatalytic use.
- Activate elemental sulfur using chelating and non-chelating first-row transition metal thiolate complexes, and test how ligand ring strain and substitution control polysulfanido formation.
- Develop catalytic carbon-sulfur bond-forming reactions in which metal polysulfanido complexes transfer sulfur to unsaturated organic molecules.
- Study the redox properties of metal polysulfanido complexes with electrochemistry to control which polysulfide ions form when sulfur is reduced.
More about the research
In both cases the projects ask how these materials themselves change during redox reactions, meaning reactions in which electrons are gained (reduction) or lost (oxidation). The answers could guide the design of better catalysts and energy-storage chemistry.
Why it matters
Knowing how semiconductor nanocrystal surfaces react during light-driven catalysis could guide the design of improved semiconductors for chemical reactions and manufacturing. Metal-sulfur complexes that activate elemental sulfur could lead to new catalysts for making carbon-sulfur bonds and new ways to control polysulfide chemistry for storing energy or electricity.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Richard Liu
Harvard University, MA·Chemistry·Early-career
Demonstrate that organic, metal-free "pseudometal" catalysts can perform oxidative addition and reductive elimination, then assemble these steps into catalytic cycles that mimic palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling.
Ramesh Giri
Pennsylvania State University, PA·Chemistry
Develop transition-metal-catalyzed difunctionalization of alkenes bearing simple functional groups, using a dual ligand system of electron-deficient alkenes and organic nitriles to stabilize intermediates and promote C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond formation.
Tianquan Lian
University of Pennsylvania, PA·Chemistry
Extend electron spin lifetimes in semiconductor nanoplatelets by increasing electron–hole separation in three-component nanoplatelet heterostructures (crystals built from layered materials), then use the best structures as donors.
The school
University of Notre Dame: 19 labs on PI Pages, $346M a year on research, 277 research doctorates a year.
Reach out
A start for your email. Fill in the brackets.