Biography:

Hanshan Dong received his PhD degree in Surface Engineering in 1997 and became a full Professor in 2010 at the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. He is a leading Surface Engineering Expert in developing novel surface engineering technologies (S-phase surface engineering of corrosion resistant alloys, ceramic conversion of Ti- and Zr-based alloys, plasma multi-functionalization of carbon-based nano-materials, combined surface alloying and patterning for high-efficacy antibacterial surfaces, and low-friction and anti-adhesion coatings), surface designing and modelling and in characterizing surface engineered materials using environmental nanoindentation, FIB/SEM and XTEM. In addition to six patents, he has about 300 papers published (including 200 journal papers).

To present & exhibit your MATERIALS @ our upcoming series PS: Materials Conferences | Materials Chemistry Conferences | Materials Chemistry 2020

Abstract:

Carbon fibres (CFs) are leading reinforcements in composite materials but the weak fibre/matrix interface adhesion becomes a barrier to further increase the mechanical properties of composite materials; carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have attracted much attention for electrodes of energy storage devices, but how to increase their performance presents a major technical challenge. To this end, some new plasma surface engineering technologies have been developed at the Birmingham Surface Engineering Research Group to multi-functionalize carbon fibre surfaces. This talk will start with the recent development of innovative plasma surface engineering technologies. The potential of these new plasma technologies will be demonstrated by way of examples including, (i) plasma activation and functionalization of CF surfaces by increasing their surface roughness, removing weakly bonded layers, altering their surface chemistry and enhancing their wettability and (ii) triple-glow plasma activation and deposition of metal nanoparticles to confer new and/or enhance surface properties and electrochemical performance (such as significantly increased capacity).

Biography:

Theo Rasing is a full Professor of Physics at Radboud University, Nijmegen. He is the Elected Member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and the Academia Europaea. He is an Honorary Member of the Ioffe Institute in St. Petersburg; Knight of the Order of the Dutch Lion and recipient of many scientific prices and awards, including an ERC Advanced Grant 2013, the Spinoza Award 2008, and the Prize for Science and Society 2008. His research focuses on the investigation and control of the properties of functional (molecular/photonic) nanomaterials on ultrafast (femtosecond) timescales. He has co-authored over 480 papers with over 12000 citations (h index 54, Web of Science). His publications include 41 articles in Physical Review Letters and 15 in Nature Group Journals. One of the Physical Review Letters of 2007 was mentioned as one of the breakthroughs of the year by the journal Science. He is a Co-Inventor on 3 patent applications.

To present & exhibit your MATERIALS @ our upcoming series PS: Materials Conferences | Materials Chemistry Conferences | Materials Chemistry 2020

Abstract:

Thermosalient molecular crystals are characterized by thermally induced single crystal to single crystal phase transitions that are accompanied by sudden anisotropic lattice expansion, giving rise to huge mechanical responses to external stimuli: upon heating or cooling they jump distances many times their own size. This makes these materials invaluable for the design of a new generation of switchable smart materials which are central to, e.g., soft robotics, artificial muscles and microfluidic valves. The abrupt and strong macroscopic shape changes are connected to a structural phase transition inside such crystals. However, the detailed mechanisms of these phase transitions are unknown. In addition, the large changes in crystal shape and size is difficult to accommodate for the often brittle organic crystals and the mechanical effects are usually accompanied by crystal cracking, splitting or even explosion. Here, we report on a layered crystal structure of the fluorenone derivative 4-DBpFO, clearly showing a strong and reproducible shear deformation when it undergoes a structural phase transition upon heating. Moreover, this shear deformation can be observed along two orthogonal crystal directions, which appears to be connected to its crystal structure. The deformation of the single crystal can be controlled by heating/cooling cycles without destroying it. Modelling shows that the shear deformation that accompanies the in-plane anisotropic lattice expansion results from in-plane molecular rotations during the phase transition and follows a nucleation and growth path. We believe that 4-DBpFO could serve as a model structure to guide the development of new types of robust thermosalient organic crystals.

Microscopic images showing the shear deformation of a planar quadrangular single crystal (left) to a diamond shape (right) during the α- to β-phase transformation of 4-DBpFO. The arrow in the middle picture indicates the movement of the phase boundary. 

Biography:

Akira Yamaguchi received his Doctor of Engineering degree at the University of Tokyo in 2015 for the work on functionalization of metal-oxide and sulfide minerals toward efficient multi-electron transfer catalysis with abundant elements under the direction of Prof. Kazuhito Hashimoto. After his Postdoctoral research in Dr. Ryuhei Nakamura’s laboratory of RIKEN from April 2015 to March 2016, he joined Tokyo Institute of Technology as an Assistant Professor. His particular field is Electrochemistry and his research interest includes the development of catalysts and the primordial carbon fixation on the Earth. Recently, he developed MnO_x-based water oxidation catalysts inspired by the natural photosynthesis. Now he is aiming at the solar to chemical energy conversion system, called artificial photosynthesis, and his experience in developing water oxidation catalysts will contribute to this research fields.

To present & exhibit your MATERIALS @ our upcoming series PS: Materials Conferences | Materials Chemistry Conferences | Materials Chemistry 2020

Abstract:

Developing effective solar to energy conversion system is highly demanding for sustainable society, and one of the challenges is the management of the charge transfer between photo-absorption center and catalysts. In this work, to construct photo-responsive unidirectional charge transfer units for the activation of oxygen-evolving manganese oxide (MnO_x) catalyst, metal-oxide nanoclusters consisting of cerium (Ce^III) or cobalt (Co^II) ions and Keggin-type polyoxotungstate (PW₁₂O₄₀^3-) were synthesized in a polymer matrix as visible-light-absorbing chromophores. The utilization of the polymer matrix enabled the molecularly-dispersed PW₁₂O₄₀^3- states and was advantageous to achieve product separable energy conversion systems. The reaction of PW₁₂O₄₀^3- with Ce or Co ions in the polymer matrix generated the new broad absorption tails extending from UV to visible region assignable to metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) transitions of oxo-bridged binuclear W^VI–O–Ce^III and W^VI–O–Co^II units. Although visible light irradiation of the polymer membrane having W^VI–O–Co^II units generated negligible photocurrent, a clear anodic photocurrent response assigned to photo-induced W^VI–O–Co^II ® W^V–O–Co^III transition was observed after the coupling of MnO_x catalysts to W^VI–O–Co^II units. This finding demonstrated that the generation of anodic photocurrent is derived from the activation of MnO_x catalyst by the photo-generated Co^III through confined W^VI–O–Co^II linkages. The system in this work based on POM and polymer, and its synthetic method provide us a novel methodology to develop artificial photosynthetic systems with spatially and energetically-optimized components.