Responsive Organometallics

Abstract:

Organometallic molecules and materials that respond to electronic, chemical, or light stimuli hold promise for applications spanning energy storage and chemical sensing. This seminar will delve into three topics, each highlighting molecular approaches for designing responsive organometallics with targeted properties. The first part of the talk introduces a new class of functionalized terthiophenes, illustrating how appended functionalities can impart redox stability and enable application in next-generation organic energy storage technologies. The second topic examines the atomically precise surface functionalization of carbon nanotubes and the application of the resulting nanostructured material as an ion-responsive platform. The final part of the seminar demonstrates that sensitizing carbon nanotube-titania composites with molecular light harvesters represents an effective strategy for developing high-performance oxygen-sensing materials that operate under visible light. Together, these studies showcase how molecular design principles can expand nanomaterial functionality and enable tailored applications.