Professor Jing Zhao of the University of Connecticut

"Photocatalytic and Optical Properties of Semiconductor-Based Nanocrystals"

Semiconductor-based nanocrystals exhibit unique size and composition dependent catalytic and optical properties. Their surfaces can be modified with molecules and nanosized metal domains to achieve new properties. In part I, Cd-based nanocrystals were combined with metal domains to form hybrid metal-semiconductor nanostructures as photocatalysts. Time-dependent fluorescence and ultrafast transient-absorption spectroscopy were applied to study the exciton recombination and charge-separation process in these nanomaterials and provided insights into their photocatalytic behavior. In part II, blue-emitting CsPbBr3 perovskite nanoplatelets were synthesized and functionalized with chiral ligands to induce chirality in the nanoplatelets. They were also protected with silica shells to improve their stability against polar solvents and long-term storage.