Hybrid Chalcogenides: A New Class of Inorganic-Organic Composite Materials from Solvothermal Media

Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Brunswick NJ

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to develop a new direction in chalcogenide research concerned with the exploitation of hybrid metal chalcogenides composed of both organic and inorganic components. The goal of the research is to explore and develop effective solvothermal routes towards controlled synthesis of new, functional hybridized materials; to characterize and modify their structural, chemical, electronic and physical properties and to understand the correlation between these properties; and finally to acquire fundamental knowledge regarding the chemistry of inorganic-organic composite materials. The focus will be on (a) open-framework structures involving organic templates, and (b) inorganic-organic networks built upon chalcogen(Sulfur, Selenium, and Tellurium)-containing inorganic fragments that are interconnected by organic spacers via coordinate or covalent bonds. %%% Organic-inorganic hybrid composite materials are likely to combine superior electronic, magnetic, optical properties, and thermal stability of inorganic frameworks with the structural diversity, flexibility, high processability, and light-weight of organic molecules to further enhance and strengthen their functionality. The educational component of this proposal will be to continue to develop the Materials Initiative Program recently established at our campus and to involve a large number of both graduate and undergraduate students in the materials chemistry learning and in hands-on research training processes.