CAREER: Transition-Metal Terdentate Acetylide Complexes and Dendrimers: Synthesis, Photophysics and Nonlinear Optical Studies

North Dakota State University Fargo, Fargo ND

Investigators

Abstract

This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports research by Dr. Wenfang Sun of North Dakota State University to design new optical materials based on transition metal acetylide complexes. The synthetic component of the work includes d-8 transition metal terdentate acetylide complexes, binuclear bis (terdentate) complexes, transition metal dyads and triads assembled with expanded porphyrins, transition metal complex-nanoparticle composites, and transition metal terdentate dendrimers. These unique materials will be studied via photophysical studies, degenerate four-phase mixing, Z-scan and non-linear optical techniques and theoretical modeling. The overall goal of the work is to understand how the change in molecular structure influences the photophysical parameters and the non-linear optical properties. In addition to the optical materials that will be developed, this project also supports a range of activities that integrate research and education, including the development of a new graduate course at NDSU on optical materials and improved public understanding of photonic technologies.