People | Faculty | Geoffrey Hutchison
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Geoffrey Hutchison Department of Chemistry |
Our group develops new materials, as well as microscale and nanoscale functional devices literally from the bottom up. We focus on building electronic materials from molecular subunits, both organic and inorganic, using a variety of techniques to rationally design the desired properties. This encompasses chemical synthesis, characterization (both physical and chemical), combined with theoretical modeling and simulation.
Single-Molecule Springs and Nanoscale Piezoelectric Materials
Piezoelectric materials rapidly deform in response to an applied electric field and are one class of a wide variety of shape-deformable smart materials. They are both high-tech and low-tech, finding applications as airbag impact sensors, sonar transducers, and nanoscale positioning of scanning probe microscopy tips.
We are developing a range of novel single-molecule “springs” which show high piezoelectric deformation and point to new directions in shape-deformable materials. These systems also reveal insight into weak electrostatic interactions and conformational changes involved in crystallization and protein folding.
Designer Defects: Nanoscale Functional Transistors
Organic conducting and semiconducting materials offer alternatives to conventional solid-state electronics, including unique processability and tailorability using conventional chemical synthesis. Their disordered structure, however, makes many standard analytical techniques difficult. For example, characterization of traps and defects in standard organic semiconductors can be extremely difficult, so their role is unknown.
Our group is developing model nanoscale transistors which allow carefully tailored introduction of known defects. We combine detailed electronic and electrochemical studies of monolayer transistors, synthesis of new semiconducting inorganic complexes, and molecular-level simulation of charge transport. This combination gives insight into the role of defects in transport, with the goal of developing improved semiconducting and conducting electronic materials
Awards
IBM Computational Chemistry Award of the American Chemical Society, 2002; Northwestern University Materials Research Center Fellowship, 2001-2003.
Selected Publications
“Tuning the Kondo Effect With a Mechanically Controllable Break Junction.” J.J. Parks, A.R. Champagne, G.R. Hutchison, S. Flores-Torres, H.D. Abruña, D.C. Ralph. Submitted. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2006.
“Synthesis, Computational and Electrochemical Characterization of a Family of Functionalized Dimercaptothiophenes for Potential Use as High-Energy Cathode Materials for Lithium/Lithium-Ion Polymer Batteries.” Y. Kiya, J.C. Henderson, G.R. Hutchison, H.D. Abruña. Submitted. Chem. Mater. 2006.
“Elucidation of the Redox Behavior of 2,5-Dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT) at Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) Modified Electrodes and Application of DMcT-PEDOT Composite Cathodes to Lithium/Lithium-Ion Batteries.” Y. Kiya, G.R. Hutchison, J.C. Henderson, T. Sarukawa, O. Hatozaki, N. Oyama, H.D. Abruña. Langmuir. 2006 22 10554-10563.
“Molecular Wires of [Run(tppz)n+1]2n+: Onset of Band Formation in Inorganic Conjugated Oligomers.” S. Flores-Torres, G.R. Hutchison, L.J. Soltzberg, H.D. Abruña. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006 128 1513-1522.
“Intermolecular Charge Transfer Between Heterocyclic Oligomers. Effects of Heteroatom and Molecular Packing on Hopping Transport.” G.R. Hutchison, M.A. Ratner, T.J. Marks, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005 127 16866-16881.
“Hopping Transport in Conductive Heterocyclic Oligomers. Reorganization Energies and Substituent Effects.” G.R. Hutchison, M.A. Ratner, T.J. Marks. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005 127 2339-2350.
“Electronic Structure and Band Gaps in Cationic Heterocyclic Oligomers. Multidimensional Analysis of the Interplay of Heteroatoms, Substituent, Molecular Length and Charge.” G.R. Hutchison, M.A. Ratner, T.J. Marks. J. Phys. Chem. B 2005 109 3126-3138.
“Control Mechanisms for Transport and Nonlinear Optical Response in Organic Materials: A Tale of Twists and Barriers.” A. Facchetti, G.R. Hutchison, S. Keinan, M.A. Ratner, Inorg. Chim. Acta. 2004 357 3980-3990.