Minor: Accounting
Faculty Advisor: Adam Jaffe, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Research Areas: Energy Conversion and Efficiency, Smart Distribution and Storage, Transformative Solar

Development of Thin Film Deposition for Hybrid Molybdenum and Tungsten Bronzes (Spring 2024)

In the Jaffe Lab, we're working on a project called the Hybrid Bronze Synthesis and Characterization Project. This project was already in progress when I joined the team. The main goal of this project is to create structures that alternate between layers of two-dimensional metal oxides and layers of organic ligands. This combination allows us to take advantage of the metal layers' catalytic, electrical, and conductive properties, while also benefiting from the flexibility and tunability of the organic layers. Plus, these methods are low-cost, which means cheaper production. We're currently studying these hybrid bronzes using various analysis methods, including UV, PXRD, Raman, and Pressure Based X-ray diffraction. My specific role in this project is to produce thin films of these hybrid materials, which are only a few  layers thick. This will allow us to perform more characterization and analysis methods and better understand the crystal structures and other properties of the layers.

My goal is to develop a cost-effective way to produce single-layer thin films of hybrid Molybdenum and Tungsten bronzes. This work will not only help us better understand these products, but it will also pave the way for other hybrid bronzes and their  potential applications. These thin films could be used in a variety of ways, such as energy storage systems, tunable glass coloration by electrical reduction, processing system semiconductors, or even films on solar panels to increase area and efficiency of energy capture. By creating a method of thin film deposition for the Jaffe lab, we can deepen our understanding of solid state material science. This knowledge can then be used to support sustainability efforts in the US and abroad, such as combating global climate change and increasing consumption of material resources.

My role in this project is quite involved. I'm responsible for planning the experiments, carrying out the synthetic procedures, performing the characterization procedures, and analyzing the results. I work under the guidance of graduate students Lakna Dayaratne and Raul Torres Cadena, but I also have a lot of independence in how I approach the project. My tasks include developing a method for spreading thin films, inspired by other labs but tailored to our specific compounds, and figuring out how to dissolve these highly insoluble hybrid compounds. I also need to plan and develop different synthetic routes to reach our desired compounds. This involves using a variety of equipment and techniques, such as a nabertherm furnace, solvothermal reactions in an autoclave, Plasma Cleaners for glass substrates, Spin Coaters for thin film preparation, Raman Spectroscopy and Thin Film PXRD for product confirmation, and UV-vis Spectroscopy to understand band gap and effect of reduction on samples. My responsibilities include taking measurements and performing/recording experiments. Moreover, I am responsible for fully understanding what these measurements indicate about our product and effectively communicating that information to both my immediate supervisors and the entire lab group.

Final Report