Our 2024 Ask an Expert recap!
Ask an Expert webinars are always highlights of our year – giving us the chance to host leading and up-and-coming researchers to learn more about their research and the analytical techniques they use. Read on for a quick recap of this year’s Ask an Expert webinars, featuring experts at the cutting edge of semiconductors, advanced materials, and drug development research!
Ask an Expert 1: Piezoelectrics with Shardul Pandit
In his presentation, Shardul explained that aluminum nitride is widely used in the semiconductor industry. However, for piezoelectric applications – where an electric charge is created by the application of a force or vibration – it is relatively unsuitable due to its low piezoelectric coefficient.
To remedy this, researchers have alloyed aluminum nitride with various elements – yttrium in Shardul’s case. His innovation was to mitigate yttrium’s oxygen affinity and improve yttrium’s piezoelectric properties by depositing yttrium aluminum nitride films with an aluminum seed layer.
Shardul further expanded on the analytical techniques that led to his findings, particularly XRD. This analysis showed, for instance, that the sample with the aluminum nitride seed layer closely followed the wurtzite structure of aluminum nitride to a much higher degree than a sample without the seed layer.
Watch his presentation (03:26 – 19:22) to learn more about the techniques Shardul used in his research.
Ask an Expert 1: Perovskites with Damian Wlodarczyk
Damian Wlodarczyk talked about his research on two novel, rock-salt-type minerals – double perovskites – and their luminescent properties when exposed to near-ultraviolet (NUV) light. When they host cerium (Ce), their mineral structure is modified, prompting new observations of their energy or charge transfer in low temperatures and how their phase transitions are affected by temperature and pressure stimuli.
Damian also discussed the variety of analytical techniques used in his research.
In particular, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) helped reveal the arrangement of atoms in these cerium-hosting materials, providing insights into how they emit light when exposed to NUV light. His research is a tantalizing glimpse into the more efficient photovoltaic materials of the future!
If you’d like to learn more, Damian’s presentation runs from 19:22 to 40:16!
Ask an Expert 2: Polymer nanofiber therapeutics with Steven Street
Nucleic acid (NA) therapeutics hold great promise for the future of medicine, but challenges remain around delivery. Steven’s research investigated using nanofiber micelleplexes to optimize the delivery of DNA plasmids. During his presentation, he compared nanofiber micelleplexes with other nanoparticle shapes and their effectiveness for this application.
Steven explained how he used dynamic light scattering and zeta potential analysis to capture the data necessary for these comparisons, including particle size, colloidal stability, and nucleic acid complexation in NA delivery.
To learn more about Steven’s research, watch the webinar (03:52 – 24:00).
Ask an Expert 2: Defect-free graphene at scale with Abimannan Sethurajaperumal
Abimannan’s research investigates converting large, natural graphite flakes into thin, defect-free graphene at high yields through the use of the natural surfactant Sapindus Mukorossi. When ultrasonicated in a water/surfactant mixture for 17 hours across 10 cycles, it can produce defect-free, micrometer-sized graphene with an 85% yield.
Abimannan further dived into the analytical techniques he used to confirm these results, which included electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).
Find out more about these techniques and the applications for Abimannan’s findings in the webinar (24:08 – 37:30).
Ask an Expert 3: Retrosynthetic nanocrystal analysis with Rohan Pokratath
Silicon has dominated as the material of choice in power electronics, but it is now being overtaken by silicon carbide SiO2. Yet, the many applications for silicon carbide mean that the search for alternatives is also critical. Rohan’s research therefore focuses on the use of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and hafnium dioxide (HfO2) as replacements for SiO2 in field-effect transistors.
By successfully enabling retrosynthetic analysis for these nanocrystals, Rohan’s research enables greater colloidal stability and control over nanocrystal size for hafnium and zirconium. This is particularly exciting, as group 4 oxides have many prospective applications, including superconducting and optical nanocomposites, dentistry, catalysis, and coatings.
Watch the webinar to find out more about the techniques Rohan used to support his research, including particle concentration estimations using the Empyrean Nano.
Ask an Expert 4: Drug solubility in polymers
In this webinar, Alex Mathers from UCT Prague presented a case study on the characterization and stability assessment of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based ASDs, and emphasized the crucial role of X-ray powder diffraction (XPRD) as an analytical technique.
XRPD is a powerful tool for distinguishing between amorphous and crystalline phases, quantifying recrystallization, and providing non-destructive analyses. In this case study, XRPD played a crucial role in assessing the stability of PVA-based solid dispersions of indomethacin and naproxen, offering valuable insights into their behavior and informing formulation adjustments to enhance stability.
Find out more about Alex’s research and the advantages of XRPD – watch the webinar!