(6kv) Harnessing the Power of Nanomaterials

I have focused on the synthesis and characterization of 2-dimensional (2D) semiconducting nanomaterials, specifically perovskites, during the past four years at Iowa State University (ISU). Perovskites have been improving drastically in the last couple of years to achieve efficiencies close to commercially available silicon-based solar cells. However, these materials suffer from instability upon exposure to oxygen, humidity, and light. To address the humidity issue, I have synthesized 2D perovskites by covering the structure with bulky organic molecules, which act as hydrophobic blankets and could prevent the degradation caused by moisture. To further improve the stability and efficiency, I have tried to use a combination of different elements in the fabrication of thin films, addressing several challenges pertaining to synthesis and homogeneity of the films along the way. Perhaps even more importantly, if perovskites or any other solution-processed materials are to be commercialized for solar cell applications, utilization of toxic solvents in the fabrication process must be drastically reduced, or ideally eliminated. To address this issue, I have directed efforts in our lab for developing a solvent-free technique, which requires minimal solvent utilization through melting and spreading 2D perovskite materials.

I have been fortunate to have access to the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source facility in order to characterize my perovskite films more carefully and with greater detail. In addition, several collaborations with research groups focusing on single crystal X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques have inspired me to delve deeper into material characterization for optoelectronic applications, i.e., our lab’s expertise.

Future Work

I plan to extend my understanding of 2D materials, in particular perovskites, by working on several parallel projects in collaboration with experts in material characterization. I intend to couple my material synthesis and thin-film fabrication skills with solid-state chemistry and crystallography knowledge to enable me to design materials with enhanced efficiency and stability, and to engineer methods that would facilitate the commercialization of such films. I also plan to use the techniques I learned in previous projects to develop non-toxic 2D materials such as silicon.

To pursue my carrier as a faculty member, I would like to lead my research group to undertake the most challenging problems with regards to 2D materials for electronic and optoelectronic applications. I would like to apply similar scientific principles to 1D (e.g. nanowires) and 0D (e.g. quantum dots) materials with potential applications in the next generation of LEDs and transistors.

Teaching interests:

During my graduate studies at ISU, I have had numerous opportunities to mentor students in our research laboratory including a high school student (NSF Young Engineers & Scientists Program), a high school teacher (NSF Research Experiences for Teachers), and 6 undergraduate students through the chemical engineering department and US DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship. I also have served as a teaching assistant in several courses such as chemical engineering laboratory I, chemical engineering thermodynamics, and surface and colloid chemistry. I was recognized for my efforts in teaching by receiving the teaching excellence award (recognizes the top 10% of graduate students involved in teaching each year). Furthermore, I had the chance to teach science and engineering concepts to elementary schoolers through the NSF Trinect Fellowship, during which I learned how to communicate the most complex concepts to a lay audience. Experiences such as this will undoubtedly help me in developing effective teaching and mentoring strategies as a faculty member.

Selected publications

• Atefe Hadi, Bradley J. Ryan, Rainie D. Nelson, Kalyan Santra, Fang-Yi Lin, Eric W. Cochran, and Matthew G. Panthani, Chem. Mater. 2019, 31, 4990−4998

• Yujie Wang, Utkarsh Ramesh, Charles K. A. Nyamekye, Bradley J. Ryan, Rainie D. Nelson, Abdulla M. Alebri, Umar H. Hamdeh, Atefe Hadi, Emily A. Smith, and Matthew G. Panthani, Chem. Commun., 2019, 55, 6102—6105
• R. D. Nelson, K. Santra, Y. Wang, A. Hadi, J. W. Petrich, and M. G. Panthani, Chem. Commun., 2018, 54, 3640—3643

Patent

• Panthani, M., Hadi, A., Milot, M., Wilsey M., Verburg A., Hamdeh, U., and Nelson, R. “Organic or Inorganic Metal Halide Perovskite via Cation Exchange.” Submitted Invention Disclosure (2018)

Conference presentations

• Hadi, A., Ryan, B., Nelson, R., Santra, K., and Panthani, M. “Stability enhancement in layered lead halide perovskites” poster presentation at North American Solid State Chemistry Conference, Golden, CO, (2019)
• Hadi, A., Nelson, R., Cleveland, I., Jacoby, J., and Panthani, M. “Synthesis of Nanostructured Inorganic Perovskites for Photovoltaic Applications” oral presentation at The American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Minniapolis, MN (2017)
• Nelson, R., Hadi, A., Verburg, A., Panthani M. “Solution-Based Synthesis of Cesium Bismuth Iodide Nanocrystals.” Paper presented at the AIChE annual meeting, Minneapolis, MN (2017)
• Hadi, A., Dubey, A., and Panthani M. “Process Engineering of Pure Phase Quasi-2D Layered CsPbI3 Perovskite Thin Films for Solar Cell Applications.” Poster Presentation at the Nano@ISU meeting at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa (2017)