Education
- M.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester
- M.S., Materials Science, University of Vermont
- B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester
The properties of nanoscale materials can be vastly different than those of the bulk. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is being used to deposit various semiconducting and insulating films on particle surfaces. Specific metal oxide materials of interest have been alumina, zinc oxide, titania, silica, hafnia, as well as metal nitrides including those of titanium, silicon and hafnium. The optical properties of nanothick UV-absorbing materials have been studied for the fabrication of novel sunscreen materials, as well as UV-inert coatings to quench the photoactivity of titania surfaces while not affecting the optical properties of the core. This work is performed using scalable fluidized bed reactors, which can operate using 10-100 gram samples at the lab scale to kilogram-sized batches at the pilot scale, and beyond. There are innumerable applications where ALD can be a disruptive technology and can provide raw materials savings due to precision film growth, while enhancing overall end-use performance. Many applications are currently being pursued, in order to integrate this unique branch of nanotechnology into everyday products.