[UNL News] New graphene nano-ribbons lend sensors unprecedented sensitivity

[New graphene nano-ribbons lend sensors unprecedented sensitivity | University Communications | 10/20/2017]
Pinning DNA-sized ribbons of carbon to a gas sensor can boost its sensitivity far better than any other known carbon material, says a new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The team developed a new form of nano-ribbon made from graphene, a 2-D honeycomb of carbon atoms. When the researchers integrated a film of the nano-ribbons into the circuitry of a gas sensor, it responded about 100 times more sensitively to molecules than did sensors featuring even the best-performing carbon-based materials.

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Alexey Lipatov; Nature Communications / Springer Nature


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Post Doc position in synthetic organic chemistry

    We are looking for a synthetic organic chemist to work on our graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) project. A successful applicant must have a published record of complex synthesis experience. Please e-mail your CV and cover letter with references in PDF format to Prof. Alexander Sinitskii at sinitskii(at)unl.edu.
    Here are representative publications related to this project:
    T. H. Vo, U. G. E. Perera, M. Shekhirev, M. M. Pour, D. A. Kunkel, H. Lu, A. Gruverman, E. Sutter, M. Cotlet, D. Nykypanchuk, P. Zahl, A. Enders, A. Sinitskii, and P. Sutter. Nitrogen-Doping Induced Self-Assembly of Graphene Nanoribbon-Based Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Metamaterials. Nano Letters 15 (9) (2015) 5770–5777.
    T. H. Vo, M. Shekhirev, D. A. Kunkel, M. D. Morton, E. Berglund, L. Kong, P. M. Wilson, P. A. Dowben, A. Enders and A. Sinitskii. Large-scale solution synthesis of narrow graphene nanoribbons. Nature Communications 5 (2014) 3189.
    T. H. Vo, M. Shekhirev, D. A. Kunkel, F. Orange, M. J.-F. Guinel, A. Enders and A. Sinitskii. Bottom-up solution synthesis of narrow nitrogen-doped graphene nanoribbons. Chemical Communications 50 (2014) 4172-4174.

Alex defended a Master’s thesis

Alex Boson defended a Master’s thesis “Chemical Vapor Deposition of Two-Dimensional Materials and Heterostructures“. In his research, Alex investigated chemical vapor deposition of graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides on various substrates.

Congratulations, Alex!


Mike received awards from NCMN, Department of Chemistry

Research achievements have brought Mike Shekhirev awards from the Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience (NCMN) and the Department of Chemistry.

Mike has recently become a 2016 NCMN Graduate Research Fellow. These annual fellowships honor a select group of 2-3 doctoral graduate students working in various areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology on the basis of high research and scholastic performance. Read the full story here.

Mike also received a 2016-17 Robert S. Marianelli Graduate Research Assistant Award from the Department of Chemistry. The list of recent awardees can be found here.

Congratulations on these well-deserved recognitions!


Alex received a teaching award

Alex Boson was awarded a Citation for Excellence in Teaching Chemistry for his work as a Chemistry 110 laboratory teaching assistant during the Fall 2016 semester.

Congratulations, Alex!

Read the full story here.


Alexey defended a Ph.D. thesis on 2D materials

Alexey Lipatov successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis “Layered Heterostructures Based on Two-Dimensional Materials: Interfacial Phenomena and Device Applications“. During his Ph.D. studies Alexey co-authored 12 papers, in seven of which he is the first author. The most important scientific contributions made by Alexey include the development of electronic-nose sensors based on graphene and graphene oxide, a series of studies on electronic devices comprising two-dimensional (2D) and ferroelectric materials, as well as the demonstration of electronic properties of an emerging 2D material, titanium trisulfide.

Congratulations, Dr. Lipatov!


Jacob received a teaching award

Jacob Teeter is one of four Fall 2015 recipients of the Citation for Excellence in Teaching Chemistry Award!

He received this award for his patience and dedication to students’ overall learning and his endless efforts to keep them engage in General Chemistry 1 (Chem. 109) and General Chemistry 2 (Chem. 110) labs.

Congratulations, Jacob!

Read the full story here.


Peter successfully defends a Ph.D. thesis

Peter Wilson successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis “Chemical Vapor Deposition of Graphene Nanostructures“. During his Ph.D. studies Peter co-authored 7 papers, in four of which he is the first author. Doctoral hooding ceremony will be on Friday, December 18, 2015 at 3 pm in Pinnacle Bank Arena. Congratulations, Dr. Wilson!


[UNL News] New 2-D material’s properties show promise

[UNL chemists: New 2-D material’s properties show promise | University Communications | 6/23/2015]
One completed a series of theoretical calculations to predict its properties with the help of a massive computing center. The other grew it in bulk before waxing its atom-thin whiskers with the assistance of adhesive tape.

Together, University of Nebraska-Lincoln chemists Xiao Cheng Zeng and Alexander Sinitskii have demonstrated that a compound called titanium trisulfide could surge toward the fore of two-dimensional materials that are gaining popularity among designers of microelectronics.

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Photo by: Craig Chandler | University Communications


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