Research
Light, matter…reaction!
Scientific progress depends on how well we control the fundamental building blocks of nature—atoms, molecules, and energy. This means understanding how atoms and molecules interact, how energy moves through materials, and using that knowledge to make chemical reactions more efficient and sustainable. It’s about finding smarter ways to carry out reactions while using less energy and reducing waste. Among various energy sources, sunlight stands out as the most abundant, clean, and accessible form of energy available on earth, making it an ideal candidate to drive such transformations. My research explores how light can be used to guide chemical reactions at the nanoscale, designing materials that harness energy in entirely new ways. I aim to develop plasmonic interfaces with the potential to control chemical reactivity—turning light-matter interaction into a precision tool for energy conversion, selective transformations, and sustainable synthesis.
Challenge and motivation
Conventional heterogeneous catalysts rely on thermally driven processes to excite all vibrational modes and reaction pathways, which lack specificity as thermal energy is non-selective. This inherent lack of tunability and selectivity often results in lower catalytic efficiency, unwanted side reactions, and increased energy consumption. Overcoming these limitations requires alternative strategies that enable more precise control over reaction kinetics and site-specific activation of chemical bonds. Light-assisted catalysis has emerged as a promising alternative—offering pathways for energy input that are more selective, controllable, and spatially localized than heat. Plasmonic metal nanoparticles (PNPs: Au, Ag, Cu, or Al) have emerged as advanced platforms which leverage UV-visible light to initiate chemical transformations under significantly milder conditions compared to traditional thermal processes. The excitation of localized surface plasmons in PNPs generates highly concentrated energy in the form of non-thermal charge carriers (hot electrons/holes) at the nanoparticle surface, which can accelerate key steps in catalytic reactions and even improve product selectivity, sometimes outperforming conventional thermal catalysts. However, the broader catalytic application of PNPs is limited by short hot-carrier lifetimes and rapid charge recombination, reducing their efficiency compared to traditionally used catalytic metals like Pt, Pd, and Ru.
My approach: Plasmonic interface engineering
Leveraging the advantages of colloidal nanoparticle synthesis techniques, I have developed strategies to precisely interface PNPs with catalytic metals, COFs, and semiconductors, demonstrating that light energy can not only be absorbed but also concentrated at reactive interfaces to modulate charge transfer dynamics and extend hot-carrier lifetimes. This level of control enables access to non-thermal reaction pathways that are inaccessible with monometallic plasmonic systems. By crafting these finely engineered nanohybrids, I can manipulate reaction selectivity, steer product distributions, and drive reactions under mild conditions—significantly reducing energy consumption. Ultimately, my work in designing and synthesizing catalysts with tunable interfacial properties contributes to the ongoing shift toward a more rational approach, where materials are no longer developed through trial and error but are purposefully designed for specific functions.
Plasmonic hybrid interfaces
How can we fine-tune hybrid interfaces at the nanoscale to create well-defined active sites?
Wet-chemical colloidal nanoparticle synthesis strategies are employed to engineer plasmonic hybrid interfaces, where light acts as a synthetic tool to uniquely integrate secondary components—such as atomic layers of catalytic metals (Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh) or ultrathin layers of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) onto plasmonic surfaces. Such precisely engineered heterointerfaces serve as versatile platforms that enable synergistic integration of optical properties with catalytic reactivity, electronic tunability and metal-organic hybrid functionalities. By controlling interfacial dynamics at the nanoscale, my research aims to enhance energy utilization for sustainable chemical transformations.
Microenvironment engineering
Can we design nanoscale reaction spaces that direct molecular interactions to achieve high selectivity?
Harnessing the power of nanomaterials for catalytic selectivity requires precise control over the local microenvironment. By designing nanoscale confined reaction spaces, these catalysts can regulate molecular adsorption/desorption, orient molecular interactions, regulate charge distribution, and stabilize intermediates. By leveraging confinement effects in COF channels, harnessing the cooperativity of porous silica–ligand frameworks, and incorporating chiral microenvironments, these catalysts are designed to form reaction chambers that promote high selectivity in catalytic transformations.
Plasmonic photocatalysis
How can we harness light energy to efficiently drive chemical reactions beyond thermal limitations?
To address the challenge in plasmonic photocatalysis, the focus is on effectively harvesting light energy to effectively drive reaction through non-thermal activation mechanisms. Surface plasmon-induced energy localization at hybrid interfaces facilitates the generation of energetic charge carriers, which in turn drive molecular bond activation at interfacial active sites. A deeper understanding of interfacial behavior, coupled with insights into plasmon energy flow, is essential for controlling selective bond activation—one of the key bottlenecks in this field. Unlocking this control could revolutionize catalyst design, enabling sustainable chemical transformations that are simply unattainable with heat alone.
In-situ catalysis studies
How can we monitor catalytic transformations as they really occur?
Capturing catalytic reactions in real-time is essential for understanding and improving their performance. In-situ Raman and DRIFT spectroscopy enable real-time tracking of catalytic processes such as molecular adsorption-desorption dynamics, intermediate formation, and product release during catalysis. These techniques provide direct insights into the behavior of catalysts, revealing active site functionality and mechanistic pathways at the molecular scale. This approach not only deepens our fundamental understanding of surface chemistry but also enables the identification of key factors that govern selectivity and stability of materials under realistic reaction conditions.
Intracellular catalysis
Can molecules be activated through light-controlled chemistry directly inside living cells?
Light-driven catalysis inside biological environments opens entirely new frontiers in biomedical applications. Plasmonic nanohybrids are capable of performing NIR light-activated reactions within living cells. Biocompatible silica reactors are used to encapsulate individual nanoparticles, preventing intracellular aggregation and protecting against surface poisoning. This strategy allows for targeted drug activation, biomolecular manipulation, and therapeutic intervention with unprecedented precision.
