About our research group:

Our research is focused on the synthesis, characterization, and modification of highly dispersed uniform micrometer, submicrometer, and nanometer size metallic particles with well controlled size, morphology, internal structure, composition, and surface properties. We have successfully developed many novel, cost-effective methods for generating highly dispersed metallic particles of Cu, Ni, Co, Bi, Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, their alloys, as well as other composite materials, for applications in electronics, energy conversion and storage, medicine and biology, emissions control, sensors, and metallurgy.
Another rather unique expertise of our group consists in the ability to convert ultrafine uniform metallic particles into metallic platelets/flakes by physical processes. Although under-researched, this interdisciplinary area bordering colloid and surface science, physics, and metallurgy has a significant impact on many applications in defense (obscurant smokes), and electronics.
While our efforts are mostly concentrated on the development of processes capable of yielding high performance materials for existing and emerging applications, we also conduct the basic research needed to understand the mechanisms responsible for the formation of uniform metallic particles in solutions. Our experimental and theoretical work on spherical gold and silver particles has contributed to the understanding of the formation mechanism of large uniform colloids in homogeneous solutions by aggregation of nanosize precursors, and has resulted in a refined model that is now widely accepted by the scientific community and is frequently cited in the literature. More recently, we have also started to investigate the formation by the same mechanism of uniform anisotropic particles (platelets, rods, ellipsoids, cubes, etc.), a topic of extreme importance for science and technology.

Our expertize and experience in the preparation and modification of fine metallic particles represents a solid foundation that allows us to do independent research as well as to collaborate effectively with research groups either in academia or industry, and to develop materials benefiting a wide range of applications.