Research

Goal: Discovering new inorganic compounds drives our research, focusing on unique electronic properties for improved performance in electronics, optoelectronics, and renewable energy. Through meticulous experimentation, we aim to uncover compounds with enhanced efficiency and expanded functionality. 

Motivation: Canada’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 can be achieved by understanding the challenges with existing materials used for sustainable energy. Along with this, Canada’s Semiconductors Council’s report for “Road Map 2050” seeks to develop semiconductor chip independence by developing technologies for conventional materials.1 The lack of implementable, scalable, and cost-effective technologies to harvest energy (in the case of solar energy), convert energy (into chemical energy – e.g., sustainable fuels such as hydrogen for transportation), and store energy (e.g., in batteries or carbon-neutral fuels on both household and grid-scales) is arguably the most significant technological bottleneck we currently face. The discovery of new inorganic compounds will be important towards Canada’s technological independence from the global supply chain and the development of new sustainable energy technologies

Objectives

1) Design rational principles for noncentrosymmetric structures with band gaps >2 eV to study their NLO properties. 

2) Use mixed anions to synthesize lower dimensional structures for higher crystallinity and surface area for catalysis. 

3) organic cation intercalation in 2D materials to offer greater magnetic tunability and discover new room temperature ferromagnets. 

Methodology

• High-temperature synthesis (>400 °C) using molten flux as reactants

• Solution-based synthesis (solvothermal and hydrothermal) will also be pursued as many phases are stable at low temperatures.

Outcomes: By advancing material discovery, we will contribute to semiconductor science, paving the way for next-generation devices with enhanced capabilities and sustainability

Selected Publications