Research Overview

Two of the major research aims in the Aikens group involve developing a theoretical understanding of the relationship between structure and properties of nanomaterials. These research areas include the structure, optical properties, and electron dynamics in gold and silver nanoparticles and nanoparticle arrays. A longer description of the research in the group is provided here.

 

Group News

August 2024 - Prof. Aikens has been selected as one of the 2024 ACS Fellows.

August 2024 - The Aikens group is happy to welcome visiting graduate student Addison Bralick (Colorado State; Ackerson group) for a week!

July 2024 - Prof. Aikens presented the Zasshikai Lectureship at the University of Tokyo in mid-July.

June 2024 - Prof. Aikens presented research from the group on plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis at the Gordon Research Conference on Noble Metal Nanoparticles.

June 2024 - The International Symposium on Monolayer-Protected Clusters was held at Penn State University from June 12-14, 2024. Prof. Aikens co-organized the conference with Prof. Ken Knappenberger, Prof. Ben Lear, Prof. Chris Ackerson, and Prof. Rongchao Jin. Sulalith presented his machine learning results at the conference; great job, Sulalith!

June 2024 - Farewell to Yuchen, and best wishes on your postdoc at NYU!

May 2024 - Yuchen's paper on the effects of doping on plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis was published in J. Phys. Chem. A. Congratulations, Yuchen!

April 2024 - Yuchen's paper on Ag33 and Ag54 in collaboration with the Di Sun group was published in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Great work, Yuchen!

April 2024 - Sulalith's paper on the effects of static electric fields on the optical properties of silver nanowire dimers was published in J. Phys. Chem. A. Congratulations, Sulalith!

March 2024 - Yuchen successfully defended her Ph.D. Congratulations, Yuchen!!!

March 2024 - Prof. Aikens presented a lecture on ligand effects in monolayer-protected clusters at the National American Chemical Society meeting in New Orleans.

February 2024 - Yuchen presented her work developing faster theoretical methods for determining gold nanoparticle structures and optical properties at the Gordon Research Conference on Atomically Precise Nanoclusters. Great job, Yuchen! Prof. Aikens also presented an invited lecture on photoluminescence in monolayer-protected nanoclusters.

February 2024 - The Aikens group website has been updated to the newest K-State format!

 

Older group news can be found here