Title：Clusters as Building Blocks of Energy Materials: A Paradigm Shift in Materials Design

Speaker：Puru Jena（Physics Department, Virginia Commonwealth University ）

Time：July 15, 2019 (Monday) 9:30 am

Venue：Central Campus, Tang Aoqing Building C Area 603 Lecture Hall

Abstract：

At the dawn of cluster science, the motivation for studying clusters was to understand how properties of bulk matter evolve – one atom at a time. Five decades and 200 000 papers later, this still remains a desired goal. However, these studies have revealed many unexpected and exciting properties that have given the field of clusters its own identity. In this talk I will highlight some of these achievements by focusing on: (1) the stability, the appearance of magic numbers, and fragmentation of clusters that linked cluster science to nuclear physics. (2) Unique magnetic properties where clusters of non-magnetic materials become magnetic, those of ferromagnetic materials become super-paramagnetic, and those of antiferromagnetic materials become ferro- or ferrimagnetic. (3) Clusters as superatoms that mimic the properties of atoms and can form the building blocks of a three-dimensional periodic table and a new class of cluster-assembled materials with tailored properties. (4) Examples of cluster-ions as building blocks of energy materials. I will provide experimental evidence wherever available.