Background:

• University of Washington - Seattle Postdoctoral Associate, 2007-2008
• 2006 T. S. Piper Award, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research in the Skrabalak laboratory draws inspiration from many areas of chemical study, with the overall goal being the synthesis and/or construction of multi-functional, hierarchically complex materials that address problems related to catalysis, biotechnology, and environmental remediation. To meet this objective, we are (1) developing new ways of introducing architectural complexity within inorganic solids using scalable technologies and new precursors and (2) exploring new synthetic routes to nanoscale building blocks with well-defined properties.

Electrospray Synthesis of New Catalytic Materials Aerosol methods are an industrial favorite for the continuous production and processing of compositionally complex particles; however, little work has gone into developing aerosol routes to architecturally complex particles. In our research, we are using electrospray, in combination with chemical methods, to introduce this complexity. By modifying the spray orifice with different capillaries, we are able to deliver multiple solutions simultaneously. In this way, we are designing Janus, core-shell, multi-phasic, and porous particles for use as photocatalysts in water splitting and CO2 reduction applications and thermal catalysts for various petroleum refining processes.

Synthesis and Application of Nanoscale Materials

Inorganic crystals with nanoscale dimensions are emerging as important building blocks for multifunctional device fabrication. In recent years, tremendous achievements have been made regarding the preparation of nanomaterials with well-controlled properties. Yet, fundamental questions still remain about their synthesis. Our research aims to understand and control the nucleation and growth processes of inorganic solids to predictably prepare new nanomaterials for use in energy, catalytic, and biomedical applications.

Selected Publications:

Skrabalak, S. E. ; Au, L.; Li, X.; Xia, Y. "Facile Synthesis of Ag Nanocubes and Au Nanocages" Nat. Protoc. 2007, 2, 2182-2190.

Skrabalak, S. E. ; Suslick, K. S. "Porous Carbon Powders Prepared by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006 , 128, 12642-12643.

Skrabalak, S. E .; Suslick, K. S. "Porous MoS 2 Synthesized by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005 , 127 , 9990-9991.