Mapping Dynamic Processes in Energy Materials with Photoinduced Force Microscopy (PiFM)

Speaker : Prof. Connor G. Bischack Affiliation : Department of Chemistry, University of Utah Region : Americas Year : 2022 Language : English Nanoscale dynamic processes in energy materials significantly impact the performance of bulk devices. Using a combination of electron, optical, and scanning probe microscopies, our group seeks to uncover dynamic structure-function relationships at the nanoscale to develop new design principles for next-generation energy devices. In this talk, I will show three examples of how our group uses nanoscale infrared imaging with photoinduced force microscopy (PiFM) to interrogate nanoscale dynamics in energy materials. First, I will show how we can track ion migration in organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors to reveal how structural changes in these polymers impacts ion migration. Second, I will show how we use PiFM to watch chemical reactions at the surface of black phosphorus, an emerging 2D material for optoelectronics applications. Last, I will show how we use PiFM to track the self-assembly of 2D Ruddlesden-Popper perovskite materials at the nanoscale using the vibrational signature of organic cations. Together, our studies demonstrate how PiFM plays an important role in elucidating chemical dynamics at the nanoscale.