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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Determining Material Structures And Surface Chemistry By Genetic Algorithms And Quantum Chemical Simulations, Josiah Jesse Roberts Jan 2021

Determining Material Structures And Surface Chemistry By Genetic Algorithms And Quantum Chemical Simulations, Josiah Jesse Roberts

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

With the advent of modern computing, the use of simulation in chemistry has become just as important as experiment. Simulations were originally only applicable to small molecules, but modern techniques, such as density functional theory (DFT) allow extension to materials science. While there are many valuable techniques for synthesis and characterization in chemistry laboratories, there are far more materials possible than can be synthesized, each with an entire host of surfaces. This wealth of chemical space to explore begs the use of computational chemistry to mimic synthesis and experimental characterization. In this work, genetic algorithms (GA), for the former, and …


Synthesis, Crystal Engineering, And Material Properties Of Small-Molecule Organic Semiconductors, Emma Holland Jan 2021

Synthesis, Crystal Engineering, And Material Properties Of Small-Molecule Organic Semiconductors, Emma Holland

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Small-molecule organic materials are of increasing interest for electronic and photonic devices due to their solution processability and tunability, allowing devices to be fabricated at low temperature on flexible substrates and offering utility in specialized applications. This tunability is the result of functionalization through careful synthetic strategy to influence both material properties and solid-state arrangement, both crucial variables in device applications. Functionalization of a core molecule with various substituents allows the fine-tuning of optical and electronic properties, and functionalization with solubilizing groups allows some degree of control over the solid- state order, or crystal packing. These combinations of core chromophores …


Plasmon Enhanced Single Molecule Fluorescence In Zero Mode Waveguides (Zmws), Abdullah Masud Jan 2021

Plasmon Enhanced Single Molecule Fluorescence In Zero Mode Waveguides (Zmws), Abdullah Masud

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Plasmonic nanostructures are an extensive research focus due to their ability to modify the photophysical properties of nearby fluorophores. Surface plasmons (SP), defined as the collective oscillation of delocalized electrons, are the fundamental characteristic primarily responsible for altering those photophysical properties. Studying fluorophores at the single-molecule level has received significant attention since more specific information can be extracted from single molecule-based studies, which otherwise could be obscured in ensemble studies. However, single-molecule studies are inherently challenging because the signal from a single molecule is usually dim, making it difficult to detect. The situation is even worse in a crowded environment …