Chemistry Colloquium: Marina Petrukhina

The Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to welcome Dr. Marina Petrukhina, a Carla Rizzo Delray Professor of Chemistry at SUNY University at Albany.

Title: Charging Curved and Twisted Molecular Nanographenes with Multiple Electrons: Structural Responses, Self-Assembly and Metal Intercalation

Abstract:

Carbon allotropes comprised exclusively of sp² hybridized carbon atoms have fascinated the scientific community with their esthetic nanostructures and unparalleled physical properties. They also inspired the design synthesis of novel molecular nanocarbons with curved and contorted carbon frameworks, broadly opening investigation of their reactivity and applications. The range of applications includes the carbon-based electrodes in energy generation and storage systems such as Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors. In the recent years, synthesis and applications of molecular nanographenes, fragments of 2D graphene with defined structures and compositions, have been booming. However, the charge storage and transport properties of nanographenes are highly dependent on their molecular structures and electron- accepting abilities. A better understanding of these systems and their multi-electron acquisition is required to pave the way for their utilization in practical energy devices. The stepwise chemical reduction of multiple nanographenes with different framework topologies has been accomplished in our group [1-3]. We revealed their reversible multi-electron storage capacities, original structural transformations, unusual reactivity, and remarkable alkali metal intercalation abilities [4-5].