J Veinot

Professor, Faculty of Science - Chemistry
Associate Dean, College of Natural and Applied Sciences - Office of Research

Contact

Professor, Faculty of Science - Chemistry
Email
jveinot@ualberta.ca
Phone
(780) 492-7206
Address
4-254 Centennial Ctr For Interdisciplinary SCS II
11335 Saskatchewan Drive NW
Edmonton AB
T6G 2H5

Associate Dean, College of Natural and Applied Sciences - Office of Research
Email
jveinot@ualberta.ca

Overview

Research

In 1959, Nobel Prize winning Physicist, Richard Feynman offered a glimpse, in his classic presentation There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom, of a new interdisciplinary field of research, which might tell us much of great interest about the strange phenomena that occur in complex systems and have enormous number of technological applications. Of late, the scientific community has witnessed an increasing number of interdisciplinary research activities mirroring Feynman's predictions from the mid-20th Century. When one considers the "toolbelt" of a chemist, it is increasingly evident that no professional is more capable of addressing the challenges of a "bottom-up" approach to material nano-design: We have an unprecedented appreciation for controlled manipulation and tailoring of material properties at molecular and atomic levels.

Research interests of the Veinot Group lie within the scope of two highly competitive, multidisciplinary, overlapping fields (Nanotechnology and Organic Optoelectronics), which benefit greatly from a molecular structure approach to the abovementioned "bottom-up" design.

Nanoparticle Synthesis and Derivatization

Two classes of nanoparticles (or quantum dots) remaining largely unexplored are metallic (i.e., Ni, Pt, Pd and lanthanide metals) and indirect gap atomic semiconductor (i.e., Si, Ge) systems. The minimal attention paid to the nanophases of these materials is not for lack of interesting properties, rather it is a function of their incompatibility with simple precipitation chemistry employed to prepare nanoscaled II-IV semiconductors. Hence, only limited examples of mondispersed nanoparticles of these materials have been reported. With this as our impetus, our research program is focused upon synthesis, characterization and application of small molecule precursors suitable for fabrication of monodispersed nanoparticles via solution borne chemistry. Our materials are suitable for a wide scope of applications including: DNA testing, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), lasers, catalysis, nanoelectronics, and optoelectronics.

Polymer-Based Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs), currently the focus of significant scientific and technological interest, are predicted to offer global profits approaching one billion US dollars annually by 2005. Their potential applications include: portable electronics, display manufacture, digital cameras and camcorders, lighting, consumer goods, automotive, and communication systems. Two distinct "camps" exist within OLED research: multilayer vapour deposited small molecule- and spincoated polymer-based systems. Both device configurations exhibit their own advantages and disadvantages, yet only limited examples of small molecule/polymer hybrid devices have been reported. Our OLED team is focused upon rational design, synthesis, and characterization of hybrid materials with polymeric matrices of tailored physical and electronic characteristics bearing covalently tethered tuneable emissive centers.

Members of the Veinot Research Teams are exposed to all areas of inorganic, organic, organometallic, and polymer chemistry while gaining expertise in the techniques and principles of physics, engineering, materials science, and biology. In addition, team members will have significant opportunity to participate in international collaborations, use facilities of the Canadian National Institute of Nanotechnology and The Canadian Light Source.

Courses

CHEM 444 - Characterization Methods in Nanoscience

Introduction to techniques in determining the composition and structure of materials on the nanometer scale. Characterization of atomic, meso-, and microstructure of materials including impurities and defects. Major topics will include electron microscopy (transmission, scanning, and Auger) and associated spectroscopies (EDX, EELS), surface sensitive spectroscopies (e.g., XPS, AES, IR) and spectrometry (SIMS), synchrotron techniques, X-ray absorption, fluorescence and emission, and scanned probe microscopies (AFM, STM, etc.). The strengths, weaknesses, and complementarity of the techniques used will be examined via case studies on the characterization of real-world nanotechnologies, such as heterogeneous catalysts, surfaces and interfaces in semiconductor devices, organic monolayers on metals and semiconductors, nanotube- and nanowire-based electronics, and biocompatible materials. Prerequisite: 4th year standing or consent of instructor.


CHEM 544 - Characterization Methods in Nanoscience

Introduction to techniques in determining the composition and structure of materials on the nanometer scale. Characterization of atomic, meso-, and micro-structure of materials including impurities and defects. Major topics will include electron microscopy (transmission, scanning, and Auger) and associated spectroscopies (EDX, EELS), surface sensitive spectroscopies (e.g., XPS, AES, IR) and spectrometry (SIMS), synchrotron techniques, X-ray absorption, fluorescence and emission, and scanned probe microscopies (AFM, STM, etc.). The techniques will be examined through real-world nanotechnology case studies. Not open to students with credit in CHEM 444.


Browse more courses taught by J Veinot

Featured Publications

M. Dasog, K. Bader, J.G.C. Veinot

Chemistry of Materials. 2015 January; 27


T.K. Purkait, M. Iqbal, M.H. Wahl, K. Gottschling, C.M. Gonzalez, M.A. Islam, J.G.C. Veinot

Journal of the American Chemical Society. 136


M. Amirul Islam, T.K. Purkait, J.G.C. Veinot

Journal of the American Chemical Society. 136


M. Dasog, G. B. De los Reyes, L. V. Titova, F. A. Hegmann, J.G.C. Veinot

ACS Nano. 8


Z. Yang, M. Dasog, A.R. Dobbie, R. Lockwood, Y. Zhi, A. Meldrum, J.G.C. Veinot

Advanced Functional Materials. 24