A significant challenge in chemistry is to rationally control composition and structure of materials to achieve desired properties. Unfortunately, the search for new materials is often limited by phase equilibria or slow reaction kinetics of solids. To circumvent these limitations, solid-state metathesis reactions have provided us with the opportunity to achieve selective synthesis in bulk solid-state chemical reactions. The pathways of these metathesis reactions can be altered in order to change how or what material is formed. From a combination of in situ and ex situ analysis of myriad synthesis reactions, combined with first-principles calculation of thermodynamic parameters, we identify how kinetic intermediates exert their influence on the resulting materials.  These results allow us to establish the critical processes in solid-state reaction pathways that enable, or hinder, prescriptive synthesis.

Enabling selective synthesis of functional materials in solid state chemistry

ACS Fall 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.