FOCUS INTRODUCTION - IMRE

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INTRODUCTION
The laboratory is a joint effort with the Department of Chemistry
at the National University of Singapore (NUS). This synergy
encourages enterprise from innovation, balances science
exploration with technology development, and strengthens and
widens the talent development infrastructure in A*STAR and
NUS.
FOCUS
Molecular Catalysis
Research in this area covers the design, recycling and R&D of new
energy-efficient sustainable catalysts for commercial chemicals,
petroleum refining, bulk synthesis of polymers, drug synthesis,
food processing, waste water treatment, and biomass reutilisation.
Prof Tamio Hayashi (IMRE), a world leader in asymmetric catalytic
chemistry heads the research in this area. He is joined by Dr Liu
Xiaogang (IMRE/NUS), a rising star in functional nanomaterials
research to develop heterogeneous chiral metal catalysts with high
performance in asymmetric conjugate addition reactions. Other
topics in molecular catalysis research includes magnetically
equipped organocatalysts for generic drug synthesis led by A/Prof
Lu Yixin of NUS.
Energy Materials
Research in this area is meant to develop new materials and
device prototypes for energy harvesting (organic photovoltaic
cells), energy storage (batteries, supercapacitors), and high energy
efficiency (organic thin film transistor, organic light-emitting
diodes, chromic materials for heat management). A good example
is a newly developed electrochromic material that gives or blocks
the passage of near-infrared light upon application of a small bias
voltage. This material can be very useful for heat management in
applications like car windows or windows of buildings in tropical
areas. Other key efforts include developing new molecular
systems that could self-assemble to form separated column
nanostructures for high power conversion efficiency solar cells,
and novel interfacial materials that enable efficient charge
extraction and enhance interfacial stability in organic
photovoltaics. Dr Xu Jianwei (IMRE) heads the research in this
area, joined by Prof Loh Kian Ping (NUS), Assoc Prof Liu Bin
(IMRE/NUS) and Dr Leong Wei Lin (IMRE).
Electric voltage induced redox reaction with clear and reversible color
changes.
Highly reversible switching with significant
change in the transmission to near-infrared light,
i.e. the heat, making the material an excellent
candidate for heat management related
applications.
Highly selective catalyst.
Biocomposite Materials
This area focuses on the large-scale, low-cost production of bioinspired functional materials for applications such as dry adhesives,
surfaces with superhydrophobic or anti-reflective properties,
tissue engineering and other clinical applications. Led by A/P
Suresh Valiyaveettil (NUS) the team will explore insoluble
cellulosic biomass and develop robust approaches to turn it into
valuable biocomposite materials for industrial applications. The
biocompatible and cost-effective features of the materials offer
good market potential with relatively low investment.
Effective biocomposite membrane from cellulose for nano-hazard waste water treatment.
Carbon Materials
This area involves the study of carbon-based nanostructured
materials like graphene with emphasis on advanced fabrication for
new functions in devices or large scale processing for in-pile
production of high performance devices. The research will include
processing of graphite to produce micron-sized functional
graphene sheets that can be used as building blocks for the
construction of superstructures via self-assembly fabrication.
Jointly led by Prof Loh Kian Ping (NUS,) a leading scientist in
graphene chemistry and Dr Low Hong Yee (IMRE), an expert in
nanoimprint technology and with Dr Teng Jinghua (IMRE), Asst
Prof Christian Albert Nijhuis (NUS), and Dr Cedric Troadec
(IMRE), the team targets the production of graphene nanoplates
of identical shape and size with in-plane dimension of a few
micrometers for use in antibacterial application, or as building
blocks for the construction of complex structures in advanced
device fabrication. Studies on graphene-metal interface will also
be conducted to create better performance devices.
Flow sensing of single cell in full
blood samples by graphene
transistor in a microfluidic
channel.
3 Research Link, Singapore 117602 • Tel +65 6874 8111 • Fax +65 6872 0785 [email protected] • www.imre.a-star.edu.sg
Selected Research Publications
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Shintani R.; Moriya, K.; Hayashi T., "Palladium-Catalyzed
Enantioselective Desymmetrization of Silacyclobutanes:
Construction of Silacycles Possessing a Tetraorganosilicon
Stereocenter", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 16440-16443.
Mahanta, N.; Leong, W.Y.; Valiyaveettil, S., "Isolation and
characterization of cellulose-based nanofibers for nanoparticle
extraction from an aqueous environment", J. Mater. Chem.
2012, 22, 1985-1993
Ang, P.K.; Li, A.; Jaiswal, M.; Wang, Y.; Hou, H.W.; Thong, J.T.L.;
Lim, C.T.; Loh, K.P., "Flow Sensing of Single Cell by Graphene
Transistor in a Microfluidic Channel", Nano Lett. 2011, 11, 5240–
5246
Loh, K.P.; Bao, Q.L.; Eda, G.; Chhowalla, M., "Graphene oxide as a
chemically tunable platform for optical applications", Nature Chem.
2010, 2, 1015-1024
Zhong, F.; Han, X.; Wang, Y.; Lu, Y.X., "Highly Enantioselective
[3+2] Annulation of Morita–Baylis–Hillman Adducts Mediated
by L-Threonine-Derived Phosphines: Synthesis of 3Spirocyclopentene-2-oxindoles having Two Contiguous
Quaternary Centers", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 78377841
Liu, X.W.; Liu X.G., "Bimetallic Nanoparticles: Kinetic Control
Matters", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 3311-3313 13
Jia, P.T; Argun, A.; Xu, J.W.; Xiong, S.X.; Ma, J.; Hammond, P.; Lu,
X.H., "High-Contrast Electrochromic Thin Films via Layer-byLayer Assembly of Starlike and Sulfonated Polyaniline", Chem.
Mater. 2010, 22, 6085-6091
Kustandi, T.; Loh, W.W.; Gao, H.; Low, H.Y., "Wafer-scale
near-perfect ordered porous alumina on substrates by step
and flash imprint lithography", ACS Nano 2010, 4, 2561-2568
Tanoto, H.; Teng, J.H.; Wu, Q.Y.; Sun, M.; Chen, Z. N.; Maier,
S.A.; Wang, B.; Chum, C.C.; Si, G.Y.; Danner, A.J.; Chua, S.J.,
"Greatly enhanced continuous-wave terahertz emission by
nano-electrodes in a photoconductive photomixer", Nature
Photonics 2012, 6, 121-126
Nijhuis, C. A.; Reus, W. F.; Whitesides, G. M., "Mechanism of
Rectification in Tunneling Junctions Based on Molecules with
Asymmetric Potential Drops", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132,
18386–18401
Qu, H.; Cui, W.; Li, J.; Shao, J.; Chi, C.Y., "6,13dibromopentacene [2,3:9,10]-bis(dicarboximide): a versatile
building block for stable pentacene derivatives", Org. Lett. 2011,
13, 924-927
Cowan, S. R.; Banerji, N.; Leong, W. L.; Heeger, A. J., “Charge
Formation, Recombination and Sweep-out Dynamics in Organic
Solar Cells” Adv. Funct. Mater. 2012, 22, 1116-1128
Duarte, A.; Pu, K.; Liu, B.; Bazan, G. C., “Recent Advances in
Conjugated Polyelectrolytes for Emerging Optoelectronic
Applications” Chem. Mater. 2011, 23, 501-515
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Awards and Prizes
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Tamio Hayashi - 2012 Aldrich Lectureship at Scripps
Research Institute, USA
Liu Xiaogang - 2012 Chem Soc Rev Emerging Investigator
Lectureship Award
Loh Kian Ping - 2012 Outstanding Researcher Award
Liu Bin - 2011 L’Oréal Singapore For Women in Science
National Fellowships
Low Hong Yee - 2010 L’Oréal Singapore For Women in
Science National Fellowships
Research Team
Manager,
Molecular Materials Lab
[email protected]
Dr Leong Wei Lin
Asst Manager,
Molecular Materials Lab
Energy Materials
[email protected]
Prof Tamio Hayashi
Molecular Catalysis
[email protected]
A/Prof Liu Xiaogang
Dr Bai Shiqiang
[email protected]
[email protected]
Dr Xu Jianwei
A/Prof Liu Bin
(NUS)
Prof Loh Kian Ping
(NUS)
[email protected]
[email protected]
Molecular Catalysis
Energy Materials
[email protected]
Molecular Catalysis
Energy Materials
Dr Teng Jinghua
Dr Low Hong Yee
[email protected]
[email protected]
Carbon Materials
Dr Cedric Troadec
Carbon Materials
[email protected]
Carbon Materials
Carbon Materials
3 Research Link, Singapore 117602 • Tel +65 6874 8111 • Fax +65 6872 0785 [email protected] • www.imre.a-star.edu.sg
June 2014
Dr Zong Yun