Research
Organic Materials Chemistry
Research in the Lee group can be divided into six general
areas: (1) selectively fluorinated organic thin films, (2)
complex organic interfaces with controlled local composition,
structure, and function, (3) biologically active interfaces,
(4) nanoparticle growth and manipulation, (5) biopolymers and
conducting polymers, and (6) polymerization catalyst
development. The common thread that ties all of the research
areas together is the use of synthesis be it organic,
inorganic, organometallic, or solid-state to prepare new
materials for technological applications. Progress in each of
the areas requires the successful development and integration
of a wide range of research skills, starting with the
synthesis of new materials, followed by the collection and
analysis of data, and ending with the oral and written
communication of the results. As a natural consequence of this
integrated approach, students departing from the Lee group are
equipped with an unusually broad range of research
capabilities. For example, analytical instrumentation commonly
employed by the group includes IR, NMR, and UV-vis
spectroscopies, GC, GC/MS, HPLC, gel permeation chromatography
(GPC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), contact angle
goniometry, ellipsometry, polarization modulation reflection
absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), scanning electron
microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and
atomic force microscopy (AFM). Members of the Lee group also
gain experience using other specialized analytical
instrumentation in collaborative projects with other research
groups. Current studies of fluorinated films utilize
self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to generate nanoscale
fluorocarbon thin-film coatings (essentially nanoscale analogs
of Teflon) for use in miniaturized electronic device
applications and as coatings for biomaterials. Research on
complex interfaces targets the development of new types of SAM
adsorbates for the purpose of generating structurally defined
surfaces that expose a mixture of functional groups designed
to elicit specific molecular recognition (e.g., sensor
devices) and/or catalysis (e.g., artificial enzymes). Studies
of biologically active interfaces utilize SAMs to enhance the
growth of protein crystals and to template cell adhesion and
proliferation for applications in tissue engineering.Since
much of the work in the Lee group is collaborative in nature,
students often work side-by-side with chemical engineers,
physicists, electrical engineers, biochemists, and biomedical
engineers. In this type of environment, students gain
knowledge and skills beyond those typically encountered in
traditional synthetic