Anisotropic Nanomaterials Preparation, Properties, and Applications

Li’s group in Kent has successfully synthesized the first bio-inspired porphyrins capable of being perpendicularly aligned, the first light-driven chiral molecular motors with a tunable Bragg reflection over 2000 nm, the first nanoscale light-driven chiral molecular switch capable of reversible and dynamic phototuning reflection color truly over the entire visible spectrum and the first organosoluble photoresponsive hybrid chiral gold nanorods…He and his collaborators have fabricated the first photodisplay without the need and cost of drive and control electronics necessary for electronic displays and have demonstrated the first highly ordered nanostructured thin films composed of the porphyrin and fullerene blend for organic photovoltaics and have fabricated the first intelligent multi-functional energy-saving photochromic liquid crystal window. He has got royalty from his four patents invented at Kent. He is the editor of three Wiley books and one Springer book, and co-authors more than twenty chapters. In last several years, Li had been a Principal Investigator (PI) and Project Director (PD) in awarded federal grants from US Department of Defense (DoD), US Department of Energy (DOE), US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and US National Science Foundation (NSF). Li is also involved in the LCI $ 15 million Ohio Research Scholar Program where he proposed self-organizing organic photovoltaics. He won 2014 Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award.