Please join Yale Chemistry for an Energy Sciences and Chemistry Seminar with Shaun Tan, Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Abstract: Nanostructured interfaces control the transport of charges, ions, mass, and defects – processes that dictate the function of all energy and electronic materials. Interfacial behavior is most often inferred indirectly from static measurements, while the dynamic processes that determine material function are rarely observed. In this seminar, I demonstrate how operando, time-resolved nanoscale probes enable direct observation of interfacial dynamics under functional conditions. I show how this provides new insights into interface formation and evolution in real time. Representative case studies from my research include bias-driven interface evolution in ZnSeTe colloidal quantum dots; light-induced charge accumulation and ion migration at hybrid perovskite heterointerfaces; oxygen vacancy formation and diffusion in oxide materials; and intermediate phase thermodynamics during two-dimensional perovskite synthesis. Across these different material systems, a common theme emerges: Direct observation of interfacial dynamics reveals mechanisms that guide the targeted design of interface formation, transport, and stability. Building on these insights, I outline a research vision that focuses on the discovery and prediction of interfacial dynamics towards the controlled design of energy and electronic materials of the future.
Biography: Shaun Tan is a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Chemistry at MIT, in the group of Prof. Moungi Bawendi. He received his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles under the guidance of Prof. Yang Yang. Shaun’s research focuses on understanding and controlling interfaces and defects in nanostructured materials, including colloidal quantum dots, inorganic oxides, hybrid perovskites, and organic semiconductors. A central theme of his work is the development and application of real-time nanoscale and atomic-scale probes to elucidate interfacial dynamics and charge, ionic, and defect-mediated transport processes across nanostructured interfaces. His research has been published in Nature, Science, Nature Materials, Advanced Materials, and Journal of the American Chemical Society, and has been recognized by several honors, including the 2023 Edward K. Rice Award, which recognizes the top engineering graduate student across UCLA. At MIT, Shaun’s current research focuses on composite scintillators for thermal neutron detection relevant to fusion energy diagnostics, and on the development of II-VI and III-V quantum dot emitters.
Hosted by the Energy Sciences Institute
