Nanotechnology for Energy Harvesting and Sensing Applications  

Zoom Meeting Link: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/5103903269 

Abstract: The development of nanostructured compound semiconductors is fueling a revolution in solar cells, thermoelectric, piezoelectric and other optoelectronic devices. This presentation will cover some of our group’s effort on nanostructured materials growth and engineering for energy harvesting and sensing applications; in particular, oxides and nitrides for solar cells, thermoelectric (TE), and piezoelectric sensing. Several studies will be highlighted including Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) of ZnO- based materials for solar cells, and various approach to increase thermoelectric efficiency of III-Nitrides. The impact of doping, and crystallographic defects on electrical and thermal properties on the TE properties of nitrides thin films grown by MOCVD will be systematically analyzed.  In addition, our recent work on engineering piezoelectric sensors for real-time materials’ property monitoring in civil infrastructure will be discussed.

Bio: Luna is ACPA Scholar & Professor of the Lyles School of Civil Engineering, the School of Materials Science and Engineering (by courtesy), and affiliated faculty at Birck Nanotechnology Center. She has research expertise in nanomaterials synthesis and device development for energy harvesting and infrastructure sensing and monitoring. Her research program integrates civil engineering, electrical engineering, and materials science disciplines with three main topic areas: 1) MOCVD growth of oxides for solar cells and related optoelectronics; 2) thermoelectric materials/devices for waste heat recovery, and 3) piezoelectric sensing in civil infrastructure and biomedical fields.

Luna has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications; 2 book, 6 book chapters, 1 patent and 8 provisional patents. She has given numerous keynote and invited and contributed talks at top research conferences, including Material Research Society (MRS), The Mineral, Metals and Materials (TMS), International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) Photonic West and International Conference on Composites/Nano-engineering, etc. Her research work has been featured in national and regional media. She has won several scientific awards, including the 2014 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award. She has also transferred few technologies from her research lab into engineering applications, and formed companies based on her innovations.

Luna is also the director of Center for Intelligent Infrastructure (CII), a newly established center aims to improve the sustainability, connectivity and adaptivity of our infrastructure systems.