Center for Nanochemistry (CNC), Peking University
The Center for Nanochemistry (CNC) dates back to 1993 when its founder, Prof. Zhongfan Liu set up the first Intelligent Materials Laboratory in Peking University. In 1995, the Center for Intelligent Materials Research was founded, and was later reorganized as CNC in 2008. As an interdisciplinary research center, the members come from the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, College of Engineering and the Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies. Currently, CNC has 8 full-time faculty members, including 1 CAS Academician, 3 Professors, 1 “PKU 100-talent program” Professor and 1 Engineer. It also has 6 postdoctoral fellows, 57 5-year graduate students and 12 undergraduates.
CNC focuses its research interests on novel low dimensional materials and nanodevices as well as their fundamental physicochemical properties at the nanoscale. The general aim is for high-performance nanoelectronic materials and devices, energy conversion materials, etc. The on-going research involves: 1) CVD growth and band structure engineering of graphene and its 2D hybrids for electronic and energy-conversion devices; 2) Controlled CVD growth and chiral separation of single-walled carbon nanotubes; 3) Graphyne and new carbon allotropes; 4) Novel 2D atomic crystals and their optoelectronic properties; 5) sp2 carbon materials chemistry, dimensionality effect and Raman spectroscopy; 6) Nanobiodetection & single-molecule biodetection; 7) Theoretical studies of low dimensional materials.
CNC owns a well-equipped research facility, including over 20 CVD furnaces, 5 SPMs (2 UHV-SPM), 2 micro-Raman spectroscopes, an SEM, 2 four-probe stations for electrical measurements, an UV-Vis spectrophotometer, a FT-IR, 5 Electrochemical workstations, a UHV electron beam deposition system, 3 thermal and electron evaporators, a microfabrication system, and various light sources. The total research funds from MOST, NSFC, MOE and other funding agencies, have amounted to over 100 million RMB since 1993.
CNC has published more than 500 scientific publications in Nature Sister journals, PNAS, JACS, Angew. Chem., Adv. Mater., Nano Lett., ACS Nano, etc., which are highlighted frequently by Nature, Nature Chemistry, Nature China, C&E News, NPG Asia Materials, etc., and held nearly 30 authorized patents. CNC also published several invited authoritative review articles in Chem. Soc. Rev., Acc. Chem. Rev., Adv. Mater., etc. To celebrate her 20th anniversary, 《Small》 published the special issue on Low-Dimensional Carbon Materials for PKU-CNC on April, 2013. These achievements have been recognized as National Award for Natural Science (2nd class), Chinese University’s Science & Technology Award for Natural Science (1st class), Chinese Chemical Society-AkzoNobel Chemical Sciences Award, etc. Nearly 200 students of all levels, postdoc, PhD, MS and BS, have graduated from CNC since 1993, with over 90% of them working and/or studying in top-ranked Chinese and overseas universities and institutions 32 of them are now full professors.
