Kofi W. Adu | Penn State Department of Materials Science and Engineering

About

Dr. Adu’s research focuses on synthesis of nanostructures, processing them into macro-sized objects for easy handling, structural/morphological & physical properties characterization and potential applications in the emerging nanotechnologies; mainly:

1. Using novel nanoengineering techniques to develop advanced nanomaterials (nanotubes, nanowires, carbide derived carbons and nanofibers) for green energy related applications such as,

Advanced hybrid CNT-metal composite for efficient electric energy delivery:

Lightweight Conductor o Inductive Coil o EMI Shielding

Nanoarchitectured macrosize materials for energy systems:

Electrochemical Capacitor o Li Ion Battery o Fuel Cell
Thermoelectric o Photovoltaic

2. Explore and explain the fundamental nanoscale properties of nanostructures.

This faculty member is associated with the Penn State Intercollege Graduate Degree Program (IGDP) in Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) where a multitude of perspectives and cross-disciplinary collaboration within research is highly valued. Graduate students in the IGDP in MatSE may work with faculty members from across Penn State.

Recent Activities

Synthesis of unbundled metallic and semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes.
Transport and thermoelectric properties of boron doped single-wall carbon nanotubes.
Plasmonic effect in boron doped single-wall carbon nanotubes.
Optical response of magnetically aligned Fe/Fe3O4 nanopheres-elastomer composite.

Publications

Recent Publications

Kofi W. Adu, Qixiu Li, Sharvil C. Desai, Anton N. Sidorov, Gamini U. Sumanasekera and Angela D. Lueking “Morphological, Structural, and Chemical Effects in Response of Novel Carbide Derived Carbon Sensor to NH3, N2O, and Air” Langmuir 25, 582 (2009)
X. M. Liu, H. E. Romero, H. R. Gutierrez, K. Adu and P. C. Eklund “Transparent BoronDoped Carbon Nanotube Films” Nano Lett., ,8, 2613 (2008)
Qiujie Lu, Kofi W. Adu, Humberto Gutiérrez, Gugang Chen, Kok-Keong Lew, Pramod Nimmatoori, Xi Zhang, Elizabeth Dickey, Joan Redwing, Peter Eklund “Raman Scattering from Si1-xGex Alloy Nanowires” J. Phys. Chem. C. 112, 3209 (2008)
K.W. Adu, Q. Xiong, H.R. Gutierrez, G. Chen, and P.C. Eklund "Raman Scattering as a Probe of Phonon Confinement and Surface Optical Modes in Semiconducting Nanowires" Appl. Phys. A. 85 287 (2006)
K. W. Adu, H. R. Gutierrez, P. C. Eklund “Raman-active Phonon Line Profiles in Semiconducting Nanowires” Vibrational Spectroscopy. 42, 165 (2006)
K. W. Adu, H. R. Gutierrez, U. J. Kim, P. C. Eklund “Inhomogeneous Laser Heating and Phonon Confinement in Silicon Nanowires. A micro-Raman Studies” Phys. Rev. B. 73, 155333 (2006). Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology 13(19) (2006)
K. W. Adu, H. R. Gutiérrez, U. J. Kim, G. U. Sumanasekera, P. C. Eklund “Confined Phonons in Si Nanowires” Nano Letters, 5(3) 409-414 (2005)