The physico-chemical properties of materials are highly dependent on the 3D arrangement of atoms that build them. For example, diamonds are hard, transparent and expensive. Graphite is black, soft and cheap. Both are pure carbon though. The difference comes from the distinct 3D arrangement of carbon atoms in diamonds and graphite. In particular, carbon atoms in diamonds form a tetrahedral network whereas carbon atoms in graphite form a stack of hexagonal layers.

Our research aims at determining the 3D atomic structure of materials by x-ray diffraction and computer simulations. Research is done using in-house equipment at CMU and x-ray radiation delivered by synchrotron sources. Largely, we employ the atomic pair distribution function technique to study materials with a limited degree of structural coherence ranging from liquids and glasses to nanoparticles and imperfect crystals.

Examples of our work:

.Au nanowires ........................Charge density waves .........................In operando fuel cells ...............................................Minerals

Water ....................................................Low-crystalline drugs ..............................Natural Cellulose ................................................Batteries

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