Ian Hosein

Syracuse University | SU · Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering

This work presents the synthesis of CuO-NiO nanocomposites under different synthesis conditions. Nanocomposites were synthesized by merging a green synthesis process with a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The synthesis conditions were as follows: concentration of the metal precursors (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 M), pH (9, 10, and 11), synthesis tem...

UV-induced frontal polymerization is an emergent rapid curing method for thermoset resin and its fiber composites which features the generation of a self-sustaining front that propagates within the entire material. This is different from using the commercially available UV curable resin which prohibited the curing of thermoset composites with opaqu...

The dependence on lithium for the energy needs of the world, coupled with its scarcity, has prompted the exploration of postlithium alternatives. Calcium-ion batteries are one such possible alternative owing to their high energy density, similar reduction potential, and naturally higher abundance. A critical gap in calcium-ion batteries is the lack...

Due to the incapability of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) models in simulating the frontal polymerization (FP) process in laminated composites with multiple fiber angles (e.g., cross-ply, angle-ply), modeling a three-dimensional (3D) domain, which is more representative of practical applications, provides critical guidance in the con...

Frontal polymerization (FP) is a promising alternative manufacturing method for thermoset-based fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRP) in comparison with the traditional autoclave/oven-curing method, due to its rapid curing process, low energy consumption, and low cost. Optimizing the weight contents of initiators relative to the resin's mass is...

Calcium-ion batteries emerged as a potential sustainable alternative energy storage system; however, there remains the need to further develop electrolytes to improve their performance. We report a gel polymer electrolyte (GPE)-based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) for calcium ion conduction. The gel electrolyte was synthesized by combining a PVD...

We present the properties and performance of fluorescent waveguide lattices as coatings for solar cells, designed to address the significant mismatch between the solar cell's spectral response range and the solar spectrum. Using arrays of microscale visible light optical beams transmitted through photoreactive polymer resins comprising acrylate and...

The use of calcium (Ca) metal anodes in batteries is currently challenged by the development of a suitable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) that enables effective Ca2+ ion transport. Native calcium electrolytes produce a passivation layer on the surface of the calcium electrodes during cycling, causing a decrease in capacity during cycling and the...

We report here the fabrication of Si-containing carbon pillars for Li-ion battery anodes using a processing technique known as Light-Induced Self-Writing (LISW). An array of optical beams generated using a photomask elicits the growth of vertically-aligned polymer pillars in nanoparticle-containing monomer mixtures. Simultaneously, we direct the Si...

The dependence on lithium for rising global energy demand coupled with the scarcity of lithium necessitates the exploration of post-lithium strategies. Calcium-ion batteries are one such post-lithium strategy that can mitigate rising costs owing to calcium’s natural abundancy. A critical gap in this field is the lack of cathodes capable of intercal...

Solid polymer electrolytes based on semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) were developed for sodium-ion conduction using a boron-centered moiety with polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) chains. The resulting solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) combined the anion-trapping properties of the boron with the weakly coordinating PTHF to achieve enhance...

Calcium batteries are next-generation energy storage technologies with promising techno-economic benefits. However, performance bottlenecks associated with conventional electrolytes with oxygen-based coordination chemistries must be overcome to enable faster cation transport. Here, we report an imidazole-based polymer electrolyte with the highest r...

Deriving battery grade materials from natural sources is a key element to establishing sustainable energy storage technologies. In this work, we present the use of avocado peels as a sustainable source for conversion into hard carbon-based anodes for sodium ion batteries. The avocado peels are simply washed and dried then subjected to a high-temper...

We report the synthesis and characterization of a polymer thin-film structure consisting of two intersecting broadband optical waveguide lattices, and its performance in wide-angle optical energy collection and conversion in silicon solar cells. The structures are synthetically organized via the concurrent irradiation of photoreactive polymer blend...

Calcium batteries are next–generation energy storage technologies with promising techno-economic benefits. However, performance bottlenecks associated to conventional electrolytes with oxygen–based coordination chemistries must be overcome to enable faster cation transport. Here, we report an imidazole–based polymer electrolyte with the highest rep...

We present a theoretical study of the organization of photoreactive polymer blends under irradiation by multiple arrays of intersecting optical beams. In a simulated medium possessing an integrated intensity-dependent refractive index, optical beams undergo self-focusing and reduced divergence. A corresponding intensity-dependent increase in molecu...

We employ the Light–Induced Self–Writing (LISW) technique to fabricate vertically–aligned polymer composite microstructures with core–shell morphology. Nanoparticle (NP) organization occurs simultaneously with the structure growth, to form a distinct NP-rich ‘shell’ layer, and ‘core’ polymer solid. Photopolymerization–driven NP phase–separation was...

Deriving battery grade materials from natural sources is a key element to establishing sustainable energy storage technologies. In this work, we present the use of avocado peels as a sustainable source for conversion into hard carbon based anodes for sodium ion batteries. The avocado peels are simply washed and dried then proceeded to a high temper...

Deriving battery grade materials from natural sources is a key element to establishing sustainable energy storage technologies. In this work, we present the use of avocado peels as a sustainable source for conversion into hard carbon based anodes for sodium ion batteries. The avocado peels are simply washed and dried then proceeded to a high temper...

Calcium (ion) batteries are promising next-generation energy storage systems, owing to their numerous benefits in terms of performance metrics, low-cost, mineral abundance, and economic sustainability. A central and critical area to the advancement of the technology is the development of suitable eletrolytes that allow for good salt solubility, ion...

Calcium batteries are rapidly emerging as a potential, future energy storage technology; however, their advancement relies heavily on understanding of the liquid electrolyte component in terms of stability and interactions with a calcium metal anode. Tetrahydrofuran, a cyclic ether, is an experimentally common and promising solvent for the preparat...

Calcium (ion) batteries are promising next-generation energy storage systems, owing to their numerous benefits in terms of performance metrics, low-cost, mineral abundance, and economic sustainability. A central and critical area to the advancement of the technology is the development of suitable eletrolytes that allow for good salt solubility, ion...

Calcium batteries are rapidly emerging as a potential, future energy storage technology; however, their advancement relies heavily on understanding of the liquid electrolyte component in terms of stability and interactions with a calcium metal anode. Tetrahydrofuran, a cyclic ether, is an experimentally common and promising solvent for the preparat...

Calcium batteries are rapidly emerging as a potential, future energy storage technology; however, their advancement relies heavily on understanding of the liquid electrolyte component in terms of stability and interactions with a calcium metal anode. Tetrahydrofuran, a cyclic ether, is an experimentally common and promising solvent for the preparat...

Calcium (ion) batteries are promising next-generation energy storage systems, owing to their numerous benefits in terms of performance metrics, low-cost, mineral abundance, and economic sustainability. A central and critical area to the advancement of the technology is the development of suitable eletrolytes that allow for good salt solubility, ion...

Calcium (ion) batteries are promising next-generation energy storage systems, owing to their numerous benefits in terms of performance metrics, low-cost, mineral abundance, and economic sustainability. A central and critical area to the advancement of the technology is the development of suitable eletrolytes that allow for good salt solubility, ion...

Calcium batteries are rapidly emerging as a potential, future energy storage technology; however, their advancement relies heavily on understanding of the liquid electrolyte component in terms of stability and interactions with a calcium metal anode. Tetrahydrofuran, a cyclic ether, is an experimentally common and promising solvent for the preparat...

Fabrication of superhydrophobic materials using incumbent techniques involves several processing steps and is therefore either quite complex, not scalable, or often both. Here, the development of superhydrophobic surface-patterned polymer–TiO2 composite materials using a simple, single-step photopolymerization-based approach is reported. The synerg...

Alternatives to lithium-ion batteries are extensively studied due to concerns about lithium availability considering the constant increase in demand for rechargeable batteries. While several studies have investigated different liquid electrolytes, the transport of those ions in their polymer counterparts remains understudied. In this work, we used...

Calcium batteries are promising alternatives to lithium batteries owing to their high energy density, comparable reduction potential, and mineral abundance. However, to meet practical demands in high-performance applications, suitable electrolytes must be developed. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of polymer gel electrolytes for...

We report observations of photopolymerization driven phase-separation in a mixture of a photo-reactive monomer and inorganic nanoparticles. The mixture is irradiated with visible light possessing a periodic intensity profile that elicits photopolymerization along the depth of the mixture, establishing a competition between photo-crosslinking and th...

We report on the synthesis and characterization of perovskite calcium manganese oxide (CaMnO3) as an intercalation compound for calcium ion insertion and extraction. Cyclic voltammetry measurements indicate calcium ion insertion and de-insertion into and from the CaMnO3 host. Differential capacity analysis delineates the potentials at which the ins...

We report on the synthesis, properties, and ion conductivity of a solid polymer electrolyte produced from polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) photo-crosslinked with 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3ʹ,4ʹ-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate (Epoxy), via an active monomer mechanism that facilitates the reaction of the native hydroxyl and epoxide end-groups. Crosslinked sam...

Calcium-ion batteries are promising alternatives for post Lithium-ion batteries. However, their progress remains limited by challenges associated to the development of stable and effective electrolytes. We report for the first time an ionic-liquid polymer gel membrane as both the electrolyte and the separator, for use in a Ca-ion battery operating...

This perspective presents a recently developed approach to organize polymer and polymer composite materials through a new form of light-directed organization of photo-reactive polymeric media. Under suitable conditions, such media will interact with light, in a mutual dynamic process, that results in the spontaneous organization of both the input l...

Calcium batteries are an emerging, next generation energy storage technology undergoing intense research towards viable operation. A key aspect in their development is plating and stripping of a calcium metal anode in suitable electrolytes. Herein, we report that calcium can be plated and stripped at room temperature in an ionic liquid based electr...

Microfiber optic array structures are fabricated and employed as an optical structure overlaying a front-contact silicon solar cell. The arrays are synthesized through light-induced self-writing in a photo-crosslinking acrylate resin, which produces periodically spaced, high-aspect ratio, and vertically-aligned tapered microfibers deposited on a tr...

We report the plating and stripping of calcium metal at room temperature in a mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) solvents using calcium tetrafluoroborate (Ca(BF4)2) as the salt. Calcium is reversibly deposited and removed over several cycles, with associated plating-stripping efficiencies of >95%. Thin layers (~20 µm) o...

Here presented are the properties and performance of a new metallo‐dielectric waveguide array structure as the encapsulation material for silicon solar cells. The arrays are produced through light‐induced self‐writing combined with in situ photochemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Each waveguide comprises a cylindrical core consisting of a h...

Polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) and 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3ʹ,4ʹ-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate (Epoxy) were crosslinked via photocuring to produce solid networks. The networks were loaded with various amount of calcium nitrate to create calcium ion solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs). The ion conductivity was determined by AC impedance spectroscopy, and...

We report that transparent polymer coatings imprinted with tilted planar waveguides significantly reduce optical loss caused by scattering of incident light by the front metal contacts of solar cells. A periodic array of planar waveguides oriented at specific angles with respect to the film’s surface normal efficiently captures and steers incident...

A solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) for calcium-ion conduction was produced and characterized. Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate was photocrosslinked under blue light in the presence of calcium salt to form a stable network with high thermal stability and promising conductivity. An ionic conductivity of 3.4 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm at 110 °C and 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ S/cm at...

Silicon Solar Cells Broadband waveguide arrays created in the protective transparent encapsulant of a solar cell enable the collection of a solar light over a wide angular window, thereby offering the potential to sustain conversion efficiency and performance over the course of the day and across seasons. More details can be found in article number...

A new approach is reported to fabricate micropillar arrays on transparent surfaces by employing the light‐induced self‐writing technique. A periodic array of microscale optical beams is transmitted through a thin film of photo‐crosslinking acrylate resin. Each beam undergoes self‐lensing associated to photopolymerization‐induced changes in the refr...

The nearly hemispherical field of view (FOV) of arthropodal compound eyes has inspired analogs ranging from curved, lens‐patterned domes to planar constructs patterned with microlenses. A radial distribution of cylindrical waveguides that monotonically spans ±33° confers an FOV of 115° to a slim (≤3 mm) polymer film. This is the greatest panoramic...

The authors report on the enhancement in optical energy conversion in silicon solar cells encapsulated with a polymer film comprising of waveguide array structures. The structures are fabricated through light‐induced self‐writing with periodic arrangements of optical beams transmitted through a binary component photopolymer, wherein a periodic core...

We report on the synthesis and characterization of a solid polymer electrolyte for aluminum ion conduction. The solid polymer electrolyte is produced via the copolymerization of a low molecular weight polytetrahydrofuran and a cycloaliphatic epoxy. The crosslinked copolymer is swollen in THF solutions of different concentrations of aluminum nitrate...

The fabrication of a new type of solar cell encapsulation architecture comprising a periodic array of step-index waveguides is reported. The materials are fabricated through patterning with light in a photoreactive binary blend of crosslinking acrylate and urethane, wherein phase separation induces the spontaneous, directed formation of broadband,...

Nonlinear optics and polymer systems are distinct fields that have been studied for decades. These two fields intersect with the observation of nonlinear wave propagation in photoreactive polymer systems. This has led to studies on the nonlinear dynamics of transmitted light in polymer media, particularly for optical self-trapping and optical modul...

When encoded with a 3D network of interconnected and pentadirectional waveguides, an otherwise passive polymer film transforms into an intelligent optical element—a waveguide encoded lattice (WEL)—that combines a panoramic field of view, infinite depth of field and powerful capacity to perform multiple imaging operations such as divergence-free tra...

We report on the fabrication of an open cellular solid structure using visible light photocuring in combination with light-induced self-writing. A visible light sensitive photopolymer is irradiated with multiple arrays of microscale optical beams, which are generated from LEDs. These beams undergo self-trapping and elicit the inscription of microsc...

Simulations are presented for binary phase morphologies prepared via coupling the self-trapping properties of light with photopolymerization induced phase separation in blends of reactive monomer and inert linear chain polymer. The morphology forming process is simulated based on a spatially varying photopolymerization rate, dictated by self-trappe...

We report a fundamentally new nonlinear dynamic system that couples optical autocatalytic behavior to phase evolution in photoreactive binary polymer blends. Upon exposure to light, the blend undergoes spontaneous patterning into a dense arrangement of microscale polymer filaments. The filaments' growth in turn induces local spinodal decomposition...

Silicon solar cells are the most widely deployed modules owing to their low-cost manufacture, large market, and suitable efficiencies for residential and commercial use. Methods to increase their solar energy collection must be easily integrated into module fabrication. We perform a theoretical and experimental study on the light collection propert...

We report cross-link-tunable, nonlinear optical pattern formation of transmitted light in a photopolymer undergoing free-radical polymerization. Photopolymerization induces microscale filamentation of a uniform, broad transmitted beam, which corresponds to a concurrent spatial evolution in cross-linked morphology in the photopolymer. Because the ph...

Our group previously reported an optochemical organization route to 3-D optical and microstructural lattices that combines the spontaneity of self-organisation to the precision and directionality of lithography. This method exploits the inherent instability of a broad, uniform beam of white light propagating in a photopolymer and its consequent div...

Our group previously reported an optochemical organization route to 3-D optical and microstructural lattices that combines the spontaneity of self-organisation to the precision and directionality of lithography. This method exploits the inherent instability of a broad, uniform beam of white light propagating in a photopolymer and its consequent div...

We previously showed that large populations (<10, 000 cm-3) of self-induced cylindrical multimode waveguides spontaneously form when an incoherent white light field suffers modulation instability in a photopolymerizable medium. By deliberately modulating the optical field and employing multiple beams, we then generated a diverse range of waveguide...

We report the synthesis and study of the photoluminescence properties of colloidal lanthanide(III)-doped Ga 2 O 3 nanocrystals. The Ga 2 O 3 nanocrystal host lattice acts as a sensitizer of the Eu 3+ dopant red emission arising from intra-4f orbital transitions, and concurrently exhibits a strong blue photoluminescence originating from defect-based...

Multiple, intersecting lattices of multimode and polychromatic waveguides were fabricated in photopolymerizable media. The cumulative collection angle ranges of the lattices permits wide-angle light capture, which may enhance power output in solar cells.

The ability to control both spin and charge degrees of freedom in semiconductor nanostructrures is at heart of spintronic and quantum information technologies. Magnetically-doped semiconductor nanowires have emerged as a promising platform for spintronics, which warrants the exploration of their synthesis, electronic structure, and magnetic propert...

Carbon-Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (C-LTO) and carbon nanotube-Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (CNT-LTO) nanocomposite particles have been synthesized by hydrothermal method and a following high-temperature calcinations using a mixture of micro-size Li-Ti-O precursors and conducting black and carbon nanotubes, respectively. Two different types of coating layers have been charac...

Carbon nanotube-spinel lithium titanate (CNT-Li4Ti5O12) nanoparticles have been synthesized by hydrothermal reaction and higher-temperature calcinations with LiOH·H2O and TiO2 precursors in the presence of carbon nanotubes sources. The CNT-Li4Ti5O12 nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high angle annular dark field (HAA...

We studied the electronic structure and magnetization of Mn dopants in GaN nanowires at the ensemble and single nanowire levels by near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopies. The results of single nanowire measurements indicate that Mn adopts tetrahedral coordination in GaN nanowires and has mixed oxidation state (Mn2+/Mn3+), with Mn2...

Control of electron spins in individual magnetically doped semiconductor nanostructures has considerable potential for quantum information processing and storage. The manipulations of dilute magnetic interactions have largely been restricted to low temperatures, limiting their potential technological applications. Among the systems predicted to be...

The self-assembly of polystyrene dimer- and spherocylinder-shaped colloids is achieved via controlled drying on glass and silicon substrates. 3D monoclinic colloidal crystal structures are determined from scanning electron microscopy images of sections prepared using focused ion-beam (FIB) milling. Full photonic bandgaps between the eighth and nint...

Theoretical calculations of the photonic band gap forming properties are reported for a class of colloidal dimer-based structures with similarity to zinc blende and which map onto diamond or opalline face-centered cubic structures at the extrema in shape parameters. Inspired by the range of nonspherical building blocks for self-assembly synthesized...

Nonspherical particles of pear-like and spherocylinder shape were organized into diverse two-dimensional (2D) structures, including the orientationally disordered rotator. Dry films with hexagonal, oblique, and centered rectangular symmetry were obtained by using convective assembly to condense and confine the system in a thin meniscus region. Mont...

Monodisperse peanut-shaped particles having various chemical compositions, architectures (core–shell and hollow) and properties (optical and magnetic) were prepared from hematite templates. The colloids enable shape programming alone, optical manipulation, or magnetic field approaches to assembly.

Monolayer films from polystyrene asymmetric dimer colloidal particles were formed on a silicon substrate using a heat assisted vertical deposition technique. In dilute particle suspensions of systematically varied concentrations, the system maximizes the packing efficiency within a thin meniscus region. Structures with positional order and orientat...

Monolayers from mushroom cap-shaped polymer colloids were fabricated by a vertical substrate deposition technique. As confirmed by SEM and autocorrelation analysis, the monolayers show long-range hexagonal packing with particle orientational freedom restricted to either "heads up" or "heads down" alignment with respect to the substrate. The monolay...

Ordered ZnS-based colloidal crystals from homogeneous, core-shell, and hollow building blocks were prepared via electrosteric colloid stabilization combined with a convective assembly technique. The polyelectrolyte stabilized colloids assembled into face-centered cubic arrays with the (111) face perpendicular to the substrate. Structure-property co...

The on-chip magnetic solenoid inductors with Fe3O4 magnetite nanorod (MN) cores are fabricated and characterized up to 40 GHz. By vibrating-sample magnetometer measurements, the magnetic property of MN as a magnetic core for a solenoid inductor is investigated. In addition, high-frequency characterization with scattering parameter measurements is p...