As the popularity of electric vehicles continues to rise so does the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIB). A common cathode material for LIBs used in electric vehicles is lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides (Li-Ni_xCo_yMn_1−x−yO₂, NMC). This is due to its high specific capacity (160 – 200 mAh/g) and voltage (~3.6 V). Currently, there are two types of battery recycling methods that are in use in at an industry level scale: hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy.

Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor materials that emit light when current passes through them. The discovery of LEDs in 1962 has revolutionized modern optoelectronics. These LEDs have evolved from the early GaAsP-based red emitters to more efficient GaN-based devices, and the latest development is LEDs incorporating perovskite quantum dots.

The UGA Department of Chemistry welcomes Dr. Aaron Aponick as the next Head of the Department, effective November 1, 2025. Dr. Aponick earned his B.S. in Chemistry from Lebanon Valley College in 1998 and completed his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the University of Michigan in 2003, where he was recognized as an Eastman Kodak and ACS Division of Organic Chemistry Fellow. He went on to conduct postdoctoral research at Stanford University as a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow. 

The carriers of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are still largely unknown although polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon chains, and fullerenes are likely candidates. A recent analysis of the properties of n-acenes of general formula C4n+2H2n+4 suggested that these could be potential carriers of some DIBs. Dehydrogenation reactions of n-acenes after absorption of an interstellar UV photon may result in dehydroacenes.

Understanding low-temperature combustion mechanisms of hydrocarbons is aided by isomer-resolved experiments and chemical kinetics modeling of complex species. Alkyl-substituted cyclic ethers are intermediates formed during low-temperature oxidation and are derived from unimolecular reactions of hydroperoxyalkyl radicals (Q̇OOH). To understand the combustion of these cyclic ethers and differences in stereochemistry, comparison of chemical kinetics modeling with species profiles produced from the competing network reactions are required.

Carbon’s diverse bonding configurations give rise to an exceptional range of nanostructures. These discoveries have inspired intensive research into carbon nanomaterials and their self-organization into functional architectures. This review traces the evolution of carbon nanomaterials and focuses on three representative structural units: fullerenes, carbon dots, and carbon nanotubes.

The use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for cancer theranostics—combining diagnosis and therapy into a single system—has been one of the most promising nanoplatforms. Their tunable optical and surface features make it possible to transform light into heat for photothermal treatment, generate reactive oxygen species for photodynamic therapy, and carry chemotherapeutics or antibodies for immunotherapy.

Scintillators are widely known and used in various fields such as radiation detection, industry inspection, and specifically for their applications in the medical imaging field. Current scintillators such as Cs:TI possess promising features but have several drawbacks: the use of toxic elements, limited stability, time-consuming preparation processes, etc. With these issues, the advancement of X-ray imaging technologies demands scintillators that are not only highly efficient but also stable, flexible, and environmentally benign.