Center For Nanohybrid Functional Materials

The Center for Nanohybrid Functional Materials (CNFM) includes eighteen investigators from six Nebraska colleges and universities. CNFM research is dedicated to the surface science of 3-D ordered nanostructures, and the study of physical and chemical phenomena that occur at their solid–liquid and solid–gas interfaces. CNFM combines expertise in the fields of surface chemistry, surface physics and cell biology. Specifically, CNFM targets the discovery and exploitation of new sensing principles based upon the combination of 3-D ordered nanostructures and chemical or biochemical sensing elements.

Research within CNFM is focused within three complementary and mutually supporting clusters, and includes the acquisition of specialized instrumentation for a developing core facility.

Cluster 1, Nanohybrid Fabrication, focuses on preparation of highly ordered spatially coherent 3-D nanostructures and their hybridization with chemical or biological sensing elements.

Cluster 2, Nanohybrid Characterization and New Sensing Principles, focuses on new characterization and sensing principles based on new surface physics and surface chemistry of the anisotropic nanohybrids, including optical, mechanical, fluidic and electrochemical phenomena.

Cluster 3, Molecular Interactions within Nanohybrid-based devices focuses on potential sensing and separation applications based on molecular interactions within nanohybrid-based devices.