(From Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences)  Invited by Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr. Yanhu Wei from Northwestern University visited TIPC, CAS and gave an academic report entitled From Nanostructure to Function on June 5, 2011.

In the report, Dr. Yanhu Wei firstly introduced his research work on endowing supramolecular or nanoscopic structures with functions. Specifically, his team explored the applications of these structures in the following four areas: (1) photoswitchable nanoparticulate catalysis system in which the catalysis can be switched “ON” or “OFF” by using visible or UV light; (2) a core/shell catalytic reactor that can direct tandem reaction selectively going the desired sequence and avoiding the formation of byproducts; (3) enhanced photocatalytic activity of hybrid Fe₂O₃-Pd nanoparticulate catalysts where Pd nanodomain was used as cocatalysts to improve photoexcited charge separation and suppress the probability of the electron-hole recombination; (4) photocatalytic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) which can effectively photoreduce various metal salts to their corresponding nanoparticles and is potentially photocatalysts for visible light driven organic synthesis, CO₂ reduction and water splitting.

Dr. Yanhu Wei graduated from Brown University with Ph. D in Organic Chemistry in 2006. Now he is a Senior Research Associate in Dept. of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Northwestern University.

Focusing on some hot spots on Nanostructure, the researchers of TIPC,CAS took lively discussion with Dr. Yanhu Wei.