Prashant Jain

 Prashant Jain
Prashant Jain he/him/his
Professor, Chemistry
(217) 333-3417
A224 Chemical and Life Sci Lab

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Biography

Professor Jain received his B.Tech. from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai and his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Georgia Tech. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard and a Miller Fellow at UC Berkeley, prior to joining the University of Illinois chemistry faculty. He has affiliations with the Materials Research Lab, the Department of Physics, and the Beckman Institute. His research focuses on the understanding and control of light-matter interactions on the nanoscale and the use of confined light for artificial photosynthesis and imaging atomistic dynamics of complex solids and catalysts.

Research Statement

Light-matter interactions are central in nature, life, and in technology. There arethree aspects of the light-matter interface that we study using spectroscopy, microscopy, and theory:

i) We employ the rich interplay between visible light and metal catalysts for selective formation of energy-rich chemical bonds.

ii) We image with unprecedented resolution chemical reactions on surfaces or in nanoparticles.

iii) We design materials and coax them into exhibiting non-natural optical or optoelectronic phenomena.

We are a diverse team with interest and expertise in spectroscopy, materials science, and condensed matter physics. The tools we use include single-molecule spectroscopy, nanofabrication, high-resolution electron microscopy, and plasmonics. The systems we investigate range from artificial photosynthetic systems to nanophotonic switches. Specific research areas include the following:

Super-Resolution Imaging of Heterogeneous Catalysts. Catalytic processes, despite their importance in the chemical industry as well as in solar-to-fuel conversion, remain poorly understood. This is primarily because of the involvement of surfaces that are often chemically complex and heterogeneous. In most cases, the identity of the active site is still in question. Our lab is using single-molecule super-resolution imaging techniques borrowed from the the biophysics community, and high-resolution electron microscopy, to resolve individual active sites on a catalyst surface. By mapping the distribution, structural composition, and heterogeneity of active sites, we seek to enhance understanding of catalytic materials and processes. Particular focus is on catalysts for water-splitting and CO2 to methanol conversion.

Light-Matter Interactions in the Near Field. The interaction of light with matter is primarily entailed by the excitation of electronic and vibrational modes by the electromagnetic field of light. The characteristic length scale of such excitations is typically on the molecular size scale (ca. 1 Ã…), whereas the characteristic length scale of the electromagnetic field can be defined for a plane wave by its wavelength (ca. 5000 Ã… for visible light). This disparity in length scales between a molecule and the electromagnetic field limits light-matter interactions to common dipole-type processes. By employing strong optical resonances of metal nanostructures to 'squeeze' electromagnetic fields down to the nanoscale (10 Ã…), our lab seeks to bridge the gap between light and molecular excitations and uncover novel photochemistry and photophysical behavior in quantum dots, metalloproteins, chiral molecules, photovoltaic, and photosynthetic systems.

Imaging Phase Transitions in Single Nanocrystals. Phase transitions in solid-state materials often involve interesting dynamics. Since macroscopic solids are typically polycrystalline, such dynamics is smeared out in studies on bulk solids, due to ensemble averaging over different crystalline domains. By acquiring snapshots of a single nanocrystalline domain undergoing a phase transition, our lab is attempting to uncover the dynamic trajectory involved in the nucleation of a new phase. We are developing new optical and spectroscopic methods to acquire snapshots of model phase transitions and also using these techniques to learn new facts about fundamental phenomena such as crystal growth, impurity doping, and correlated electron systems.

Prospective postdocs, students, and collaborators interested in the above research projects are welcome to contact us.

Selected Articles in Journals

Teaching Honors

  • List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students (Fall 12, 15, 16, Spring 14, 15)
  • Journal of Physical Chemistry C Lectureship (2015)

Research Honors

  • Center for Advanced Studies Beckman Fellow (2017)
  • Richard and Margaret Romano Professorial Scholar (2018-)
  • American Vacuum Society Prairie Chapter Early Career Award (2017)
  • Campus Distinguished Promotion Award, UIUC (2017)
  • I. C. Gunsalus Scholar (2017-18)
  • Kavli Emerging Leader in Chemistry and Lectureship, ACS (2017)
  • National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2015)
  • Most Cited Researchers in ChemE as per Elsevier Scopus (2016)
  • American Chemical Society-Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator Award (2014)
  • 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award (2015)
  • Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship (2014)
  • Arnold and Mabel O. Beckman Young Investigator Award (2014)
  • Dupont Young Professor Award (2013)

Recent Courses Taught

  • CHEM 444 - Physical Chemistry II
  • CHEM 445 - Physical Principles Lab I
  • CHEM 447 - Physical Principles Lab II
  • CHEM 545 - Physical Chemistry Seminar