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OSU professor’s work could lead to changes in Silicon Valley

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Dr. Scott Weinert researches more effective alternatives to silicon-based materials.

Most smartphone or computer chip technology is synonymous with California’s Silicon Valley. The technology hub gets its name from the chemical element silicon, which is widely used in computer chip technology. 

Dr. Scott Weinert, an associate professor of chemistry at Oklahoma State University, received a three-year $390,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to research how the chemical element germanium could lead to more effective chip technology.  

“Germanium lies below silicon on the table of elements,” Weinert said. “By studying the structure of germanium and understanding its properties, we hope to synthesize oligogermanes [shorter, finite versions of germanium molecular chains] that can surpass the semi-conductivity of related silicon-based materials.”

Weinert’s research with germanium is widely known in the field of synthetic chemistry. As part of a three-day European lecture tour last summer, he was invited to speak at the University of Freiburg in Germany, where Clemens Winkler discovered germanium in 1886. 

The highly competitive grant from the NSF chemical synthesis division will open many doors for Weinert’s research and for his graduate students.

(From left) Sangeetha Komanduri and Alex Shumaker, OSU chemistry graduate students, assist with Weinert’s research.

“Getting the grant is great because germanium is somewhat rare and can be costly,” third-year graduate student Sangeetha Komanduri said. “Synthesizing oligomers using germanium as the backbone chain and altering its other properties will help with research and production costs.”

Weinert was previously awarded an NSF career grant (2009-2015). The current grant represents nine years of NSF-supported funding for his oligogermane research program.

PHOTOS:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/ostatenews/albums/72157657642011979

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