• Physics and Astronomy Colloquium

September 4, 2026 3:30 PM - September 4, 2026 4:30 PM
PAIS 1100

Host:

Tonmoy Chakraborty

Presenter:

Prof. Sanchari Chowdhury (New Mexico Tech)

Our research group focuses on the development of optically active nanostructures such as plasmonic nanoparticles which can strongly absorb broad spectrum of light and convert that into other forms of energies such as thermal, chemical, and electrical energy. Plasmonic nanoparticles can convert light into nanoscale heat or generate excited charge carriers to drive energy-expensive processes more efficiently, in a mild and sustainable way. Over the past decade, our group has focused on refractory transition-metal nitride nanomaterials as alternatives to conventional noble-metal plasmonic materials. Transition-metal nitrides offer lower cost, high thermal and chemical stability, and tunable optical properties. Their resilience under harsh operating conditions makes them attractive for photothermal, photocatalytic, and energy-conversion applications. In this seminar, I will first introduce the fundamental principles of localized surface plasmon resonances in nanostructures. I will then discuss our work to understand the optoelectronic properties and photoexcited-carrier relaxation dynamics of plasmonic transition-metal nitride nanocrystals. Finally, I will focus on our efforts to develop refractory plasmonic nanoparticles for three different applications (i) solar energy enhanced recycling of polymers, (ii) photonic nanomaterials assisted additive manufacturing of thermosets, and, (iii) light mediated deposition of single transition metal atoms.

About Sanchari Chowdhury

I am currently associate professor in Chemical Engineering Department of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT). The interests of our research group evolve around the development of optically active nanostructures such as plasmonic nanoparticles for different applications, ranging from the recycling polymer to solar energy conversion. Our group uses both experimental and theoretical tools to gain a fundamental understanding of the optical and electronic properties of different plasmonic nanoparticles and their composites. We particularly focus on the development of alternative refractory plasmonic nanomaterials which can replace conventional plasmonic materials such as gold and silver. Our research is  funded by DOE, NSF, ACS PRF and Private Industry. The research training, I received from my Ph.D. at University of South Florida and Postdoctoral research work at Carnegie Mellon University, helped me to grow as a researcher. Ultimately my love for teaching and my desire to share my passion for Chemical Engineering with students led me to choose the career as a faculty.