The fields of Nanoscience and Materials Chemistry are rapidly expanding and multidisciplinary areas of research with diverse applications in biomedicine, energy conversion and storage, optics, electronics and magnetism, among others. Nanoscience is largely focused on the chemistry of structures, materials, or groups of atoms or molecules on the scale of nanometers (10-9 m or one-billionth of a meter). The chemistry that happens at this scale is often completely different than that which occurs at either smaller (single atoms or molecules) or larger (visible to the human eye) length scales and allows us to solve chemical problems and develop materials with radically new and different properties.

UVA Faculty interested in Nanosciences and Materials focus on developing innovative synthetic methods, advanced characterization strategies, multi-scale simulations and new device fabrications, to increase our understanding of structure-property relationships, uncover emergent phenomena and accelerate the transition from lab bench to the consumer. Designing, discovering and synthesizing novel structures through atomic, molecular and nanoscale control is critical to manipulating and improving the chemical and physical properties of materials. For more information on current research underway in the various labs visit their faculty websites below.