Speaker: Dr. Chris Grieco, Auburn University
Title: “Illuminating the Heterogeneous Structure of Eumelanin using Transient Hole Burning Spectroscopy”
Abstract: Eumelanin is a brown photoprotective pigment that colors our hair, eyes, and skin. Aside from its natural sunscreen function, recent work suggests that synthetic eumelanin can be used as conductive materials for applications including electrochemical energy storage. However, the structures and photochemical pathways of its heterogeneous constituents are unknown, hindering the development of rational design principles. In this talk, I will discuss how transient hole burning spectroscopy can be used to tease out structural and photochemical information about the chromophores that make up eumelanin, despite its extreme chemical heterogeneity. I will also discuss how we discovered intriguing connections between eumelanin and the broader superfamily of disordered carbonaceous nanomaterials, and how our eumelanin studies create a foundation for forthcoming work in petroleum science.

The Chemistry and Biochemistry Departmental Seminar Series covers a broad range of fields in the Chemical and Biochemical Sciences. In past seminars, scientists from Academia, Government, and Industry have presented their most recent discoveries and contributions in their respective areas. This Seminar Series offers students and faculty the opportunity to interact directly with other leaders in their specializations and to gain a good overview of the entire range of fields in Chemistry and Biochemistry.

This seminar will take place in person.