Timothy M. Swager
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Primary Section: 14, Chemistry Secondary Section: 33, Applied Physical Sciences Membership Type:
Member
(elected 2008)
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Research Interests
My research is focused on molecule-based designs for the creation of advanced materials and devices. We established a new paradigm in chemical sensors, by demonstrating that molecular wires (electronic polymers) can amplify individual chemosensory events.These amplification principles function in both resistive- and fluorescence-based sensors. I have worked to extend these amplification methods to real-world applications including hand-held explosives detectors presently being used by the US military that are orders of magnitude more sensitive than present airport security systems. My research includes other areas in advanced materials, including the development of liquid crystals capable of undergoing cooperative polar and chiral organizations, the design of functional transition metal containing liquid crystals, new principles for the creation of anisotropic materials based upon the minimization of free volume, novel synthetic approaches to electronic materials, the chemistry/organization of carbon nanotubes, and the design of highly conductive metallo-organic polymers.
