Apparao M. Rao

condensed matter experiment
Office: Center for Appied Energy Research
Office telephone (606) 257-0216
Lab: 154 Chem-Physics
Phone: (606) 257-1321
e-mail: rao@pop.uky.edu

Research interests

My current research interests focus on the synthesis, characterization and applications of nanostructured materials. My usual characterization tools are Raman scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, visible-UV absorption, electroluminescence, photoluminescence, and electrical transport measurements. Synthesis techniques used in my research include pulsed laser vaporization, CO2 laser pyrolysis technique, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition by resistive heating and sputtering. Specific materials of interest are carbon nanotubes and fullerenes (including fullerene polymers, superconducting fullerenes, doped carbon nanotubes, and nanotube reinforced fibers and composites). Applications are aimed towards using carbon nanotubes as field emission devices, scanning probe tips and reinforcing elements in high strength high performance materials.

Education

B.S. University of Bombay, India 1983

Ph. D. University of Kentucky 1989

Selected Publications

Fullerene Polymers and Fullerene Polymer Composites , P. C. Eklund and A. M. Rao, Editors, Springer Series in Materials Science Vol. 38 (in press).
Solution Properties of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes J. Chen, H. Hui, Y. Chen, A. M. Rao, P. C. Eklund, and R. C. Haddon, Science 28295 (1998).
Effect of the growth environment temperature on the diameter of single wall carbon nanotubes S. Bandow, S. Asaka, Y. Saito, A. M. Rao, L. Grigorian, E. Richter and P. C. Eklund, Phys. Rev. Lett. 803779 (1998).
Raman Scattering Study of Charge Transfer in Doped Carbon Nanotube Bundles A. M. Rao, P. C. Eklund, S. Bandow, A. Thess, and R. E. Smalley, Nature 388257 (1997).
Diameter-Selective Raman Scattering from Vibrational Modes in Carbon Nanotubes A.M. Rao, E. Richter, S. Bandow, B. Chase, P.C. Eklund, K.A. Williams, S. Fang, K.R. Subbaswamy, M. Menon, A. Thess, R.E. Smalley, G. Dresselhaus and M.S. Dresselhaus, Science 275187 (1997).
Synthesis and Characterization of Nanophase materials generated by the CO2 Laser Pyrolysis Technique , R. Ochoa, X. X. Bi, A. M. Rao and P. C. Eklund, in The Chemistry of Transition Metal Nitrides and Carbides edited S. T. Oyama, Editor, Chapman and Hall, Ltd, England 8Chapter 27 (1996).
Photo-induced polymerization of solid C60 films , A. M. Rao, P. Zhou, K. A. Wang, G. T. Hager, J. M. Holden, Y. Wang, W. T. Lee, X. X. Bi, P. C. Eklund, D. S. Cornett, M. A. Duncan and I. J. Amster, Science 259955 (1993).