The project aims to develop strategies to enhance the thermal stability of metal chalcogenide materials.

Minxiang “Glenn” Zeng, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas Tech University, has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS-MPS) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to further his research about printable semiconductors and electronics under extreme environments.  

The grant supports Zeng’s work in understanding and controlling the thermal degradation pathways of printed metal chalcogenides, which are semiconductor materials including selenides, tellurides and sulfides. His goal is to develop strategies to enhance the thermal stability of metal chalcogenide materials, which will help design resilient semiconductor chalcogenides for printed electronics. 

Semiconductors can be found virtually everywhere, including in computers, sensors and healthcare devices. Discovering how to make metal chalcogenide materials thermally stable would enable chalcogenide-based solar cells to be more durable in hot climates and allow for more stable sensors in spaceships. 

“The ability to expand the options in addition to silicon semiconductors is important,” Zeng said. “However, metal chalcogenides are not very stable at high temperatures. This research will help fill this gap by enhancing their stability, which is critical for large-scale application.”

This research also will help address the global electronic waste problem. 

“A lot of electronics have semiconductor components and their service life is also related to whether those are stable,” Zeng explained. “So, if we can enhance this stability, then the electronics might last longer and we’ll have less e-waste.”

Under the LEAPS-MPS grant, Zeng plans to develop a printing-based, high-throughput synthesis technique for solid-solution chalcogenides. He compares this innovative method to cooking 10 recipes at a time versus one, without the high-energy processes typically required with synthesizing and manipulating complex chalcogenide systems.

“This includes not only solid-solution metal chalcogenides but potentially applicable metals, oxides, ceramics and advanced composites,” Zeng said. “It will enable faster and more detailed exploration of their thermal, chemical and electronic properties.” 

The project aligns with the department’s strengths in material research on semiconductors and is expected to enhance the research infrastructure. This will attract top-tier students, further establishing the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering as a leader in semiconductor research and materials science. It also will foster interdisciplinary collaboration in developing environmentally resilient solid-solution metal chalcogenides. 

“Research carried out in Dr. Zeng’s group will have a strong impact in the field of printable semiconductors,” said Rajesh Khare, the department chair of Chemical Engineering.

The project includes a strong component of teaching and educational outreach. Integrating research outcomes into the curriculum will provide students with knowledge and experience in the latest techniques, such as high-throughput synthesis. 

“When people think of semiconductors, they might not often consider options beyond traditional rigid silicon,” Zeng said. "However, there are many possibilities in semiconductors, and at Texas Tech, we are exploring emerging candidates like printable electronics made from semiconductor nano-inks.