Robert Hughes

Research Interests

Professor Hughes' primary area of expertise is in materials synthesis, characterization, and application. The scope of materials investigated include plasmonic nanostructures, bulk and nanoscale catalysts, ferroelectrics, semiconducting nanowires, II-VI semiconductor films, shape memory alloys, metallic oxides, and high temperature superconductors. The material synthesis techniques used are diverse and include self-assembly, directed-assembly, seed-mediated solution phase syntheses, pulsed laser deposition, sputter deposition, and both conventional and unconventional evaporation techniques. He is currently pursuing applications in the areas of plasmonics, catalysis, photocatalysis, and chemical sensing.