MSE Seminar: Peter Sushko

Event interval: Single day event
Campus room: IEB G106
Accessibility Contact: Matthew Yankowitz, myank@uw.edu
Event Types: Lectures/Seminars

Title: Understanding and Controlling Interfacial Constraints for Predictive Materials Synthesis

Abstract: Advancements in materials for energy functions and novel computing devices rely on mastering synthesis processes to achieve precise control over material structures and properties. In this seminar, I will examine the pivotal role of interfacial constraints in determining the structure and functionality of materials, emphasizing the need for a detailed understanding of their atomic- scale origins—from interactions and strain to structural inhomogeneity and compositional Variability.

I will present case studies illustrating this need. First, I will discuss how interfacial bonding and strain can control the crystallographic orientations of PdO, Pd, and Ta—materials vital for catalysis and superconducting qubits. I will also explore the role of subsurface interactions by showcasing how interstitial Te atoms in WTe 2 promote monodispersed Pd cluster formation and how subsurface H atoms influence the catalytic properties of Pd nanostructures. Finally, I will highlight the role of internal interfaces, such as grain boundaries, in facilitating these processes. These examples underscore the importance of understanding atomic-scale deviations in crystallographic and compositional order, controlling these deviations, and leveraging them to guide the synthesis and transformation of functional materials.

Bio: Dr. Peter Sushko is a computational materials scientist in the Physical Sciences Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). He earned his BSc and MSc degrees in physics from St. Petersburg State University, Russia. He then completed his PhD in physics at University College London (UCL), UK, where he developed an embedded cluster approach to simulate the electronic properties of point defects in ionic materials. In 2008, Dr. Sushko was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship and joined the UCL Department of Physics and Astronomy as a Lecturer, subsequently becoming a Reader. In 2014, he joined PNNL as the leader of the Materials Sciences group in the Physical Sciences Division. In 2021, he became the coordinator for the DOE Office of Sciences Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering sector at PNNL. His research focuses on uncovering atomic-scale mechanisms of defect formation and transport, as well as predicting how disorder and defects influence material properties and functions. He has co-authored over 220 peer-reviewed papers on the physical and chemical properties of nanostructured materials and interfacial phenomena.