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Professor Chhiu-Tsu (C.T.) Lin

Distinguished Teaching Professor
Distinguished Research Professor
Recipient of Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award

CT Lin

Professor
Office:  La Tourette Hall 323
Phone:  (815) 753-6861
ctlin@niu.edu

Educational Background

IBM World Trade Visiting Scientist, Thomas J. Watson Research Center, 1981-1982

Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1974

M.S., Brock University, 1971

B.S., Tamkang University, 1966

Curriculum Vitae pdf


Research Interests

Molecular electronic spectroscopy; biophysical chemistry; lasers and their chemical applications for better materials science.

 

Representative Publications

Anatase TiO2 nanocomposites for antimicrobial coatings. Fu, G.; Vary, P. S.; Lin, C. T. (2005) J. Phys. Chem. B, 109: 8889–8898.

Reduction of Cr(VI) assisted by sol-gel generated electron-hole centers. Zaitoun, M. A.; Bailey, L. S.; Brinkley, J. F.; Dickerson, C. M.; Lin, C. T. (2005) J. Sol.-Gel Sci. Technol., 36: 173–182.

Spectral fingerprints of bacterial strains by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Kim, T.; Specht, Z. G.; Vary, P. S.; Lin, C. T. (2004) J. Phys. Chem. B, 108: 5477–5482.

Molecular complexes of IQ and 4-hydroxy-coumarin: A mutagen–anti-mutagen system. Marques, A. D. S.; Lin, C. T. (2004) Photochem. Photobiol., 74: 63–71.

Simultaneous acid catalysis and in situ phosphatization using a polyester-melamine paint: A surface phosphatization study. Whitten, M. C.; Burke, V. J.; Neuder, H. A.; Lin, C.-T. (2003) Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 42: 3671-3679.

Charge-transfer complexes of Cu(II)/HD analogue in sol-gel sensors. Brinkley, J. F.; Kirkey, M. L.; Marques, A. D. S.; Lin, C.-T. (2003) Chem. Phys. Lett., 367: 39-43.

Chrome-free single-step in-situ phosphatizing coatings on a Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy. Neuder, H. A.; Lin, C. T. (2002) J. Coatings Technol., 74: 1-5.

Green chemistry in-situ phosphatizing coatings. Lin, C.-T. (2001) Prog. Org. Coatings, 42: 226-245.

Chemical Means to Better Materials

Better materials through chemistry is our current research interest. Material processings in the forms of thin films (e.g., excimer laser "direct-write" patterns), ceramics, coatings and sol-gels (e.g., xerogels) are designed and fabricated for some specific applications. Photophysical and electrochemical characterizations of the processed materials are carried out by using surface/interface Colorimetric detection of analogues of the chemical warfare agent HD (mustard gas) techniques, time-resolved optical/laser spectroscopy, FTIR/Raman spectroscopy, thermochemical and electrochemical analysis, and electrical and magnetic measurements. Other analytical advancements sought include the design and development of a portable laser-induced breakdown spectroscope (LIBS) for spectral fingerprinting of bacterial strains and the determination of paint failures.

Figure 1

Various areas are currently under investigation:

  1. Chemistry of a single-step phosphate/paint system. Research focuses on the use of green chemistry principles in the development of novel sol-gel and in-situ phosphatizing coatings (ISPCs) for corrosion inhibition on metal surfaces, conductive coatings on wood and plastics, and anti-fingerprint coatings on metal alloys.
  2. A deposition by aqueous acetate solution (DAAS) process for synthesizing colossal magnetoresistance, and ferroelectric ceramics, and their extrinsic ion-doped perovskites. The DAAS technique has the potential to deposit nanoparticle ceramics, nanograin films, and nanowires of ceramic perovskites over a variety of large area substrates with high throughput and low cost for solid-state memory devices and EMI shields.
  3. Figure 2An integrated optical sensor for chemical and biological agents. This research focuses on the development of an integrated optical sensing system that combines colorimetric concentrator-indicators with LIBS spectral fingerprints of five different bacterial strains laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to achieve fast, comprehensive identification of chemical and biological warfare agents. The image above shows a colorimetric detection system for an analogue of HD (mustard gas), while the image at right shows the spectral fingerprints (by LIBS) of five different bacterial strains.