HDR Final Seminar Series - April session

5 Minutes with Yuzhe Yang, PhD Candidate

Give your thesis a catchy title:

Understanding the growth mechanisms of MoTe2 nanostructures

Describe your thesis in 100 words or less:

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted increasing research interest due to their exotic physical properties, but their high-yield and phase- and shape-controlled synthesis remains a challenge for their practical device applications. Among TMDs, MoTe2, with exceptionally small energy difference between semiconducting and semimetallic phases among Mo- and W-based TMDs, has potential for many promising applications. In this thesis, facile chemical vapour deposition (CVD) methods were developed to synthesize novel MoTe2 nanostructures, and their corresponding growth mechanisms were investigated by advanced electron microscopy analyses. This project enriches the fundamental understanding of the growth mechanisms of TMDs.  

What are the most important implications of your research? 

• Development of a facile CVD method to synthesize shape-controlled atomically thin MoTe2 crystals and the corresponding growth mechanism was clarified.
• Development of a facile CVD method to synthesize high-yield atomically thin Mo(Te1-xSx)2, from which we clarify the mechanism of how such ultrathin Mo(Te1-xSx)2 sheets are secured and the role of intercalations in the interfaces of Mo(Te1-xSx)2 sheets.
• The phase engineering of MoTe2 is achieved via elemental doping and a new low-symmetry crystal structure of MoTe2 is also identified.

Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t already know:

I hope that I can obtain a postdoctoral position in Vienna in the future since I like music.

What is a takeaway thought for the audience?

The results of experiments may be more interesting than you think.

Special presenters

15 minutes with UQ’s Ventures Team, Emily de la Peña and Nimrod Klayman.

Venturing beyond engineering and research

Tell us more about UQ Ventures:

UQ Ventures reflects the entrepreneurial spirit of our community, to be bold and adventurous in working together to find opportunities and solve challenges that create positive change locally and globally.

Join Ventures in exploring entrepreneurial opportunities and career pathways from engineering and research. Discover free experiences available for UQ students, staff and alumni, including Ventures programs, activities, and events. Broaden your research strengths with entrepreneurial mindset and skills. Ventures Pop-ups will help develop students’ entrepreneurial mindset, empowering them to be creative, adaptable, tolerant of ambiguity and risk, and able to learn from failure.

What are some of the most important implications of your work? 

• Pop up workshops, to enhance entrepreneurial thinking at UQ
• Fireside chat with entrepreneurial engineers (Endla – coal seam gas solutions, Open Induction – electric hybrid jet engine, Deep Connection – robotic prosthetics, Envirometrics.io – mining rehabiliation, Valiant Space – space propulsion)

Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t already know:

Nimrod Klayman, Head of Ventures, started his entrepreneurial journey as a 10-year-old selling his sister’s toys.

Emily de la Pena, Ventures ilab Manager, civil engineer, English teacher, salsa dancer, and Olympic weightlifting enthusiast.

What is a takeaway thought for the audience?

Create your own career opportunity with your unique engineering insights.