Department of Chemistry

Clemens Burda

Professor of Chemistry

216.368.5918      cxb77@case.edu      Millis 225B

Burda Research Group Site »

Interests: Inorganic Chemistry, Materials, Physical Chemistry, Bio-Inorganic Chemistry, Biophysical Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Nanochemistry, Photochemistry

Ph.D. University of Basel (Switzerland)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia Institute of Technology

NIH R01 (PI: AM Broome CWRU) 2010-2015
NSF NIRT (PI: D. Dixon, Univ. of Alabama) 2007-2011
NSF Career Award for the years 2003 - 2008
ACS-PRF Type G Award 2003-2005
ACS-PRF Type AC 2006-2008

Burda Curriculum Vitae (pdf)


Dr. Burda co-authored a review on the Chemistry and Properties of Nanocrystals of Different Shapes, which is one of the most accessed and cited publications in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

Dr. Clemens Burda is the Director of the Center for Chemical Dynamics and Nanomaterials Research in the Chemistry Department, Case Western Reserve University. Since 2001 he is appointed as a faculty in Physical Chemistry specializing on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. His interests revolve around optically active or activatable nanomaterials for energy conversion, environmental studies, and health applications. This applies in areas such as photovoltaics, photocatalysis, photobiology and biomedicine, including bioimaging, therapy and tissue targeting for drug delivery. Prof. Burda received his chemistry education in Switzerland and graduated as a doctor of philosophy and science with honors in 1997 from the University of Basel. Dr. Burda is a reviewer for top-ranked nanoscience and chemistry journals, an editorial member for the International Journal of Nanotechnology, and an organizer of the Nanomaterials Conference at the 50th annual SPIE meeting in 2005. He is also the co-founder of Cleveland Nanocrystal Inc.

Dr. Burda's work is based on these two simple ideas:

  1. The important issues for our future are mainly Energy, Environment, and Health.
  2. The important solutions to these challenges will come from using mainly Sun Light as abundant and decentralized energy source.

Therefore, his research is focused on the following research topics (for more details please enter the Burda Research Group Web Site):

Nanomaterials to Improve Energy Conversion Schemes

Nanoscience leads to a wide range of energy applications from photovoltaics to thermoelectrics. It is expected, that nanostructures play a pivotal role in the quickly rising areas of energy conversion and energy storage. We synthesize inorganic nanocrystals and control their sizes, compositions, and their surfaces and characterize them with state-of-the-art technology, including electron microscopy with a 1 nanometer resolution and optical spectroscopy with a time-resolution of 100 femotseconds to uncover the often surprising properties of the size-confined materials. For example, we investigate the optoelectronic properties of nanocrystals and develop nanomaterials with properties of interest for the complex nanoarchitectures needed in energy-related applications. Please consult our publications for an update on recent research.

Optoelectronics of Organic and Inorganic Material

Organic materials are the basis of increasingly many materials and devices. However the electronic properties of organic materials, though fascinating, are complex and require detailed spectroscopic investigation. With femtosecond time-resolved laser spectroscopy and imaging techniques the study of ensembles of molecules are performed. The goal of this research is to increase the understanding of the chemical dynamics and the electronic properties of molecules, assemblies, and nanocomposites. The uncovered novel concepts will be guide for the design of new technological or biomedical prototype devices.

We are particularly interested in understanding the interfacing between molecules, nano-structures, and macroscopic materials. Building functional devices from nanostructures requires an understanding of the interactions between these components.

Environmental Studies

Persistent organic pollutants are a pressing issue for our environment. These compounds are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. They have been observed to persist in the environment, are capable of long-range transport, and exhibit bioaccumulation in human and animal tissue as well as in food chains. Therefore, they have potentially a significant impact on human health and the environment.

This project involves the synthesis and optimization of efficient visible-light nanocatalysts. We study the possibility to photodegrade organic pollutants in aqueous and lipophilic environments using the help of metal oxide nanostructures (TiO2, CeO2, etc.). We synthesize these photocatalysts, we dope them to achieve visible-light activation (e.g. using sun light to clean up oil spills, to clean surfaces under ambient light, etc.) and study the photoconversion of the pollutants into their photooxidation products. Often these decompositions are completely mineralizing the pollutants into CO2 and other inorganic oxidation products.

Femtosecond Laser Spectroscopy

The latest laser and imaging technology is available to reveal the electronic and morphological properties of nanostructures in materials, cells, and prototype device structures. State-of-the-art femtosecond laser spectroscopy and imaging are used to uncover the relevant photoinduced processes. The technology of creating and using ultrashort laser pulses is central in exciting areas from non-linear optics to confocal imaging. This is a promising field that aides in developing new and ambitious ideas in the context of energy, environment, and health-related research.

Nanoparticles for Health Applications

We are undertaking a critical assessment of the use of quantum dots and metallic nanoparticles in the delivery of drugs and therapy. A major advantage of using QDs is their strong photoluminescence, which in principle can be exploited for imaging and photodynamic therapy applications. This also entails modifying these nanostructures in their size, shape and surface composition. Studies are being carried out in cells and in vivo at the University Hospitals in Cleveland.

Selected Publications
  • Li, J.; Mao, B.; Gole, J. G.; Burda, C.. "Visible-light-driven Reversible and Switchable Hydrophobic to Hydrophilic Nitrogen-doped Titania Surfaces: Correlation with Photocatalysis". Nanoscale (2010), in press.
  • Zhao, Y.; Dyck, J. S.; Hernandez, B. M.; Burda, C. "Improving Thermoelectric Properties of Chemically Synthesized Bi2Te3-Based Nanocrystals by Annealing". J. Phys. Chem. C (2010), 114(26), 11607-11613.
  • Liang, G.-X.; Li, L.-L.; Liu, H.-Y.; Zhang, J.-R.; Burda, C.; Zhu, J.-J. "Fabrication of Near-infrared-emitting CdSeTe/ZnS Core/shell Quantum Dots and their Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence". Chem. Commun. (2010), 46(17), 2974-2976.
  • Zhao, Y.; Dyck, J.S.; Hernandez, B.M.; Burda, C. "Enhancing Thermoelectric Performance of Ternary Nanocrystals Through Adjusting Carrier Concentration". J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2010), 132(14), 4982-4983.
  • Qiu, X.; Zhao, Yixin; S., Ian M.; Dyck, J. S.; Burda, C. "Improvement of the Thermoelectric Power Factor through Anisotropic Growth of Nanostructured PbSe Thin Films". Dalton Trans. (2010), 39(4), 1095-1100.
  • Cheng, Y.; Samia, A. C.; Li, J.; Kenney, M. E.*; Resnick, A.; Burda, C. "Delivery and Efficacy of a Cancer Drug as a Function of the Bond to the Gold Nanoparticle Surface". Langmuir. (2010), 26(4), 2248-2255. (Selected as Cover Page and Feature Article)
  • Cheng, Y., Burda, C. Book chapter: "Nanoparticles for Photodynamic Therapy". In Nanoscience and Technology, Elsevier, London, 2010.
  • Mao, C.; Zhao, Y.; Qiu, X.; Zhu, J.; Burda, C. "Synthesis and characterization of nitrogen-doped SnO2 and comparison to nitrogen-doped CeO2 nanoparticles for visible-light applications". ECS Trans. (2009), 16, 67-77.
  • Zhao, Yixin; Burda, Clemens.  "Chemical Synthesis of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 Nanocrystals and Their Surface Oxidation Properties". ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces (2009), 1(6), 1259-1263.
  • Zhao, Yixin; Larimer, Philip; Pressler, Richard T.; Strowbridge, Ben W.; Burda, Clemens. "Wireless activation of neurons in brain slices using nanostructured semiconductor photoelectrodes". Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (2009), 48(13), 2407-2410. (Selected as “Hot Paper”)
  • Zhao, Yixin; Pan, Hongcheng; Lou, Yongbing; Qiu, Xiaofeng; Zhu, JunJie; Burda, Clemens. "Plasmonic Cu2-xS Nanocrystals: Optical and Structural Properties of Copper-Deficient Copper(I) Sulfides". J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2009), 131(12), 4253-4261.
  • Dayal, S.; Burda, Clemens. "Surface Effects on Quantum Dot-Based Energy Transfer". J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2007), 129(25): 7977-7981.
  • Liu, Y.; Li, J.; Qiu, X.; Burda, Clemens. "Novel TiO2 nanocatalysts for wastewater purification: tapping energy from the sun". Water Science and Technology (2006), 54, 47-54.
  • Dayal, S.; Lou, Y.; Samia, Anna C.S.; Berlin, J. C.; Kenney, M. E.; Burda, Clemens. "Observation of Non-Foerster-Type Energy-Transfer Behavior in Quantum Dot-Phthalocyanine Conjugates". J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2006), 128(43), 13974-13975. [abstract] [pdf] [supp. info]
  • Qiu, Xiaofeng; Austin, Leah N.; Muscarella, Philip A.; Dyck, Jeffrey S.; Burda, Clemens.  "Nanostructured Bi2Se3 Films and Their Theroelectric Transport Properties"  Ange.Chem. Int. Ed. (2006), 45, 5656-5659. [abstract] [pdf]
  • Qiu, X.; Lou, Y.; Samia, A. C. S.; Devadoss, A.; Burgess, J. D.; Dayal, S.; Burda, C. "PbTe Nanorods by Sonoelectrochemistry"  Ange.Chem. Int. Ed. ; (2005), 44(36), 5855-7.  [abstract] [pdf]
  • Burda, C.; Chen, X.; Narayanan, R.; El-Sayed, M. A. "Chemistry and Properties of Nanocrystals of Different Shapes."  Chem. Rev. (Review); (2005), 105(4), 1025-1102.  [html] [pdf]