Apparao M. Rao

Apparao M Rao is the Robert A. Bowen Professor of Physics in the department of physics and astronomy, the director of the Clemson Nanomaterials Institute, and a former associate dean for discovery in the college of science at Clemson University. His research in nanoscience and nanotechnology has been cited over 47,500 times in open literature and his h-index is 90.^[1] He was elected as a fellow of the American Physical Society in 2008, the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2011, the National Academy of Inventors in 2018, and the Materials Research Society in 2020. In 2012, he received the Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievements in Research, and has served on the Advisory Panel for the Dean and the Vice-President of Research, Clemson University. His extensive research and development efforts have led to the recent establishment of Clemson Nanomaterials Institute, which is stimulating sustainable research and development capacity and competitiveness in the U.S. state of South Carolina.

The state of South Carolina conferred on him its highest honor - the 2014 Governor’s award for excellence in scientific research.^[2] Rao is also an adjunct professor at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, India where he initiated a nanomaterials program, and directs research projects of M.S. and Ph.D. students.

Accomplishments[]

Rao has developed a broad spectrum of game-changing technologies for spectroscopic characterization of nanocarbon allotropes, novel synthesis methods for controlling the morphologies of carbon nanotubes or CNTs, and scalable nano-manufacturing of CNT-based devices.^[3]

Rao's research has enhanced the field of carbon science and technology in terms of the discovery of novel phenomena in nanocarbon systems, device development for electronics,^[4] photonics,^[5] and drug delivery. This research is of primary interest to the South Carolina Research Authority, as many of his papers are seminal works in these fields of study. Rao's research into the following topics are of particular importance:

• The photo-induced polymerization of solid C60, photo-enhanced oxidation of solid C60 diameter selective Raman scattering from single walled CNTs, and the demonstration that CNTs can be subjected to redox doping for tunable electronic properties, just like graphite.
• Fullerenes and conducting polymers, synthesis and demonstration of logic functions in branched CNTs.
• Raman evidence for renormalized electron and phonon energies near a charged defect in doped CNTs.
• Raman evidence for phonon bottle necks in single walled CNTs.
• Observation of superconductivity in boron doped CNTs.^[6]

Rao's pioneering Raman spectroscopic studies of fullerenes and CNTs have made Raman spectroscopy an indispensable tool in nanocarbon research. Some of Rao’s other intriguing breakthroughs include the synthesis and measurement of electrical and mechanical properties of nonlinear CNT morphologies, such as branched and helical CNT forms which exploit unique functionality at the nanoscale. His group demonstrated double decoupling – a new paradigm for thermoelectric devices with a high figure of merit and compatibility factor.^[7]

Honors & awards[]

• 2016 Recognized by the Board of Trustees as one of the top three faculty members in the College of Engineering and Science, Clemson University.^[8]
• 2014 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Scientific Research, South Carolina.^[8]
• 2012 Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research, Clemson University.^[8]
• 2011 Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science.^[8]
• 2010 R. A. Bowen Professor of Physics, Clemson University.^[8]
• 2008 Fellow, American Physical Society.^[8]
• 2007 Panel member for the World Technology Evaluation Center to evaluate carbon nanotube manufacturing capabilities in Europe and Asia.^[8]
• 2006 Faculty Achievement Award, Clemson University, for exemplary leadership in the sciences.^[8]

References[]