{"id":25822,"date":"2025-11-13T15:30:06","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T20:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/?post_type=story&#038;p=25822"},"modified":"2025-12-04T14:08:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T19:08:34","slug":"building-a-clean-energy-future-brick-by-brick","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2025\/11\/13\/building-a-clean-energy-future-brick-by-brick\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a clean-energy future, brick by brick"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-chemistry-professor-julio-d-arcy-leads-a-student-research-team-seeking-to-develop-state-of-the-art-technology-aimed-at-improving-human-lives\">Chemistry Professor Julio D\u2019Arcy leads a student research team seeking to develop state-of-the-art technology aimed at improving human lives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A house constructed from red \u201csmart bricks\u201d charged to provide electricity. A hospital operating room built with self-cleaning tiles that kill superbugs. Semiconductor nanoparticles to improve MRIs or generate clean water. Micro-batteries embedded in clothing to monitor your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are a few of the applications that could emerge from the foundational research occurring in the lab of Professor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/faculty\/profiles\/julio-darcy\/\">Julio D\u2019Arcy<\/a>, the Carl J. and Anna Carlson Endowed Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re really a material science, engineering, and chemistry lab that works at the intersection of renewable energy, climate change, and health,\u201d D\u2019Arcy says. \u201cWe live in that space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A $500,000, five-year&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=2144977&amp;HistoricalAwards=false\">National Science Foundation CAREER Award<\/a> is funding D\u2019Arcy\u2019s study of the interplay of aerosol formation and vapor phase chemistry in forming organic semiconductor nanoparticles. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<aside class=\"wp-block-group boxout has-gray-200-background-color has-background is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-12dd3699 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hands-on-learning\">Hands-on learning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/accelerated-masters\/chemistry-ba-ms\/\">Major in chemistry<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/major\/physics-bs\/\">Major in physics<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/academics\/accelerated-masters\/\">Explore Clark\u2019s 4+1 Accelerated Master\u2019s Degree <\/a><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>His research could be used to lower costs for energy storage in devices or enable development of lightweight batteries for transportation applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEveryone\u2019s probably heard stories about how everything \u2018nano\u2019 is better,\u201d he says. \u201cPhysics change at that smaller scale, and things behave better. Ion transport is facilitated at this scale, enabling rapid charging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-081-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Selene Hammad \u201928 works in Professor D\u2019Arcy\u2019s lab.\" class=\"wp-image-25847\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-081-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-081-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-081-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-081-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-081-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-081-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Selene Hammad \u201928<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Many days, D\u2019Arcy\u2019s lab is abuzz with the activities of 20 undergraduate and graduate students who work with iron oxide, or rust, which makes bricks red. They develop and study synthetic polymers \u2014 complex, chemically bonded chains of large molecules \u2014 used to produce materials for energy storage devices, atmospheric water harvesting, pH and temperature sensors, and other applications, including those in medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re always after the same goal,\u201d D\u2019Arcy says. \u201cWe want to make a polymer that conducts electricity. The more it conducts, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-from-the-lab-to-publication-to-industrial-applications\">From the lab to publication to industrial applications<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>After his brick research was published by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-020-17708-1\"><em>Nature Communications<\/em><\/a> in 2020, D\u2019Arcy heard from hundreds of private companies, global investors, and journalists interested in his work. As he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/podcast\/episode\/bricks-can-be-turned-into-batteries\/\">told<\/a> <em>Scientific American<\/em>, \u201cWe\u2019re trying to make specialized plastics that are only used on the nanoscale \u2014 where we use very little of the plastic, and we can actually embed that plastic inside construction materials.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His research team didn\u2019t expect such worldwide attention. \u201cWe got a little taste of what can happen if you publish in a field where people care about the intersection of this research,\u201d recalls D\u2019Arcy, who joined Clark\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/departments\/chemistry\/\">Gustav H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry<\/a> in 2022. \u201cThey\u2019re all after the same idea: adding sustainability into construction materials. It\u2019s not just the architecture they\u2019re interested in. It\u2019s the idea that construction materials are going to make you live longer, or the idea that you\u2019re going to be able to store energy in bricks, steel, or concrete.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_23_2025-003-web-scaled.gif\" alt=\"Professor Julio D'Arcy and his students pose near a brick wall.\" class=\"wp-image-25841\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chemistry Professor Julio D\u2018Arcy, far right, has expanded his lab this year to include nearly 20 undergraduate and graduate students. (Group photo at the top of the story includes D\u2018Arcy, fourth from right, with another group of students who worked in the lab in 2024.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>D\u2019Arcy\u2019s synthesis of organic semiconductor nanoparticles would fill a commercial and societal need. \u201cIt\u2019s something that manufacturers want,\u201d he says. \u201cWe propose a method that produces nanoparticles very fast, using aerosols. It\u2019s hard to do, but it\u2019s doable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, his research on developing smooth polymers to create antibacterial coatings also holds much promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou could use this masonry material in operating rooms or kitchens,\u201d D\u2019Arcy says, \u201canyplace where you have people with compromised immune systems or where you prepare food.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To form nanoparticles of a polymer called PEDOT \u2014 short for Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene) \u2014 D\u2019Arcy\u2019s students design and build glass-and-metal, box-shaped reactors in which they place 1-centimeter-square brick samples. They fill the reactors with ferric chloride, an acid in water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re heating the sample and exposing it to vapors or reactants,\u201d D\u2019Arcy explains. \u201cThe monomer, or simple molecule, gets polymerized on the surface of the brick once it\u2019s been activated by the acid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The shape of the polymer determines its application. \u201cWe make nanotubes, nanofibers, and smooth films,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-applying-art-history-to-polymer-research\">Applying art history to polymer research<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides contributing to foundational research that could result in wide-ranging applications, students in D\u2019Arcy\u2019s lab are gaining hands-on, career-ready experience and preparing to publish journal articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They include two undergraduate students, Avery Schwartz \u201926 and Ella Traynor \u201926, who have studied chemical reactions that produce polymers and their semiconductor nanoparticles. <strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A double major in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/accelerated-masters\/chemistry-ba-ms\/\">chemistry<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/major\/art-history-ba\/\">art history<\/a>, Schwartz has worked in the lab for more than a year, funded last summer by a Weiller Research Fellowship. She has presented twice at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2025\/10\/30\/students-showcase-their-work-at-clarkfest\/\">ClarkFEST<\/a>, the biannual undergraduate research and scholarship event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-67-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Avery Schwartz \u201926\" class=\"wp-image-25875\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-67-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-67-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-67-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-67-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-67-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-67-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"794\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Clark_Fest_23_APR_2025-46-web-1024x794.gif\" alt=\"Avery Schwartz points to her research poster\" class=\"wp-image-25859\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Clark_Fest_23_APR_2025-46-web-1024x794.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Clark_Fest_23_APR_2025-46-web-300x233.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Clark_Fest_23_APR_2025-46-web-768x595.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Clark_Fest_23_APR_2025-46-web-1536x1191.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Clark_Fest_23_APR_2025-46-web-2048x1588.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Clark_Fest_23_APR_2025-46-web-1200x930.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Avery Schwartz \u201926 (in the lab and at ClarkFEST in April, right) has presented her research at ClarkFEST. Last summer, her research was funded by a Weiller fellowship.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Schwartz\u2019s research examines the chemical reaction that occurs when nanotube structures \u2014 which can attract, absorb, and hold atmospheric water \u2014 are formed during the \u201cvapor phase\u201d of polymerization. She studies nanotube \u201cfilms\u201d of polypyrrole, a type of polymer that has applications for energy storage, water purification, and water storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although Schwartz investigated the formation of polymer films on glass, \u201cyou can apply the polymer film to any substrate, like a brick, and collect even more water,\u201d she says, benefiting areas of the world that need clean drinking water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the lab, Schwartz\u2019s two academic majors \u201cplay off of each other in an interesting way,\u201d she says. \u201cArt history is a lot about noticing things and taking the time to craft and engineer an argument about whatever work you\u2019re talking about or evidence you\u2019re seeing in the history. And I think that\u2019s what makes for a successful chemist as well \u2014 deeply analyzing a lot of the work that you\u2019re doing and the observations you\u2019re making.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-9-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Ella Traynor \u201926\" class=\"wp-image-25870\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-9-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-9-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-9-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-9-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-9-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-9-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ella Traynor \u201926 is conducting research that could be applied to developing self-sterilizing brick tiles for hospital operating rooms. \u201cThere\u2019s the water-splitting reaction caused by the battery and our polymer, and then there\u2019s the iron oxide in the bricks, which results in a chemical, or Fenton, reaction,&#8221; they explain, \u201dand that\u2019s what results in those peroxide radicals that are so good at killing organisms like bacteria.\u201d <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-13-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Student working in the lab\" class=\"wp-image-25863\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-13-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-13-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-13-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-13-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-13-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-13-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-001-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Notes written on white board\" class=\"wp-image-25877\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-001-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-001-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-001-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-001-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-001-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-001-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-you-must-be-decisive-and-you-must-have-a-plan\">\u2018You must be decisive, and you must have a plan\u2019<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Funded over two summers \u2014 a Murdock Research Fellowship in 2025 and a Penn Family Research Fellowship in 2024 \u2014 Traynor has worked in D\u2019Arcy\u2019s lab for nearly three years, \u201cdoing a little bit of everything.\u201d Traynor\u2019s main focus, however, is studying how and why the introduction of a power source during the vapor phase synthesis of PEDOT results in a chemical reaction that forms a germ-killing peroxide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research could be applied to developing self-sterilizing brick tiles for hospital operating rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cIt\u2019s like my research has come full circle.\u201d<\/p><cite>\u2014 ella traynor \u201926<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s the water-splitting reaction caused by the battery and our polymer, and then there\u2019s the iron oxide in the bricks, which results in a chemical, or Fenton, reaction,\u201d they explain, \u201cand that\u2019s what results in those peroxide radicals that are so good at killing organisms like bacteria.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A chemistry major who also enjoys and hopes to minor in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/major\/physics-bs\/\">physics<\/a>, Traynor now is mentoring another undergraduate student, Beckham Ward \u201928, who just joined D\u2019Arcy\u2019s lab. \u201cI was showing him how to do stuff with my project. That was cool \u2014 it\u2019s like my research has come full circle.\u201d<br><br>A catcher and infielder for <a href=\"https:\/\/clarkathletics.com\/sports\/softball\">women\u2019s softball<\/a>, Traynor  made the <a href=\"https:\/\/clarkathletics.com\/news\/2025\/6\/10\/12-earn-newmac-softball-all-academic-team-honors.aspx\">2025 Softball Academic All-Conference Team<\/a> last spring. They plan to continue their research next year as part of Clark\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/academics\/accelerated-masters\/\">4+1 Accelerated Master\u2019s Degree<\/a> in chemistry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Juggling academics, softball practices, and games as a student-athlete has forced them to \u201cstay organized. It\u2019s given me a lot of time-management skills,\u201d says Traynor, who also applies their coach\u2019s advice to apply a \u201cgrowth mindset\u201d to build her softball skills. \u201cIt makes me a little more focused on moving forward or what I need to do next.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Playing catcher behind home plate also has provided Traynor with additional skills they can apply to chemistry research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re thinking through plays. You\u2019re the only one who sees the whole field,\u201d Traynor says. \u201cPeople are listening to you because you&#8217;re the only one who has eyes on all the runners and all the fielders. I think that helps you be a little more assertive. You must be a quick thinker, you must be decisive, and you must have a plan. And I think that applies to real life and the lab as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1702\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_trial14_humphrey_7.25.24_3-web-scaled.gif\" alt=\"Polymer crystals under a microscope\" class=\"wp-image-25884\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PEDOT polymer crystals, magnified and photographed using a Nikon Eclipse 100ND microscope and NIS-Elements Basic Research software, by Katelynn Humphrey \u201925, who conducted controlled experiments and observed the formation of polymer chains. Her photos show that polymer crystals could vary in shape, size, and color, depending on the time, temperature, freshness, and concentration\/ratio of chemicals \u2014 ethanol and ferric chloride \u2014 in a solution that she applied.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-carbon-fiber-paper-for-smart-wearables\">Carbon fiber paper for smart wearables<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Both Schwartz and Traynor have benefited from mentoring by graduate students in the lab, including current master\u2019s student Yiming Qin and Ph.D. students Umama Akther and Ye Chen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Qin\u2019s research and master\u2019s thesis focus on micro-supercapacitors, the conducting polymers that can serve as tiny batteries to store energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m working with carbon fiber paper,\u201d he says. \u201cCarbon fiber paper is a substrate, and we grow our conducting polymer PEDOT nanofibers on it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although carbon fiber is fragile, it can become stronger when woven together to cover a larger area, according to Qin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt could be used like a wearable, like energy storage devices in smart clothes, smart shoes, or smart watches,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-113-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Graduate student Yiming Qin works on an instrument in the lab.\" class=\"wp-image-25849\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-113-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-113-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-113-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-113-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-113-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-113-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yiming Qin\u2019s research and master\u2019s thesis focus on micro-supercapacitors, the conducting polymers that can serve as tiny batteries to store energy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Qin is working with D\u2019Arcy to publish his research, then hopes to return to China to work in industry and care for his parents.<br><br>When Akther was applying to chemistry Ph.D. programs in the United States, her mentors and peers from Bangladesh urged her to apply to Clark, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an undergraduate student in chemistry at Jashore University of Science and Technology, Akther had had worked in a research lab on a project to improve food safety. She studied the computational chemistry behind using simple salt or vinegar solutions to remove heavy metals from vegetables grown in Jashore for sales and export. The research resulted in a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0889157525011044\">article published<\/a> in the <em>Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Akther wanted a similarly robust research experience in a Ph.D. program. When D\u2019Arcy offered her a position in his lab, her supervisor in Bangladesh suggested she take it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cShe said, \u2018This project is really, really good. This is a promising field for industry and jobs, and you can work in the field \u2014 polymer chemistry, nano chemistry, and also engineering,\u2019 \u201d Akther recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-this-is-the-research-that-companies-are-interested-in\">\u2018This is the research that companies are interested in\u2019<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-21-for-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Umama Akther, a second-year Ph.D. student in chemistry, works on equipment in the lab.\" class=\"wp-image-25837\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-21-for-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-21-for-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-21-for-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-21-for-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-21-for-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-21-for-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cI can produce a hundred particles in one run now. But if my humidifier is more powerful, then I can make 200 or 300,\u201d says Umama Akther, a second-year Ph.D. student in chemistry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-019-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Emme Salisbury in the lab\" class=\"wp-image-25879\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-019-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-019-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-019-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-019-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-019-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-019-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emme Salisbury \u201928<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-038-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Emma St. Louis\" class=\"wp-image-25910\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-038-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-038-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-038-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-038-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-038-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-038-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emma St. Louis\u2019 28<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Now Akther is in her second year at Clark, leading her own research project and mentoring undergraduate students in D\u2019Arcy\u2019s lab. With assistance from undergraduate students <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2025\/05\/14\/katelynn-humphrey-discovers-her-organic-love-of-chemistry\/\">Katelynn Humphrey \u201925<\/a> last year and Emme Salisbury \u201928 and Emma St. Louis \u201928 this year, Akther has sought to develop and build a reactor that uses aerosol vapor polymerization. The goal, she says, is to more rapidly \u2014 and easily \u2014 produce smaller organic semiconductor nanoparticles of PEDOT, shaped like spheres for easier delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her research has potential biomedical applications. \u201cIf we make this particle at the nanometer-size scale,\u201d she says, \u201cthen it can be inserted into our bodies because it\u2019s safe \u2014 it has no side effects. It can be used in MRI imaging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-067-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"From left, Emma St. Louis, Emme Salisbury, Umama Akther, Tatsuya Peralta\" class=\"wp-image-25834\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-067-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-067-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-067-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-067-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-067-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-067-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From left, Emma St. Louis, Emme Salisbury, Umama Akther, and Tatsuya Peralta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1702\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_trial14_humphrey_7.25.24-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Polymer crystallization, as seen under a microscope (Photo by Katelynn Humphrey \u201925)\" class=\"wp-image-21174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_trial14_humphrey_7.25.24-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_trial14_humphrey_7.25.24-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_trial14_humphrey_7.25.24-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_trial14_humphrey_7.25.24-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_trial14_humphrey_7.25.24-1536x1021.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_trial14_humphrey_7.25.24-2048x1362.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_trial14_humphrey_7.25.24-1200x798.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PEDOT crystals, magnified and photographed by Katelynn Humphrey \u201925<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet, the work can be slow and tedious at times. \u201cOver a year, I have tried eight to nine times to change my reactor. I need a more advanced reactor so it can handle more nanoparticles,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Akther uses imaging software to examine the microscopic nanoparticles. \u201cIf I&#8217;m getting 9-micrometer particles, but my goal is 5 micrometers,\u201d she explains, \u201cthen I think, \u2018OK, what can I change to make my particle smaller? Also, how many am I making? Are the particles attached to each other? What is the problem within my reactor?\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She is overseeing another undergraduate student, Tatsuya Peralta \u201927, a chemistry major who is helping her build more powerful nebulizers to produce aerosolized droplets of ferric chloride, which are carried into her reactors.&nbsp;They will replace the store-bought household humidifier she has been using.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI can produce a hundred particles in one run now,\u201d she explains. \u201cBut if my humidifier is more powerful, then I can make 200 or 300.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the field, research exploring aerosol polymerization has not been widely explored, Akther says, \u201cso we would like to introduce this process to others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even more, D\u2019Arcy says, if he and his research team make inroads in their polymer studies, \u201cwe expect this to have a significant societal impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am doing the research that I am interested in, but this is the research that companies are interested in as well,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd if it\u2019s successful, it would come from us. It would come from Clark.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-photo-gallery-life-the-d-arcy-lab\">A Photo Gallery: Life the D\u2019Arcy Lab<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-142-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Ph.D. student Ye Chen\" class=\"wp-image-25845\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-142-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-142-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-142-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-142-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-142-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-142-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ph.D. student Ye Chen conducts research and mentors undergraduate students in Professor Julio D\u2019Arcy\u2019s lab.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cThere\u2019s this level of excitement that Julio brings to the laboratory setting \u2014 he makes it feel very alive.\u201d<\/p><cite>\u2014katelynn humphrey \u201925<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-089-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Pedro A. Perez-Diaz, Ph.D. student in chemistry\" class=\"wp-image-25848\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-089-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-089-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-089-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-089-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-089-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-089-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pedro A. Perez-Diaz, Ph.D. student in chemistry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-47-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Maham Khan\" class=\"wp-image-25881\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-47-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-47-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-47-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-47-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-47-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-47-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Maham Khan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-75-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Uliana Pronina\" class=\"wp-image-25846\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-75-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-75-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-75-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-75-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-75-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-75-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Uliana Pronina<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"21163\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Katelynn_Humphrey_07_May_2025-52500-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Katelynn Humphrey \u201925 posing in the Julio D'Arcy lab\" class=\"wp-image-21163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Katelynn_Humphrey_07_May_2025-52500-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Katelynn_Humphrey_07_May_2025-52500-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Katelynn_Humphrey_07_May_2025-52500-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Katelynn_Humphrey_07_May_2025-52500-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Katelynn_Humphrey_07_May_2025-52500-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Katelynn_Humphrey_07_May_2025-52500-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Katelynn Humphrey \u201925<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"25915\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-145-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Niela Santillanes\" class=\"wp-image-25915\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-145-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-145-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-145-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-145-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-145-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-145-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Niela Santillanes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"25913\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-005-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Selene Hammad\" class=\"wp-image-25913\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-005-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-005-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-005-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-005-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-005-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-005-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Selene Hammad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"25874\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-169-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Cecilia Chaves\" class=\"wp-image-25874\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-169-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-169-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-169-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-169-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-169-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-169-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cecilia Chaves<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"25907\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-055-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Alyssa Bordonaro\" class=\"wp-image-25907\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-055-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-055-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-055-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-055-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-055-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_Oct_15_2025-055-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alyssa Bordonaro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"25860\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-36-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Owen Powers\" class=\"wp-image-25860\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-36-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-36-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-36-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-36-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-36-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-36-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Owen Powers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-90-web-1024x683.gif\" alt=\"Beckham Ward \u201928 working in the lab\" class=\"wp-image-25873\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-90-web-1024x683.gif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-90-web-300x200.gif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-90-web-768x512.gif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-90-web-1536x1024.gif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-90-web-2048x1365.gif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/DArcy_Lab_06_Oct_2025-90-web-1200x800.gif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Beckham Ward \u201928<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1702\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/PEDOT_Trial19_R1_Humphrey_8.6.24_5-web-scaled.gif\" alt=\"PEDOT crystals, magnified and photographed by Katelynn Humphrey \u201925.\" class=\"wp-image-25918\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Magnified PEDOT crystals<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>All photos in the lab by Steven King, University Photographer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Photos of polymer crystallization by Katelynn Humphrey \u201925<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chemistry Professor Julio D\u2019Arcy leads a student research team to develop state-of-the-art technology aimed at improving human lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":25832,"template":"","meta":{"story_color":"var(--clarku-color-dark-orange)","story_headerImg":25832,"section_label":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[227],"displayed_author":[242],"featured":[495],"topic":[259,529,131,160,187,504,162,134,163,135,126,127],"class_list":["post-25822","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science-technology","displayed_author-meredith-woodward-king","featured-research","topic-chemistry","topic-climate","topic-climate-change","topic-faculty-research","topic-graduate-research","topic-graduate-student-research","topic-research","topic-school-of-climate-environment-and-society","topic-sciences","topic-sustainability","topic-technology","topic-undergraduate-research"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ 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