W. David Wei
Professor
Research Focus
The goal of this team is to develop a vibrant and productive research program focusing on discovering novel electronic and optical properties of metallic and semiconductor nanomaterials and their implications for electronics, photonics, energy, and biomedicine. A fundamental understanding of the structure-dependent localized optical properties of nanostructures with sub-10 nm resolution will lead to comprehensive knowledge of the surface plasmon-directed growth of novel anisotropic nanostructures, and design rules for the synthesis and fabrication of hybrid nanostructures with optimized properties for solar energy harvesting, conversion and storage, photocatalysis, and chemical and biological detection.
Education and Training
2009: Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University (with Prof. Chad A Mirkin)
2006: Visiting Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
2005: Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, the University of Texas at Austin (with Prof. John M White)
2000: M.S., Materials Chemistry, Peking University
1997 B.S., Chemistry with Honors, Peking University
Selected Awards
UF Innovate Innovation Award (2024)
University of Florida Research Foundation (UFRF) Professorship (2019)
NSF CAREER Award (2014)
UF Faculty Adviser/Mentor of the Year (2014)
ORAU Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award (2010)
Selected Activities
Guest Editor, Journal of Chemical Physics, 2024
Selected Publications
Y. Hu, N. Wijerathne, M. Y. Pabel, D. K. Arachchige, and W. D. Wei, “Manipulating Plasmon-Generated Hot Carriers for photocatalysis,” Acc. Chem. Res., 2025, 58, 2562–2572.
Y. Zhang, W. Guo, Y. Zhang, and W. D. Wei, “Plasmonic Photoelectrochemistry: In View of Hot Carriers,” Adv. Materials, 2021, 2006654.
Y. Zhang, S. He, W. Guo, J. Huang, Y. Hu, J. R. Mulcahy, and W. D. Wei, “ Surface Plasmon-Driven Hot Electron Photochemistry,” Chem. Rev., 2018, 118, 2927–2954.