NITE

Nonnenmann Group · UMass Amherst

Cooking functional interfaces
&
Looking at them work.

Research

Highly responsive nanostructured materials.

01 · How we cook

We engineer active surfaces & interfaces.

Our work centers on engineered interfaces. Compositionally graded gadolinia-doped ceria / yttria-stabilized zirconia thin films for solid oxide electrochemical cells. Strontium titanate / zirconia multilayer heterostructures with localized oxygen vacancy populations. Solution-processed perovskite nanocrystal assemblies with resistive switching memory. Conductive protein nanowires harvested from Geobacter, dispersed into PDMS to balance electrical conductivity with mechanical compliance. Cold-spray titanium / hydroxyapatite biocomposites with titanium and niobium bond coats.

Every interface we build, we probe. Where vacancies cluster, where ions migrate, where compliance gives, where the device starts or fails. These are the answers other groups need before their fuel cell, sensor, or memristor works. Our measurements feed their device, their model, their pipeline.

illustrative

Atomic-resolution HAADF image of the first STO / first YSZ heterointerface with SAED inset.

STO / YSZ heterointerface · HAADF

02 · How we look

Observing real-time functionality.

We measure materials in the conditions where they actually operate. Custom environmental chambers integrate with commercial AFM platforms and reach 500 °C and beyond. Surface potential microscopy maps local potential variations across operating cell cross-sections at nanometer resolution. Bimodal AM–FM AFM resolves the mechanics of individual protein nanowires under hydrated conditions.

Operando is the point. Most characterization happens after a material has cooled and dried, after the device has been pulled apart. We measure during. Under voltage, under temperature, in electrolyte. Real-time potential evolution. Real-time vacancy redistribution. Real-time charge transport. What ends up in our data is what was happening when the device was actually working.

The lab's in-situ AFM environmental chamber, wired for operando measurements.

in-situ AFM chamber

Supported by NSF · NCMS

Recent

Check out our published work.

  1. Bioelectronics

    2026

    Intracellular sensing with transparent graphene–nanotube electrodes.

    X. Fan, J. Park, V. Malik, X. Zhang, H. Bao, X. Zhang, G. Srimathveeravalli, S. S. Nonnenmann, J. Ping.

    2D Materials 13, 021003 (2026).

    2025

    J. M. Sonawane, E. Chia, T. Ueki, J. Greener, S. S. Nonnenmann, J. Yao, D. R. Lovley. Sensing devices fabricated with E. coli expressing genetically tunable nanowires incorporated into a water-stable polymer. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 278, 117378.

  2. Solid-state electrochemistry

    2026 accepted

    Correlating depth-resolved defect chemistry and operando electrochemical response in graded gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC) / yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films.

    J. Park, A. A. Riaz, T.-L. Lee, P. Kumar, F. Sajid, A. Regoutz, S. S. Nonnenmann.

    Journal of Materials Chemistry A (2026, accepted).

    2023

    W. O'Leary, L. Giordano, J. Park, S. S. Nonnenmann, Y. Shao-Horn, J. L. M. Rupp. Influence of Sr-site deficiency, Ca/Ba/La doping on the exsolution of Ni from SrTiO3. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 145, 13768–13779.

  3. Mechanics & manufacturing

    2026

    Mechanical properties of individual conductive protein nanowires and their percolation behavior in elastomer nanocomposites.

    E. Chia, J. M. Sonawane, T. L. Woodard, M.-C. Chiang, J. D. Schiffman, S. S. Nonnenmann.

    RSC Applied Polymers 4 (2026). 10.1039/d6lp00122j

    2026

    F. Andami, Prateek, E. Chia, S. S. Nonnenmann, D. Jafarlou, J. J. Watkins. Development of high-flexural-strength titanium/hydroxyapatite biocomposites via cold-spray deposition with titanium and niobium bond coats. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering 12, 679–688.

  4. Memristive systems

    2021

    Memristive behavior of mixed-oxide nanocrystal assemblies.

    Z. Zhou, P. Lopez-Dominguez, M. Abdullah, D. M. Barber, X. Meng, I. Van Driessche, J. D. Schiffman, A. J. Crosby, K. R. Kittilstved, J. De Roo, S. S. Nonnenmann.

    ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13(18), 21635–21644 (2021).

    2019

    J. Wang, L. Li, H. Huyan, X. Pan, S. S. Nonnenmann. Highly uniform resistive switching in HfO2 films embedded with ordered metal nano-island arrays. Advanced Functional Materials 29(25), 1808430.

People

Our Group.

The NITE team comprises talented, motivated individuals that thrive in advancing materials research in dynamic environments to meet broader, societal needs and goals. We routinely collaborate across all disciplines and look forward to working with you in the near future!

Principal Investigator

Stephen S. Nonnenmann

Professor, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Member Faculty, MSE Interdisciplinary Graduate Program

Background
  1. Postdoc, Materials Science & Engineering · University of Pennsylvania
  2. Ph.D., Materials Science & Engineering · Drexel University
  3. M.S., Materials Science & Engineering · University of Central Florida
  4. B.S., Glass Engineering Science · NYS College of Ceramics at Alfred University

ssn@umass.edu · Google Scholar · LinkedIn

  • Jieun Park

    6th-year Ph.D. · MIE

    My research studies the evolution of vacancy distributions along electroactive oxide surfaces and interfaces as a function of strain, composition, and work function difference.

    Background

    Education

    M.S., Machine Design & Materials · Konkuk University (2018)

    B.S., Mechanical Engineering · Konkuk University (2016)

    Outside the lab

    [ Add interests. ]

  • Suryeon Lee

    6th-year Ph.D. · MIE

    Local mechanical properties and conductivity in peptide/protein nanowires within conductive elastomer nanocomposites.

    Background

    Education

    M.E., Materials Science and Engineering · Inha University (2019)

    B.S., Materials Science and Engineering · Inha University (2017)

    Outside the lab

    [ Add interests. ]

Apply & contact

Connect with us.

Open positions

  • Graduate students. Active recruiting in nanoelectronics, polymer science, and biomaterials. Backgrounds in materials science, condensed-matter physics, nanoelectronics, and biomaterials are encouraged.
  • Undergraduates. Submit a CV and a brief statement of interest in materials research. Project availability depends on current scope.
  • Postdocs. Not actively recruiting. Inquiries regarding fellowship-funded positions are welcome.
Email Prof. Nonnenmann

Find us

Lab
28 Goessmann Laboratory
686 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003
Office
208E ELAB I
219 ELAB I, 160 Governors Drive
Amherst, MA 01003
Phone
413.545.4051