Nicholas A. Kotov


Nicholas A. Kotov is the Irving Langmuir Distinguished Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Prof. Nicholas Kotov demonstrated that the ability to self-organize into complex structures is the unifying property of all inorganic nanostructures. He has developed a family of bioinspired composite materials with a wide spectrum of properties that were previously unattainable in classical materials. These composite biomimetic materials are exemplified by his nacre-like ultrastrong yet transparent composites, enamel-like, stiff yet vibration-isolating composites, and cartilage-like membranes with both high strength and ion conductance.

Work

Kotov's research is focused on the development of biomimetic nanocomposites, the self-assembly of nanoparticles, and chiral nanostructures. Utilizing layer-by-layer assembly, Kotov prepared a wide spectrum of nacre-like nanocomposites including those from clay and graphite oxide. He showed that clay-based biomimetic composites can attain mechanical properties comparable to some grades of steel while retaining transparency. This discovery spurred the development of new methods for the mass-production of nacre-like materials from a large variety of inorganic nanosheets. While being inspired by natural materials, these composites far exceeded the properties of their natural prototypes and add other optical, electrical, thermal, and membrane properties.
Kotov extended the concept of biomimetic nanostructures to inorganic nanoparticles. He established that, similarly to many proteins and other biomolecules, nanoparticles can self-organize into chains, sheets, nanowires, twisted ribbons and nanohelices, and spherical supraparticles replicating viral capsids.
Kotov's work established that the biomimetic self-assembly behavior of nanoparticles originates from interparticle interactions at the nanoscale, in which chirality also plays a prominent role. His studies on the self-assembly of chiral nanostructures have led to the development of nanoparticle assemblies with complexity exceeding those found in biological organisms.

Education and research career

Education and early career

Kotov received his MS and PhD degrees in chemistry from Moscow State University, where his research concerned liquid-liquid interfaces imitating cell membranes for solar energy conversion. After graduation, he took up a postdoctoral position in the research group of Prof. Janos Fendler in the Department of Chemistry at Syracuse University in New York state working on nanoparticle synthesis and assembly at interfaces.

Independent research career

Kotov took up a position as assistant professor of chemistry at the Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1996, gaining promotion to associate professor in 2001. In 2003 he moved to the University of Michigan where he is now the Irving Langmuir Distinguished Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering.

Awards

Kotov married chemist Elvira Stesikova, PhD, in 1991. They have two daughters, Sophia and Nicole.