Congratulations to Raúl de Armas Rodríguez on successfully completing his first-year assessment on October 14. His research, titled Computational Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Inorganic Nanowire Growth, will begin with an introduction to the fundamental concepts essential for understanding the study. This includes an explanation of nanowires (NWs) and a comparison between substrate-based chemical vapor deposition (SCVD) and floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD), emphasizing FCCVD’s advantages, particularly in achieving higher growth rates. The role of the catalyst in the synthesis process, along with its critical significance, will be thoroughly examined.

The work will also include a detailed analysis of the underlying phenomena in FCCVD, with a particular focus on how phase interfaces control synthesis. This section will be followed by a theoretical exploration of the diverse products observed in FCCVD and the specific conditions under which they are formed. Finally, the study will conclude by outlining the future research directions that Raúl de Armas Rodríguez intends to pursue during his PhD.