National Science Foundation Awards Kwahun Lee $200K to Study Molecule Behavior in Tight Spaces

Kwahun Lee, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, has received a $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for his investigation of how molecules function when confined in the tiny spaces inside nanoparticles — materials that are measured in the billionths of a meter.

“In everyday chemistry, we often assume that reactions happen evenly throughout a material,” Lee explained. “But at the nanoscale, that’s not always the case. Proteins in crowded living cells interact differently than they do in diluted lab solutions. Small changes in the interactions in multiple sheets of graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms, can lead to big shifts in electrical and chemical behavior.”

His project, ERI: Nanoscale Control over the Pore Topology of Polymeric Nanoparticles, aims to study and control the size and shape of these spaces to help researchers understand how the structure influences the function. It shows promise for enabling smarter materials to advance medicine, energy and other essential initiatives.

“This research is about more than just tiny particles,” said Kwahun Lee of his $200K NSF grant to explore nanoparticles. “It’s about understanding the hidden rules of nature and using them to build a better future.”

Lee’s work was inspired by a colleague who was studying how ultra-thin layers of graphene overlapping at specific angles create zones with unique electrical properties. Intrigued by the concept, he soon realized he could build a system of gold liquid-crystalline nanoparticle spheres with tiny empty spaces, or pores, to study their effect on molecular behavior.

“Using gold gives us precise control over the size and shape of the pores, and even how they respond to light,” Lee explained. “The spheres have an internal structure called a liquid crystalline phase, which naturally forms long-range patterns. That means we’re not just studying individual pores — we’re also looking at how they’re arranged in a larger, organized system. It’s like going from building a single LEGO block to designing an entire LEGO city, where both the blocks and their layout matter. But it’s all at the molecular level, where even the smallest variation can make a big difference.”

The size and shape of the pores act like a molecule maze, with smaller pores slowing or stopping molecules, while larger spaces allow more room to move and interact. In turn, these changes affect how molecules react, how quickly they move, and even how they stick to surfaces.

It’s also a powerful platform for exploring how molecules act in confined, water-repelling spaces.

“Most porous materials we use in science are designed to interact with water,” he noted. “They often contain charged metals or oxygen atoms that attract water, making them unsuitable for studying water-repelling environments. Creating and working with pores that don’t like water requires a different approach, avoiding water-friendly components and allowing us to isolate and study interactions that would otherwise be masked.”

Fine-tuning the pores helps researchers control the behaviors, offering insights to inform the design of materials that can better control the forces driving chemical and physical changes. This lets them interact more strongly with their surroundings, take in or release molecules more effectively and open the door to new applications.

“It could reshape how we design materials from the ground up,” Lee said. “Imagine a chemical process that produces less waste and uses less energy. By learning how molecules act in these tiny, tailored environments, we can create technologies that are more precise, more efficient and more effective than what’s possible today.”

Lee plans to partner with Stevens outreach programs such as Accessing Careers in Engineering and Science (ACES) and the Pinnacle Scholar program. In the lab, Stevens students are already involved in this project, supporting everything from making nanoparticles to analyzing data.

“They’re learning how to ask questions, solve problems and work as a team,” Lee said. “Beyond science, I hope they learn creativity, collaboration and resilience. Research isn’t just about experiments: it’s about thinking deeply, working together and staying curious as they move on to become the next generation of scientific leaders.”