About

James Batteas is a Regents Professor and D. Wayne Goodman Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M University, where he also serves as the Director of the NSF Center for the Mechanical Control of Chemistry. His research group focuses on three main projects: nanoscale materials and devices, biological surfaces and interfaces, and nanotribology, with the overarching goal of developing custom engineered surfaces and interfaces. His work involves obtaining a fundamental molecular-level understanding of the chemistry and physics underlying these systems to enable the rational development of new technologies. Batteas employs a range of scanned probe microscopies, such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), to probe and manipulate structures at the nanoscale. His research includes designing and assembling nanoscale materials and devices for molecular electronics, photonics, and sensors, utilizing both top-down and bottom-up approaches, and exploring self-organization and self-assembly techniques. He investigates plasmonics for enhanced chemical sensing, patterning quantum dot assemblies, and optical tuning of quantum dots on surfaces. Additionally, his work extends to nanomaterials by design, including hierarchical molecular assemblies and shape-controlled semiconductors, as well as controlling friction and wear at the atomic scale through nanotribology studies. His research also encompasses molecular dynamics simulations and spectroscopy to develop self-repairing films and active molecular lubricants. Batteas holds a B.S. from the University of Texas at Austin and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley, with postdoctoral experience at Harvard University. He has received numerous awards, including the College-Level Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching and fellowship in the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Chemistry
• Optics
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical physics
• Crystallography
• Photochemistry
• Computational chemistry
• Optoelectronics
• Physical chemistry
• Chemical engineering
• Atomic physics
• Physics
• Organic chemistry

Selected publications

• Curvature‐Tuned Friction at Electrified Ionic Liquid Interfaces

  Advanced Functional Materials · 2026-04-11

  articleOpen access

  ABSTRACT Ionic liquids (ILs) are promising electrotunable lubricants due to their unique molten salt properties. Here, we elucidate how surface curvature modulates the electrotunability of friction at single‐asperity contacts lubricated by 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. Single‐layer graphene (SLG) with nanoscale curvatures was prepared by coating graphene onto SiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) of varying diameters (10, 20, and 30 nm), supported on a flat, oxidized Si wafer. Friction tests performed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that SLG on 10 nm NPs significantly enhanced the electrotunability of friction compared to SLG on larger NPs and flat graphene. Molecular dynamic simulations revealed changes in ionic rearrangement with varying surface potential. Correlating frictional response with interfacial ionic structure reveals a two‐fold mechanism: when the curvature approaches the nanoscale comparable to ion size, reduced steric interactions arise, improving friction electrotunability. These findings demonstrate how nanoscale surface geometry at electrified interfaces can be exploited to control friction, advancing IL‐based lubrication in micro‐ and nanoelectromechanical systems.

  PublisherDOI

• Vibratory Ball Milling of Solid‐State Flame‐Retardant Polyelectrolyte Complex for Use in Polymer Emulsions

  Macromolecular Rapid Communications · 2025-09-16

  articleOpen access

  Vibratory ball milling reduces the particle size of a polyallylamine, poly(sodium phosphate) containing polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) by an order of magnitude for use as a flame-retardant additive in a polymer emulsion to achieve self-extinguishing behavior and a V-0 rating with UL 94 flame testing. This demonstrates a new approach for using solid PECs as flame-retardant additives.

  PublisherDOI

• Moving mechanochemistry forward

  RSC Mechanochemistry · 2025-01-01 · 19 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  James Batteas, et al. , introduce the field of mechanochemistry in “Moving mechanochemistry forward”.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Harnessing the copper surface for direct mechanocatalysis: a case study on mechanochemical sulfonylurea synthesis

  Chemical Science · 2025-01-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  pre-catalyst. These results highlight the importance of systematic investigations of surface characteristics for understanding and controlling direct mechanocatalysis and demonstrate methods to realize these goals.

  PublisherDOI

• Studies of the mechanically induced reactivity of graphene with water using a 2D-materials strain reactor

  DRYAD · 2025-12-11

  datasetOpen accessSenior author

  This dataset supports the investigation of strain-dependent reactivity with water on distorted graphene membranes using Raman microspectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx) relay the processed Raman micro spectroscopy data from the raw data .wip files (software for Witec Project analysis software) The dataset also includes raw outputs from DFT calculations used to construct simulated reaction energy landscapes describing water dissociation on graphene under applied strain. These data provide the guide to study strain-engineered reactivity in low-dimensional systems.

  PublisherDOI

• Author response for "Scratching Beneath the Surface: Catalyst Evolution and Reusability in the Direct Mechanocatalytic Sonogashira Reaction"

  2025-08-22

  peer-review
  PublisherDOI

• Electrotunable Nanofriction of Ionic Liquids on Curved Graphene Surfaces

  ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2025-11-24

  article

  With the rapid advancement of nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS), friction at the nanoscale has become a critical factor influencing the stability, precision, and energy efficiency of moving components. Unlike macroscopic friction, which is primarily governed by mechanical interlocking, nanoscale friction is strongly influenced by molecular interactions and surface properties. Therefore, developing lubricants with low and controllable friction at the nanoscale is of paramount importance for improving the performance and longevity of NEMS devices. Ionic liquids (ILs) have recently garnered significant attention as advanced lubricants due to their unique physicochemical properties, such as negligible vapor pressure, high thermal stability, and excellent lubrication performance. One of the key advantages of ILs is their ability to undergo electrotunable friction, a property arising from the ability of their cations and anions to reorganize in response to applied electric fields. This allows for dynamic control over friction by modulating the adsorption configuration of ions on solid surfaces. While extensive studies have been conducted on the tribological behavior of ILs on atomically smooth surfaces like graphene, their performance on surfaces with nanoscale curvature remains largely unexplored. Understanding this effect is crucial, as real-world applications often involve rough and curved interfaces rather than ideal flat surfaces. The frictional properties of ILs are highly dependent on the location of the slippage plane, where ionic motion occurs. According to the electrical double-layer model, both surface potential and curvature can influence the position of this plane. The surface potential alters electrostatic interactions between the solid substrate and adsorbed ions, while nanoscale curvature introduces steric hindrance effects that impact ion packing density and structural ordering. As curvature increases, the available space for ion adsorption changes, potentially leading to variations in lubrication behavior. To address this knowledge gap, this study investigates the frictional electrotunability of ILs on graphene surfaces with controlled nanoscale curvatures. Single layer graphene will be transferred onto nanoparticles of different diameters (10 nm, 20 nm, and 30 nm) to systematically vary the curvature. The nanofriction tests will be performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) under single-asperity contact mode, utilizing a sharp tip (radius ~9 nm) to study the friction under varying normal loads. The IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][TFSI]) will be employed as the lubricant due to its strong π-π interactions with graphene, which significantly influence adsorption behavior and subsequent friction. By applying external electrical potentials to the system, we will evaluate how surface curvature modifies the electrotunable frictional response of the IL. The force-distance curve measurements using AFM will provide insight into the ionic layering and structural organization of ILs on curved graphene surfaces. The correlation between surface curvature, ionic structuring, and electrotunable friction will be analyzed to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms governing this behavior. This work aims to provide a deeper understanding of IL lubrication on non-ideal (curved or rough) surfaces, offering new strategies for designing adaptive nanoscale lubrication systems. The findings will contribute to the development of next-generation lubricants for nanodevices where controlled friction at the nanoscale is crucial.

  PublisherDOI

• Shaken not stirred: procedures in mechanochemical syntheses and how to define them

  RSC Mechanochemistry · 2025-01-01 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  James Batteas and Tomislav Friščić outline the need for well-defined reporting methodologies in mechanochemistry.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Scratching beneath the surface: catalyst evolution and reusability in the direct mechanocatalytic Sonogashira reaction

  RSC Mechanochemistry · 2025-09-30 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Mechanochemistry facilitates the in situ combination of catalyst components, including ligands and metals, while temperature control enables coupling reactions to proceed under solvent-free, aerobic conditions.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Author response for "Scratching Beneath the Surface: Catalyst Evolution and Reusability in the Direct Mechanocatalytic Sonogashira Reaction"

  2025-09-27

  peer-review
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Collaborative Research: Understanding and Tuning the Molecular Arrangement and Charge Storage Properties of Textured Graphene-Ionic Liquid Interface

  NSF · $217k · 2019–2023

• Probing the Role of Surface Defects and Disorder on the Tribology of Nanoscopic Contacts

  NSF · $217k · 2008–2012

• Collaborative Research: Charge Transport in Confined Molecular Assemblies

  NSF · $334k · 2012–2016

• CCI Phase 1: NSF Center for the Mechanical Control of Chemistry

  NSF · $2.0M · 2020–2024

• Collaborative Research: Molecular Conduction in Confined Molecular Assemblies

  NSF · $351k · 2009–2013

Frequent coauthors

• Charles Michael Drain

  219 shared

• Tatjana Milic

  74 shared

• Kathryn L. Beers

  National Institute of Standards and Technology

  59 shared

• James M. Helt

  41 shared

• Ning Chi

  40 shared

• Jayne C. Garno

  Louisiana State University

  36 shared

• Tao Wu

  Shandong University of Science and Technology

  33 shared

• Gábor A. Somorjai

  University of California, Berkeley

  33 shared

Labs

• Batteas Research GroupPI

Education

• Post-Doctoral Fellow

  Harvard University

  1996

• Ph.D., Chemistry

  University of California Berkeley

  1995

• B.S., Chemistry

  University of Texas at Austin

  1990

Awards & honors

• College-Level Association of Former Students Distinguished A…
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2012)
• Netzch Instruments Frank Giblin Memorial Award in Polymer An…
• Feliks Gross Endowment Award, CUNY Academy of Arts and Scien…
• Research Corporation, Research Innovation Award (1998)