Prashant V. Kamat is the John A. Zahm Professor of Science at the University of Notre Dame, where he holds appointments in Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Radiation Laboratory. A leading figure in photoelectrochemistry and nanomaterials research, he has advanced fundamental understanding of semiconductor nanoparticles, nanocarbons, halide perovskites, and solar energy conversion. He earned his Ph.D. from the Bombay University Chemical Technology Institute and completed postdoctoral work at Boston University and the University of Texas at Austin. A longtime contributor to the American Chemical Society, he has served as Deputy Editor of The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters and currently serving as Editor-in-Chief of ACS Energy Letters. His honors include Smalley Award by the Electrochemical Society (2022), Porter Medal in Photochemistry awarded by the International Societies of Photochemistry (2022), and Henry H. Storch Award in Energy Chemistry (ACS National award, 2024). He is Pravasi Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy and Member of the American Academy of Science and Letters. His Google Scholar profile reflects exceptional impact, with an h-index of 176 and more than 120,000 citations.

2026 ACS Fall – CME NASA Symposium Abstract

Quantized Photocatalysis with Bandgap Engineered Metal Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals

Prashant V. Kamat, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Radiation Laboratory, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556

Modulating the interfacial transfer of electrons and holes following bandgap excitation is a critical factor in determining the effectiveness of photocatalysis. By tuning the band energy of CsPb(Br1-xIx)3 semiconductor quantum dots through halide composition and size quantization, we demonstrate precise control over charge transfer processes. The forward electron (and hole) transfer to surface-bound probe molecules is dependent on the thermodynamic driving force, viz., the energy gap between the band edge and the acceptor’s redox potential. Using Marcus theory, we correlate the rate constants of electron transfer to surface-bound probes with the the energy gap. Finally, the role of bandgap engineering in enhancing the selectivity and efficiency of photocatalytic systems is discussed.