Dr. Alexey Ignatchenko Research Group

In our research, we study solid state surfaces, their construction (reconstruction) and everything else that happens on surfaces exposed to chemicals. This includes heterogeneous catalysis and design of Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) made out of a single atomic layer.

In the most recent direction we explore 3D periodic surfaces of an sp2-hybridized carbon, similar to graphene, but in the hyperbolic space. We construct all of our surfaces by t{3,7} pattern, known as the hyperbolic soccer ball.

Some examples of 3D surfaces are shown below and in the Schwarzites database.

P7par_periodic

Fig. 2. 3D model of a double-layered p-cell surface made of heptagons, a stack of 4x4x4 unit cells.




Fig. 1. An example of a 3D-periodic Schwartz p-cell surface made out of heptagons. In this particular case, two sides of the surface are not equal.