Kenneth Knappenberger | Institute of Energy and the Environment

Elsevier Pure Profile

IEE Research Themes

Integrated Energy Systems

Affiliate Researcher

Professor, Chemistry

In the News

Chemistry professor named Blavatnik National Awards finalist | Penn State University

Sep 9, 2025 | psu.edu

Chemistry professor named Blavatnik National Awards finalist

Gold clusters show promise as scalable options for quantum computers, sensors | Penn State University

Jul 22, 2025 | psu.edu

Gold clusters show promise as scalable options for quantum computers, sensors

Ten interdisciplinary research teams awarded IEE seed grants | Penn State University

Jun 24, 2025 | psu.edu

Ten interdisciplinary research teams awarded IEE seed grants

Research Keywords

These keywords and phrases come from the publications and other research output of this person. See other researchers related to these topics by clicking on any keyword.

Relaxation Dynamics

Photoluminescence

Electronic Relaxation

Nonlinear Optical

Monolayer-protected Clusters

Electronic Spectroscopy

Second Harmonic Generation

Absorption Spectroscopy

Optical Properties

Hollow Gold Nanospheres

Electronic State

Optical Property

Two-dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy

Plasmon-mediated

Projects

Abstract digital illustration of an atom, featuring glowing particles and swirling blue and white energy lines orbiting a bright central core, symbolizing atomic structure, electron spin, or quantum energy.

Development of Spin-Polarized Nano-Metal Catalysts

Recent Publications

US must support chemistry research

Allen, K., Armentrout, P. B., Berkman, C., Boxer, S. G., Burkart, M., Canary, J. W., Castellano, R. K., Columbus, L., DeRose, V. J., Fairbrother, H., Ferguson, G. S., Foley, J., Haynes, C., Heemstra, J. M., Jaekle, F., Knappenberger, K., Kong, W., Kaufman, L. J., Lambert, T. H. & Lin, Y. S. & 16 others, Liu, H., Metz, R., Morris, A., Murphy, C. J., Peczuh, M., Pennington, W., Pojman, J. A., Reisman, S., Shores, M., Spokoyny, A. M., Szulczewski, G., Van Voorhis, T., Warren, T. H., Wang, L. S., Wysocki, V. & Zhang, J., Jun 19 2025, In: Science. 388, 6753, p. 1282-1283 2 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

Diverse Superatomic Magnetic and Spin Properties of Au₁₄₄(SC₈H₉)₆₀Clusters

Foxley, J., Tofanelli, M., Knappenberger, J. A., Ackerson, C. J. & Knappenberger, K. L., Aug 27 2025, In: ACS Central Science. 11, 8, p. 1329-1335 7 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Solvent Dependence of [Au₁₁(BINAP)₄X₂: X = Cl or Br]⁺Cluster Electronic and Optical Properties

Heintzelman, D. J., Knappenberger, J. A. & Knappenberger, K. L., Jul 2025, In: Journal of Physical Chemistry A. 129, 29, p. 6638-6643 6 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Understanding Nanoparticle Electronic Spin-State Dynamics and Properties Using Variable-Temperature, Variable-Field Magnetic Circular Photoluminescence

Knappenberger, J. A. & Knappenberger, K. L., May 5 2025, In: ChemPhysChem. 26, 9, e202401139.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

High Harmonic Generation from 2D Polar Metal Heterostructures

Ordonez, C., Dong, C., Jain, A., Lu, L. S., Robinson, J. A. & Knappenberger, K. L., Mar 13 2025, In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 129, 10, p. 5133-5139 7 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

The Influence of Passivating Ligand Identity on Au₂₅(SR)₁₈ Spin-Polarized Emission

Smith, N. L., Herbert, P. J., Tofanelli, M. A., Knappenberger, J. A., Ackerson, C. J. & Knappenberger, K. L., May 22 2025, In: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 16, 20, p. 5168-5172 5 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Influence of Halogen-Solvent Hydrogen Bonding on Gold Nanocluster Photoluminescence

Heintzelman, D. J., Nelson, S. A. & Knappenberger, K. L., Mar 21 2024, In: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 15, 11, p. 2951-2956 6 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Thickness-dependent electronic relaxation dynamics in solution-phase redox-exfoliated MoS₂ heterostructures

Jeffries, W. R., Jawaid, A. M., Vaia, R. A. & Knappenberger, K. L., Apr 14 2024, In: Journal of Chemical Physics. 160, 14, 144707.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Influence of Aliphatic versus Aromatic Ligand Passivation on Intersystem Crossing in Au₂₅(SR)₁₈^-

Smith, N. L. & Knappenberger, K. L., Sep 12 2024, In: Journal of Physical Chemistry A. 128, 36, p. 7620-7627 8 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Resolving plasmon-mediated high-order multiphoton excitation pathways in dolmen nanostructures using ultrafast nonlinear optical interferometry

Zhao, T., Liu, X., Nepal, D., Park, K., Vaia, R., Nealey, P. & Knappenberger, K. L., Aug 7 2024, In: Journal of Chemical Physics. 161, 5, 054707.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Magneto-Optical Properties of Noble Metal Nanostructures

Foxley, J. & Knappenberger, K. L., Apr 24 2023, In: Annual Review of Physical Chemistry. 74, p. 53-72 20 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

The Evolution from Superatom- to Plasmon-Mediated Magnetic Circular Dichroism in Colloidal Metal Nanoparticles Spanning the Nonmetallic to Metallic Limits

Foxley, J., Green, T. D., Tofanelli, M. A., Ackerson, C. J. & Knappenberger, K. L., Jun 8 2023, In: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 14, 22, p. 5210-5215 6 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Coherent Vibrational Dynamics of Au₁₄₄(SC₈H₉)₆₀ Nanoclusters

Jeffries, W. R., Malola, S., Tofanelli, M. A., Ackerson, C. J., Häkkinen, H. & Knappenberger, K. L., Jul 27 2023, In: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 14, 29, p. 6679-6685 7 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Symmetry-Dependent Dynamics in Au₃₈(SC₆H₁₃)₂₄ Revealed by Polarization-Dependent Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy

Jeffries, W. R., Aikens, C. M. & Knappenberger, K. L., Sep 28 2023, In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 127, 38, p. 19035-19043 9 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Recent Advances in 2D Material Theory, Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Lin, Y. C., Torsi, R., Younas, R., Hinkle, C. L., Rigosi, A. F., Hill, H. M., Zhang, K., Huang, S., Shuck, C. E., Chen, C., Lin, Y. H., Maldonado-Lopez, D., Mendoza-Cortes, J. L., Ferrier, J., Kar, S., Nayir, N., Rajabpour, S., Van Duin, A. C. T., Liu, X. & Jariwala, D. & 28 others, Jiang, J., Shi, J., Mortelmans, W., Jaramillo, R., Lopes, J. M. J., Engel-Herbert, R., Trofe, A., Ignatova, T., Lee, S. H., Mao, Z., Damian, L., Wang, Y., Steves, M. A., Knappenberger, K. L., Wang, Z., Law, S., Bepete, G., Zhou, D., Lin, J. X., Scheurer, M. S., Li, J., Wang, P., Yu, G., Wu, S., Akinwande, D., Redwing, J. M., Terrones, M. & Robinson, J. A., Jun 13 2023, In: ACS nano. 17, 11, p. 9694-9747 54 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review