Nicholas A. Kotov

Nicholas A. Kotov (born August 29, 1965, in Moscow, USSR) is the Irving Langmuir Distinguished Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Prof. Nicholas Kotov demonstrated that the ability to self-organize into complex structures is the unifying property of all inorganic nanostructures. He has developed a family of bioinspired composite materials with a wide spectrum of properties that were previously unattainable in classical materials. These composite biomimetic materials are exemplified by his nacre-like ultrastrong yet transparent composites, enamel-like, stiff yet vibration-isolating composites, and cartilage-like membranes with both high strength and ion conductance.

Work
Kotov's research is focused on the development of biomimetic nanocomposites, the self-assembly of nanoparticles, and chiral nanostructures. Utilizing layer-by-layer assembly (LbL), Kotov prepared a wide spectrum of nacre-like nanocomposites including those from clay and graphite oxide. He showed that clay-based biomimetic composites can attain mechanical properties comparable to some grades of steel while retaining transparency. This discovery spurred the development of new methods for the mass-production of nacre-like materials from a large variety of inorganic nanosheets. While being inspired by natural materials, these composites far exceeded the properties of their natural prototypes and add other optical, electrical, thermal, and membrane properties.

Kotov extended the concept of biomimetic nanostructures to inorganic nanoparticles. He established that, similarly to many proteins and other biomolecules, nanoparticles can self-organize into chains, sheets, nanowires, twisted ribbons and nanohelices, and spherical supraparticles replicating viral capsids.

Kotov's work established that the biomimetic self-assembly behavior of nanoparticles originates from interparticle interactions at the nanoscale, in which chirality also plays a prominent role. His studies on the self-assembly of chiral nanostructures have led to the development of nanoparticle assemblies with complexity exceeding those found in biological organisms.

Education and early career
Kotov received his MS (1987) and PhD (1990) degrees in chemistry from Moscow State University, where his research concerned liquid-liquid interfaces imitating cell membranes for solar energy conversion. After graduation, he took up a postdoctoral position in the research group of Prof. Janos Fendler in the Department of Chemistry at Syracuse University in New York state working on nanoparticle synthesis and assembly at interfaces.

Independent research career
Kotov took up a position as assistant professor of chemistry at the Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1996, gaining promotion to associate professor in 2001. In 2003 he moved to the University of Michigan where he is now the Irving Langmuir Distinguished Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering.

Awards

 * 2021	Thurnbull Lectureship (Materials Research Society)
 * 2021	Nanoscale Science and Engineering Forum Award, (American Institute of Chemical Engineers)
 * 2020	National Academy of Inventors
 * 2020 	Alpha Chi Sigma Award (American Institute of Chemical Engineers)
 * 2020	Newton Award (Department of Defense)
 * 2020	Irving Langmuir Distinguished Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering
 * 2020	Batsheva de Rothschild Fellowship (The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities)
 * 2020	Melville Lecturer (University of Cambridge, UK)
 * 2019	IMX Lecturer (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)
 * 2018	Vannevar Bush Fellowship (US Department of Defense)
 * 2018	Soft Matter and Biophysical Chemistry Award (Royal Society of Chemistry)
 * 2017 	Alexander von Humboldt Research Award (Humboldt Foundation)
 * 2017	Van 't Hoff Lecturer (Universities of Utrecht, Amsterdam, and Leiden)
 * 2017	Colloid Chemistry Award (American Chemical Society, ACS)
 * 2016	Stephanie L. Kwolek Award (Royal Society of Chemistry, RSC)
 * 2016	August T. Larsson Fellow (Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet)
 * 2016	Senior Fulbright Fellow (Fulbright Foundation and Commission)
 * 2016	UNESCO Medal for Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies
 * 2014	Materials Research Society Medal (with Prof. S. Glotzer)
 * 2014	Best of New Technologies Award (Popular Science)
 * 2014	Fellow of the Materials Research Society (MRS)
 * 2014 	MRL Lecturer (California Institute of Technology)
 * 2014	IIN Frontiers in Nanotechnology Lecturer (Northwestern University)
 * 2013	Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
 * 2013	Langmuir Lectureship Award (American Chemical Society, ACS)
 * 2012	Stine Award for Materials Research (American Institute of Chemical Engineers, AIChE)
 * 2012	Kennedy Family Research Team Award (UM)
 * 2011	Top 100 Materials Scientists in 2000-2010 (Thomson Reuters)
 * 2011	Top 100 Chemists in 2000-2010 (Thomson Reuters)
 * 2008	Gutenberg Award (Government of Alsace)
 * 2008 	College Inventor Award (USPTO, Kauffman Foundation of Entrepreneurship)
 * 2008	Top 10 Discoveries of the Year (Wired Magazine)
 * 2007	College of Engineering Research Excellence Award (University of Michigan)
 * 2007	Caddell Award (University of Michigan)
 * 2007	Chair of Gordon Research Conference “Supramolecular Chemistry” (GRC)
 * 2006	Welliver Fellow (The Boeing Co.)
 * 2006 	Gran Prix, Materials Research Society Entrepreneurship Challenge (MRS)
 * 2003	Chair of Gordon Research Conference “Thin Organic Films” (GRC)
 * 1998	NSF CAREER Award (National Science Foundation, NSF)
 * 1996	Humboldt Fellowship (Humboldt Foundation, Germany)
 * 1987	Honor Diploma (diploma with distinction = summa cum laude, Moscow State U.)
 * 1986	Mendeleev Fellowship (Moscow State University, Russia)

Personal life
Kotov married chemist Elvira Stesikova, PhD, in 1991. They have two daughters, Sophia and Nicole.