Materials Scientist
Materials Scientist

Biography

Elias Nakouzi is a materials scientist in the Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He is interested in understanding nanomaterial crystallization, interactions, and assembly for applications in chemical separations, materials synthesis, and environmental management. Previously, Nakouzi  was a Pauling Fellow and led the development of 3D atomic force microscopy for investigating interfacial solution structure. Nakouzi earned his PhD in physical chemistry from Florida State University where he studied biomimetic crystallization and self-assembly of materials across scales. Nakouzi received a MSc in physical chemistry from the American University of Beirut and a BSc in chemistry from Notre Dame University-Louaize, Lebanon.

Research Interest

  • Materials science
  • Non-equilibrium thermodynamics
  • Chemical separations
  • Solid-liquid interfaces
  • Nanoparticle interactions and assembly
  • Atomic force microscopy

Education

  • PhD in physical chemistry, Florida State University (FSU)
  • MSc in physical chemistry, American University of Beirut (AUB)
  • BSc in chemistry, University of Notre Dame

Awards and Recognitions

  • Linus Pauling Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2017
  • Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship, International Centre for Diffraction Data, 2015, 2016
  • Edward Kraus Crystallographic Research Fund, Mineralogical Society of America, 2015
  • Jyo Dalal Physical Chemistry Research Award, FSU, 2015
  • Hoffman Endowment Fellowship, FSU, 2012
  • Abdul Hadi Debs Endowment Award for Academic Research Excellence, AUB, 2011

Publications

2025

  • Butreddy P., S.T. Mergelsberg, J.N. Jocz, D. Li, V. Prabhakaran, A.J. Ritchhart, and C. Venkata Subban, et al. 2025. "Selective dissolution and re-precipitation by pH cycling enables recovery of manganese from surface nodules." RSC Sustainability 3, no. 2:983-994. PNNL-SA-202293. doi:10.1039/d4su00444b
  • Heo J., P. Butreddy, G.K. Schenter, C.J. Mundy, J.J. De Yoreo, E. Nakouzi, and J. Lee, et al. 2025. "Colloidal phenomena reflect the interplay between interfacial solution structure, interparticle forces, and dynamical response." Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science 75, no. _:Art. 101887. PNNL-SA-199548. doi:10.1016/j.cocis.2024.101887

2024

  • Bard A.B., G.R. Feslted, A.S. Ganas, A. Pant, C. Gupta, Y. Chen, and E. Nakouzi, et al. 2024. "Chemically Driven Multistep Crystallization in the Synthesis of Sodium Yttrium Fluoride Via a Porous, Electrochemically Active Intermediate." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 128, no. 31:13034-13044. PNNL-SA-167077. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.4c01281
  • Brahana P.J., M. Zhang, E. Nakouzi, and B. Bharti. 2024. "Weathering influences the ice nucleation activity of microplastics." Nature Communications 15, no. _:Art. No. 9579. PNNL-SA-200237. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-53987-8
  • Butreddy P., A.J. Ritchhart, Q. Wang, H.M. Job, M.L. Sushko, J. Chun, and E. Nakouzi. 2024. "Flow-gel approach enables rapid extraction of pure magnesium phase from seawater." Chemical Communications 60, no. 93:13718-13721. PNNL-SA-203387. doi:10.1039/D4CC04711G
  • Butreddy P., J. Heo, N. Rampal, T. Liu, L. Liu, W.T. Smith, and X. Zhang, et al. 2024. "Ion correlations decrease particle aggregation rate by increasing hydration forces at interfaces." ACS Nano 18, no. 38:26047-26055. PNNL-SA-194700. doi:10.1021/acsnano.4c05563
  • Legg B.A., Y. Zhu, E. Nakouzi, T.C. Johnson, and K.M. Rosso. 2024. "Dynamics of electric polarization and relaxation of ions at humid calcite surfaces." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 128, no. 17:7275-7285. PNNL-SA-193381. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.4c00107
  • Liu L., S.B. Yadav, A. Feng, D. Li, T.C. Droubay, P. Pauzauskie, and G.K. Schenter, et al. 2024. "Effect of solvent composition on non-DLVO forces and oriented attachment of zinc oxide nanoparticles." ACS Nano 18, no. 26:16743-16751. PNNL-SA-195665. doi:10.1021/acsnano.4c01797
  • Liu T., N. Rampal, E. Nakouzi, B.A. Legg, J. Chun, L. Liu, and G.K. Schenter, et al. 2024. "Molecular Mechanisms of Sorbed Ion Effects During Boehmite Particle Aggregation." Langmuir 40, no. 17:8791-8805. PNNL-SA-192747. doi:10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03532
  • Simonnin P., S.N. Kerisit, E. Nakouzi, T.C. Johnson, and K.M. Rosso. 2024. "Structure and dynamics of aqueous electrolytes at quartz (001) and (101) surfaces." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 128, no. 16:6927-6940. PNNL-SA-194870. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.4c00693
  • Zhang M., Y. Chen, C. Wu, R. Zheng, Y. Xia, E. Saccuzzo, and T. Trinh, et al. 2024. "A Molecular View of Peptoid-Induced Acceleration of Calcite Growth." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 121, no. 45:Art. No. e2412358121. PNNL-SA-199782. doi:10.1073/pnas.2412358121

2023

  • Alberstein R.G., J.L. Prelesnik, E. Nakouzi, S. Zhang, J.J. De Yoreo, W.J. Pfaendtner, and F.A. Tezcan, et al. 2023. "Discrete orientations of interfacial waters direct crystallization of mica-binding proteins." The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 14, no. 1:80-87. PNNL-SA-178070. doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c02948
  • Liu L., B.A. Legg, W.T. Smith, L.M. Anovitz, L.M. Anovitz, X. Zhang, and R.J. Harper, et al. 2023. "Predicting outcomes of nanoparticle attachment by connecting atomistic, interfacial, particle, and aggregate scales." ACS Nano 17, no. 16:15556-15567. PNNL-SA-182308. doi:10.1021/acsnano.3c02145
  • Liu L., M. Sassi, X. Zhang, E. Nakouzi, L. Kovarik, S. Xue, and B. Jin, et al. 2023. "Understanding the mechanisms of anisotropic dissolution in metal oxides by applying radiolysis simulations to liquid-phase TEM." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 120, no. 23:Art. No. e2101243120. PNNL-SA-180523. doi:10.1073/pnas.2101243120
  • Nakouzi E., S.N. Kerisit, B.A. Legg, S.B. Yadav, D. Li, A.G. Stack, and C.J. Mundy, et al. 2023. "Solution structure and hydration forces between mica and hydrophilic versus hydrophobic surfaces." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 127, no. 5:2741-2752. PNNL-SA-179604. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c09120
  • Sassi M., S.N. Kerisit, P. Simonnin, B.A. Legg, E. Nakouzi, Y. Zhu, and T.C. Johnson, et al. 2023. "Quantifying the impact of electric fields on the local structure and migration of potassium ions at the orthoclase (001) surface." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 127, no. 32:15757-15765. PNNL-SA-182868. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c01783
  • Wang Q., and E. Nakouzi. "Reaction-Diffusion Coupling Facilitates the Sequential Precipitation of Metal Ions from Battery Feedstock Solutions."
  • Wang Q., and E. Nakouzi. 2023. "Reaction-Diffusion Coupling Facilitates the Sequential Precipitation of Metal Ions from Battery Feedstock Solutions." Environmental Science & Technology Letters 10, no. 12:1188-1194. PNNL-SA-191517. doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00754

2022

  • De Yoreo J.J., E. Nakouzi, B. Jin, J. Chun, and C.J. Mundy. 2022. "Spiers Memorial Lecture: Assembly-based pathways of crystallization." Faraday Discussions 235. PNNL-SA-172323. doi:10.1039/d2fd00061j
  • Wang Q., E. Nakouzi, E.A. Ryan, and C. Venkata Subban. 2022. "Flow-Assisted Selective Mineral Extraction from Seawater." Environmental Science & Technology Letters 9, no. 7:645-649. PNNL-SA-170825. doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00229

2021

  • Nakouzi E., A.G. Stack, S.N. Kerisit, B.A. Legg, C.J. Mundy, G.K. Schenter, and J. Chun, et al. 2021. "Moving beyond the Solvent-Tip Approximation to Determine Site-Specific Variations of Interfacial Water Structure through 3D Force Microscopy." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 125, no. 2:1282-1291. PNNL-SA-152623. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c07901

2020

  • Huang X., Q. Zhao, R.P. Young, X. Zhang, E.D. Walter, Y. Chen, and E. Nakouzi, et al. 2020. "Photo-production of Reactive Oxygen Species and Degradation of Dissolved Organic Matter by Hematite Nanoplates Functionalized by Adsorbed Oxalate." Environmental Science: Nano 7, no. 8:2278-2292. PNNL-SA-148918. doi:10.1039/D0EN00365D
  • Ilton E.S., L. Kovarik, E. Nakouzi, S.T. Mergelsberg, M.E. McBriarty, and E.J. Bylaska. 2020. "Using Atom Dynamics to Map the Defect Structure Around an Impurity in Nano-Hematite." The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 11, no. 24:10396-10400. PNNL-SA-153756. doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c02798
  • Krzysko A., E. Nakouzi, X. Zhang, T.R. Graham, K.M. Rosso, G.K. Schenter, and J. Ilavsky, et al. 2020. "Correlating inter-particle forces and particle shape to shear-induced aggregation/fragmentation and rheology for dilute anisotropic particle suspensions: a complementary study via capillary rheometry and in situ small and ultra-small angle X-ray scattering." Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 576. PNNL-SA-148317. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2020.04.016
  • Liu L., E. Nakouzi, M.L. Sushko, G.K. Schenter, C.J. Mundy, J. Chun, and J.J. De Yoreo. 2020. "Connecting energetics to dynamics in particle growth by oriented attachment using real-time observations." Nature Communications 11, no. 1:1045. PNNL-SA-148131. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-14719-w
  • Qafoku O., L. Kovarik, M.E. Bowden, E. Nakouzi, A. Sheng, J. Liu, and C.I. Pearce, et al. 2020. "Nanoscale Observations of Fe(II)-Induced Ferrihydrite Transformation." Environmental Science Nano 7, no. 10:2953-2967. PNNL-SA-155340. doi:10.1039/D0EN00730G
  • Song M., G. Zhou, N. Lu, J. Lee, E. Nakouzi, H. Wang, and D. Li. 2020. "Oriented Attachment Induces Fivefold Twins by Forming and Decomposing High-Energy Grain Boundaries." Science 367, no. 6473:40-45. PNNL-SA-149217. doi:10.1126/science.aax6511

2019

  • Kessenich B.L., N. Pokhrel, E. Nakouzi, C.J. Newcomb, M. Flury, L. Maibaum, and J.J. De Yoreo. 2019. "Connecting wettability, topography, and chemistry in a simple lipid-montmorillonite system." Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 555. PNNL-SA-150096. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2019.07.075
  • Lee J., E. Nakouzi, D. Xiao, Z. Wu, M. Song, C. Ophus, and J. Chun, et al. 2019. "Interplay between Short and Long-Ranged Forces Leading to the Formation of Ag Nanoparticle Superlattice." Small 15, no. 33:Article Number 1901966. PNNL-SA-142641. doi:10.1002/smll.201901966
  • Liu L., M.L. Sushko, E.C. Buck, X. Zhang, L. Kovarik, Z. Shen, and J. Tao, et al. 2019. "Revisiting the Growth Mechanism of Hierarchical Semiconductor Nanostructures: The Role of Secondary Nucleation in Branch Formation." The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 10, no. 21:6827-6834. PNNL-SA-147896. doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b02110
  • Soltis J.A., M.E. McBriarty, O. Qafoku, S.N. Kerisit, E. Nakouzi, J.J. De Yoreo, and E.S. Ilton. 2019. "Can Mineral Growth by Oriented Attachment Lead to Incorporation of Uranium(VI) into the Structure of Goethite?." Environmental Science Nano 6, no. 10:3000-3009. PNNL-SA-145133. doi:10.1039/c9en00779b

2018

  • Anovitz L.M., X. Zhang, J.A. Soltis, E. Nakouzi, A. Krzysko, J. Chun, and G.K. Schenter, et al. 2018. "Effects of Ionic Strength, Salt, and pH on Aggregation of Boehmite Nanocrystals: Tumbler Small-Angle Neutron and X-ray Scattering and Imaging Analysis." Langmuir 34, no. 51:15839-15853. PNNL-SA-132707. doi:10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b00865
  • Cheng Y., J. Tao, G. Zhu, J.A. Soltis, B.A. Legg, E. Nakouzi, and J.J. De Yoreo, et al. 2018. "Near Surface Nucleation and Particle Mediated Growth of Colloidal Au Nanocrystals." Nanoscale 10, no. 25:11907 - 11912. PNNL-SA-135333. doi:10.1039/c8nr03408g
  • Lee J., E. Nakouzi, M. Song, B. Wang, J. Chun, and D. Li. 2018. "Mechanistic understanding of the growth kinetics and dynamics of nanoparticle superlattices by coupling interparticle forces from real-time measurements." ACS Nano 12, no. 12:12778-12787. PNNL-SA-136036. doi:10.1021/acsnano.8b07880
  • Nakouzi E., H. Fares, J.B. Schlenoff, and O. Steinbock. 2018. "Polyelectrolyte Complex Films Influence the Formation of Polycrystalline Micro-Structures." Soft Matter 14, no. 16:3164-3170. PNNL-SA-132766. doi:10.1039/C7SM02466E
  • Nakouzi E., J.A. Soltis, B.A. Legg, G.K. Schenter, X. Zhang, T. Graham, and K.M. Rosso, et al. 2018. "Impact of Solution Chemistry and Particle Anisotropy on the Collective Dynamics of Oriented Aggregation." ACS Nano 12, no. 10:10114-10122. PNNL-SA-138292. doi:10.1021/acsnano.8b04909
  • Nakouzi E., J.A. Soltis, B.A. Legg, G.K. Schenter, X. Zhang, T.R. Graham, and K.M. Rosso, et al. 2018. "Impact of Solution Chemistry and Particle Anistropy on the Collective Dynamics of Oriented Aggregation." ACS Nano 12, no. 10:10114-10122. PNNL-SA-132757. doi:10.1021/acsnano.8b04909