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Chemistry
USA
2026

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Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Chemistry in United States Leader Award
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  • 2025 - Research.com Best Scientists Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Chemistry in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Materials Science in United States Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Materials Science in United States Leader Award
  • 2021 - Oesper Award, University of Cincinnati and American Chemical Society
  • 2020 - Centenary Prize, Royal Society of Chemistry (UK)
  • 2015 - Fellow, National Academy of Inventors
  • 2009 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Overview

James M. Tour is an active researcher affiliated with Rice University in the United States. Their research is concentrated primarily in the fields of Engineering and Materials Science, with a significant focus on subfields such as Materials Chemistry, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Molecular Biology.

Their work spans several topical areas including:

  • Graphene research and applications
  • Advancements in Battery Materials
  • Graphene and Nanomaterials Applications
  • Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
  • Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication
  • Extraction and Separation Processes
  • Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics

Recent publications illustrate ongoing contributions to these areas. Notable papers include:

  • "Gram-scale bottom-up flash graphene synthesis", 2020, Nature
  • "Flash Graphene from Plastic Waste", 2020, ACS Nano
  • "High-Resolution Laser-Induced Graphene. Flexible Electronics beyond the Visible Limit", 2020, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
  • "Phase controlled synthesis of transition metal carbide nanocrystals by ultrafast flash Joule heating", 2022, Nature Communications
  • "Large-Scale Syntheses of 2D Materials: Flash Joule Heating and Other Methods", 2021, Advanced Materials

Their frequent coauthors, who have collaborated extensively, include Weiyin Chen, Kevin M. Wyss, Jacob L. Beckham, Bing Deng, and Lucas Eddy. These collaborations have supported substantial work published in leading scientific venues.

Key publication venues for James M. Tour's work include:

  • ACS Nano
  • Advanced Materials
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
  • ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
  • Nature Communications

The researcher has also contributed to book publications, including a title in the "Reformed theology in Africa series" called Science and Faith in Dialogue published in 2022.

Their academic recognition includes awards and honors such as the Oesper Award from the University of Cincinnati and the American Chemical Society in 2021, the Centenary Prize by the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) in 2020, fellowship in the National Academy of Inventors in 2015, and fellowship of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2009.

Best Publications

  • Improved Synthesis of Graphene Oxide

    Daniela C. Marcano;Dmitry V. Kosynkin;Jacob M. Berlin;Alexander Sinitskii

  • Conductance of a Molecular Junction

    M. A. Reed;M. A. Reed;C. Zhou;C. Zhou;C. J. Muller;C. J. Muller;T. P. Burgin;T. P. Burgin

  • Longitudinal unzipping of carbon nanotubes to form graphene nanoribbons

    Dmitry V. Kosynkin;Amanda L. Higginbotham;Alexander Sinitskii;Jay R. Lomeda

  • Large On-Off Ratios and Negative Differential Resistance in a Molecular Electronic Device.

    J. Chen;M. A. Reed;A. M. Rawlett;J. M. Tour

  • Laser-induced porous graphene films from commercial polymers

    Jian Lin;Zhiwei Peng;Yuanyue Liu;Francisco Ruiz-Zepeda

  • Reversible water-solubilization of single-walled carbon nanotubes by polymer wrapping

    Michael J. O'Connell;Peter Boul;Lars M. Ericson;Chad Huffman

  • Functionalization of carbon nanotubes by electrochemical reduction of aryl diazonium salts: a bucky paper electrode

    Jeffrey L. Bahr;Jiping Yang;Dmitry V. Kosynkin;Michael J. Bronikowski

  • Molecular electronics. Synthesis and testing of components.

    James M. Tour

  • Electronic structure control of single-walled carbon nanotube functionalization.

    Michael S. Strano;Christopher A. Dyke;Monica L. Usrey;Paul W. Barone

  • Growth of graphene from solid carbon sources

    Zhengzong Sun;Zheng Yan;Jun Yao;Elvira Beitler

  • Atomic cobalt on nitrogen-doped graphene for hydrogen generation

    Huilong Fei;Juncai Dong;M. Josefina Arellano-Jiménez;Gonglan Ye

  • Are Single Molecular Wires Conducting

    L. A. Bumm;J. J. Arnold;M. T. Cygan;T. D. Dunbar

  • Conductance Switching in Single Molecules Through Conformational Changes

    Z. J. Donhauser;B. A. Mantooth;K. F. Kelly;L. A. Bumm

  • Conjugated Macromolecules of Precise Length and Constitution. Organic Synthesis for the Construction of Nanoarchitectures.

    James M. Tour

  • Covalent chemistry of single-wall carbon nanotubes

    Jeffrey L. Bahr;James M. Tour

  • Diazonium Functionalization of Surfactant-Wrapped Chemically Converted Graphene Sheets

    Jay R. Lomeda;Condell D. Doyle;Dmitry V. Kosynkin;Wen-Fang Hwang

  • Materials science: nanotube composites.

    Pulickel M. Ajayan;James M. Tour

  • Mechanism of graphene oxide formation.

    Ayrat M. Dimiev;James M. Tour

  • Laser-Induced Graphene by Multiple Lasing: Toward Electronics on Cloth, Paper, and Food

    Yieu Chyan;Ruquan Ye;Yilun Li;Swatantra Pratap Singh

  • Highly Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes Using in Situ Generated Diazonium Compounds

    Jeffrey L. Bahr and;James M. Tour

  • Covalent Functionalization of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Materials Applications

    Christopher A. Dyke;James M. Tour

Frequent Co-Authors

Zhiwei Peng
Zhiwei Peng City University of Hong Kong
Zhengzong Sun
Zhengzong Sun Fudan University
Zheng Yan
Zheng Yan University of Missouri
Mark A. Reed
Mark A. Reed Yale University
Huilong Fei
Huilong Fei Hunan University
Douglas Natelson
Douglas Natelson Rice University
Pulickel M. Ajayan
Pulickel M. Ajayan Rice University
Ruquan Ye
Ruquan Ye City University of Hong Kong
Carter Kittrell
Carter Kittrell Rice University
Robert H. Hauge
Robert H. Hauge Rice University

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