Robert Cort Haddon was a distinguished chemist and materials scientist who served as Professor of Chemistry and Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Riverside. He held the prestigious position of Director of the Center for Nanoscale Science & Engineering and led the expansion of this center to include the Center for Nanoscale Innovation for Defense through a multicampus initiative between UCR, UCSB, and UCLA. Born in Tasmania, Australia, Haddon earned his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Melbourne in 1966 and completed his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at Pennsylvania State University in 1971. His career trajectory took him from Australia to Pennsylvania, then to AT&T Bell Labs in New Jersey where he conducted groundbreaking research on organic metals with Fred Wudl, and ultimately to California where he established himself as a leader in carbon-based nanomaterials.
Haddon's most significant scientific contribution was the discovery of superconductivity in alkali-metal-doped carbon-60, a finding that opened new frontiers in the field of carbon-based electronics. His research on carbon nanotubes was equally transformative, including the development of methods for dissolution of single-walled carbon nanotubes which enabled their processing and application in diverse fields. His highly cited publications, such as 'Electronic structure and bonding in icosahedral C60' (1986) with over 900 citations and 'Dissolution of single-walled carbon nanotubes' (1999) with nearly 800 citations, established foundational knowledge for subsequent research in nanocarbon materials. These contributions were not merely academic, as evidenced by his entrepreneurial ventures including CarboLex, Inc. which he co-founded in 1998 to produce and sell single-walled carbon nanotubes, and Carbon Solutions, Inc. which he founded in 1999 to advance chemical processing of carbon materials for practical applications.
Beyond his direct research contributions, Haddon's legacy continues through the Robert C. Haddon Memorial Endowed Graduate Award at UC Riverside which recognizes outstanding graduate students working in nanomaterials research. His entrepreneurial spirit bridged the gap between fundamental science and commercial applications, demonstrating how academic research can translate into real-world technologies. Although his life was cut short by his passing on April 21, 2016, his work continues to influence the field of carbon nanomaterials, with subsequent generations of researchers building upon his foundational discoveries in graphene, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes. The establishment of the Nanocarbons Division Robert C. Haddon Research Award by the Electrochemical Society further underscores his lasting impact on the scientific community and serves as a testament to his status as a pioneering visionary in the field of carbon-based nanomaterials.
