CAREER: Photoinduced Electron Transfer Processes in Self-Assembled Inorganic Nanomaterials

这项由无机化学、生物无机化学和金属有机化学计划颁发的职业奖项支持布法罗大学的大卫·沃森教授研究自组装无机纳米材料的光化学。这种材料由量子点通过分子连接物连接到金属氧化物薄膜上。第一项研究涉及从光激发的量子点向金属氧化物半导体中注入电子。时间分辨光谱测量系统地探索了材料的组成、形貌和物理性质对界面电子转移过程的动力学和效率的影响。这些基础性研究可能会影响用于太阳能转换的量子点太阳能电池和纳米结构光催化剂的设计。第二个研究领域涉及表面活性剂分子的光化学降解及其在金属氧化物表面选择性沉积纳米颗粒方面的应用。这种光化学图案化策略解决了纳米制造中的一个重大挑战，即控制纳米结构材料中的短程和长程有序。这项研究与布法罗的一个教育推广项目相结合，在该项目中，布法罗的高中和中学生参与了纳米材料研究项目。该外展计划扩大了导师网络，促进了人们对科学教育和职业的兴趣，特别是对纳入美洲原住民学生的兴趣。其他教育项目将包括编写一门关于纳米结构材料化学和物理的密集写作的研究生课程，以及在布法罗大学发起一个纳米材料研究论坛。

This CAREER award by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program supports work by Professor David Watson at the University at Buffalo to study the photochemistry of self-assembled inorganic nanomaterials. The materials consist of quantum dots attached to metal oxide films through molecular linkers. The first study involves electron injection from photoexcited quantum dots into the metal oxide semiconductor. Time-resolved spectroscopic measurements systematically probe the influence of the composition, morphology, and physical properties of materials on the kinetics and efficiency of interfacial electron transfer processes. These fundamental studies may impact the design of quantum dot solar cells and nanostructured photocatalysts for solar energy conversion. The second area of research involves the photochemical degradation of surfactant molecules and its application towards the site-selective deposition of nanoparticles onto metal oxide surfaces. This photochemical patterning strategy addresses a significant challenge in nanofabrication, which is to control both short-range and long-range order within nanostructured materials. The research is integrated with an educational outreach program, in which Buffalo high school and middle school students engage in nanomaterials research projects. The outreach program creates expanded mentoring networks and promotes interest in science education and careers especially focused on the inclusion of Native American students. Other educational projects will include the development of a writing-intensive graduate course on the chemistry and physics of nanostructured materials and the initiation of a nanomaterials research forum at the University at Buffalo.