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

这个由无机，生物无机和有机化学计划的职业奖支持大卫沃森教授在布法罗大学的工作，研究自组装无机纳米材料的光化学。 这些材料由通过分子连接剂连接到金属氧化物薄膜上的量子点组成。 第一项研究涉及从光激发量子点到金属氧化物半导体的电子注入。 时间分辨光谱测量系统地探测材料的组成、形态和物理性质对界面电子转移过程的动力学和效率的影响。 这些基础研究可能会影响量子点太阳能电池和太阳能转换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纳米粒子的选择性沉积中的应用。 这种光化学图案化策略解决了纳米纤维中的一个重大挑战，即控制纳米结构材料中的短程和长程有序。 这项研究与一个教育推广计划相结合，在这个计划中，布法罗高中和中学生从事纳米材料研究项目。 外展计划创建了扩大的辅导网络，并促进了对科学教育和职业的兴趣，特别是专注于美国土著学生的包容性。 其他教育项目将包括编写关于纳米结构材料的化学和物理学的密集写作研究生课程，并在布法罗大学发起纳米材料研究论坛。

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.