CAREER: Fundamental studies of charge transport through alkali metal doped zeolite films

旧金山弗朗西斯科州立大学的Andrew Ichimura在实验物理化学计划的支持下开展了一项综合材料化学研究和教育项目。核心研究假设是，掺杂碱金属的纯二氧化硅沸石膜将成为半金属或导体，这取决于沸石孔的大小和连通性、特定金属及其浓度。 碱金属掺杂的纯二氧化硅沸石（M@Z; M= Na-Cs）膜将由具有不同通道尺寸和结构（例如，1D或3D）的沸石制备。它将被证明，高品质的多层结构可以制备，这将使新的研究内和通过沸石膜的电荷传输。 将使用各种光谱方法和电导率测量来确定材料和界面区域的结构和性质。 预期结果将证明根据相对于所施加的电流的通道方向的定向电荷传输。 一个主要的目标是确定导电是否被激活或固有的特定的M@SZ材料。 纳米多孔沸石膜的基础研究将扩大硅沸石的范围和应用，推进对化学和物理现象以及无机-有机界面的理解，并允许研究纳米多孔固体中的低维电导率。教育部分将材料化学纳入SFSU的课程，SFSU主要是本科院校，并为本科生和硕士生提供独特的研究机会。这项研究的结果预计将影响沸石，沸石膜和自组装单分子膜的固态化学，可能开辟新的研究和应用途径。 对沸石膜生长的预期理解可能会促进纳米多孔膜作为传感器和电极的使用，并提供制备其他技术上重要的氧化物膜的途径。新的物理化学实验室的开发和实施将振兴化学课程的纳米研究，当前化学兴趣的一个重要和创新领域的方向。

Andrew Ichimura of San Francisco State University is supported by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program to carry out an integrated materials chemistry research and education project. The central research hypothesis is that pure silica zeolite films doped with alkali metals will become semi-metals or conductors depending on the size and connectivity of the zeolite pores, the specific metal, and its concentration. Alkali metal doped pure silica zeolite (M@Z; M= Na-Cs) films will be prepared from zeolites with different channel sizes and structures (for example,1D or 3D). It will be demonstrated that high quality multilayered structures can be prepared that will enable new studies of charge transport within and through a zeolite film. Various spectroscopic methods and conductivity measurements will be used to establish the structure and properties of the material and interfacial regions. Outcomes are expected to demonstrate the directional charge transport according to the channel orientation with respect to applied current. A major goal is to determine whether conduction is activated or intrinsic to particular M@SZ materials. Fundamental studies of nanoporous zeolite films will expand the scope and applications of silica zeolites, advance the understanding of chemical and physical phenomena and inorganic-organic interfaces, and permit studies of low-dimensional conductivity in nanoporous solids. The educational component will incorporate materials chemistry into the curriculum at SFSU, a primarily undergraduate institution, and enable unique research opportunities for undergraduate and master's level students. Outcomes of this research are expected to impact solid-state chemistry at zeolites, zeolite films, and self-assembled monolayers, possibly opening new avenues of research and applications. Anticipated understandings of zeolite film growth may advance the use of nanoporous films as sensors and electrodes, and provide routes to prepare other technologically important oxide films. New physical chemistry laboratory experiments to be developed and implemented will revitalize the chemistry curriculum in the direction of nanoscale research, an important and innovative area of current chemical interest.