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

旧金山州立大学的Andrew Ichiura得到了实验物理化学计划的支持，开展了一个综合材料化学研究和教育项目。中心研究假设是，掺入碱金属的纯二氧化硅沸石薄膜将成为半金属或导体，这取决于沸石孔的大小和连通性、特定的金属及其浓度。碱金属掺杂的纯二氧化硅分子筛(M@Z；M=Na-Cs)薄膜将由不同通道尺寸和结构的沸石分子筛(如一维或三维)制备。这将证明，可以制备高质量的多层结构，这将使得能够对分子筛膜内和通过分子筛膜的电荷传输进行新的研究。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。预计结果将根据相对于外加电流的通道取向来证明定向电荷传输。一个主要的目标是确定特定的M@SZ材料的传导是激活的还是固有的。纳米多孔沸石薄膜的基础研究将扩大二氧化硅分子筛的范围和应用，促进对化学和物理现象以及无机-有机界面的理解，并为研究纳米多孔固体的低维电导提供可能。教育部分将把材料化学纳入旧金山州立大学的课程，这是一个主要是本科生的机构，并为本科生和硕士学生提供独特的研究机会。这项研究的结果有望对沸石、沸石薄膜和自组装单分子膜的固态化学产生影响，可能会开辟研究和应用的新途径。对沸石薄膜生长的预期理解可能会促进纳米多孔薄膜作为传感器和电极的使用，并为制备其他具有重要技术意义的氧化物薄膜提供途径。即将开发和实施的新的物理化学实验室实验将重振化学课程，朝着纳米研究的方向发展，纳米研究是当前化学研究的一个重要和创新领域。

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.