Materials World Network: Collaborative Research: Transition Metal Oxide Nanoarchitectures for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Generation

太阳能转化为太阳能燃料提供长期储存和运输的世界？这是最丰富但间歇性的能源。在从化石燃料到氢作为能源载体的过渡中，材料科学将发挥前所未有的作用。在与基于可再生氢能源的技术的开发相关的氢的生产和储存中存在重大的材料挑战。马里兰州大学和印度阿格拉的Dayalbagh教育研究所之间的这项联合努力，实现了一项系统的研究，重点是设计，合成和评估廉价，丰富和稳定的过渡金属氧化物半导体材料，赤铁矿，二氧化钛和氧化铜，最终应用于光电化学生产氢。该团队汇集了纳米材料合成和表征（美国/印度）以及光电化学（印度）的专业知识。其目标是通过精心整合合成、表征和模拟来提高这类光敏材料的最新技术水平，并利用这一基础在材料设计方面取得实质性的根本进展。通过科学交流以及人员交流，该团队为材料研究开发了重要的智力基础设施，并在这一国际合作中优化利用每个伙伴机构的仪器和设施。除了实验室之外，认识到如果没有训练有素的科学和工程队伍，材料科学的进步就无法转化为生活质量的提高，多学科和跨国团队以及制氢材料的及时主题将吸引和留住更多学生科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）管道。该奖项由NSF国际科学与工程办公室共同资助。

The conversion of solar energy into solar fuels provides long-term storage and transport of the world?s most abundant but intermittent source of energy. In the transition from fossil fuels to hydrogen as an energy carrier, materials science will play an unprecedented role. Significant materials challenges exist in the production and storage of hydrogen related to development of renewable hydrogen energy based technologies. This joint effort between the University of Maryland and the Dayalbagh Educational Institute in Agra, India, implements a systematic study focusing on design, synthesis and evaluation of inexpensive, abundant and stable transition metal oxide semiconductor materials, hematite, titania and copper oxide, with end applications in photoelectrochemical production of hydrogen. The team brings together expertise in nanomaterials synthesis and characterization (US/India), and photoelectrochemistry (India). The objective is to improve the state-of-the-art for this class of photoactive materials through careful integration of synthesis, characterization, and simulation, and to use this basis for substantial fundamental advances in materials design.Through scientific exchange, as well as exchanges of personnel, the team develops significant intellectual infrastructure for materials research, as well as optimizes use of instruments and facilities at each of the partner institutions in this international collaboration. Beyond the laboratory, recognizing that advances in materials science will not be translated into improved quality of life without a well-trained scientific and engineering workforce, the multidisciplinary and multinational team and the timely topic of materials for hydrogen generation will attract and retain more students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pipeline.This award is co-funded by the NSF Office of International Science and Engineering.