SGER: Conducting and Semi-transparent Chemically Active Surfaces

CBET-0808053，阿尔坎塔尔这个小型探索性研究赠款项目旨在满足设计活性表面以检测硝基芳香族化合物、硝胺化合物和硝酸酯化合物的需要，这些化合物是爆炸装置的主要成分。混合纳米结构表面将由透明导电复合材料(TCC)与共轭导电低聚物线装饰而成。靶与低聚物的选择性结合改变了TCC中的电子迁移率，进而影响TCC的氧化还原状态。因此，通过测量TCC的导电性或通过TCC的颜色变化可以有效地读出结合事件。工作将包括开发薄膜TCC传感器和针对三种典型的硝基衍生物测试传感器。TCC将金纳米颗粒结合在导电聚合物基质中，创建了一种导电、柔性和电致变色的杂化材料。例如，TCC可以根据其氧化还原状态从不透明切换到深绿色。共轭低聚物的一端带有硫醇基团，另一端带有硝基受体，为选择性和传感提供了基础。硫醇基团将齐聚物固定在TCC表面的金属位置上，当受体以适当的分子为靶点时，启动了电荷转移机制。将评估的关键问题包括TCC的配方，TCC的薄膜加工(基于溶液或固态)，以及使用适当的低聚物丝对TCC进行功能化。智能优点：目前，最常见的透明传感器类型是基于铟锡氧化物(ITO)薄膜。ITO的显著缺点包括加工成本高、铟的供应有限以及机械稳定性较低。本研究旨在建立一种基于TCCS的新型高冲击性透明传感器，而不存在ITO的缺点。然而，部队派遣国的结构/性质关系相对较少。这项研究将首次确定和建立这些关系，以导致对TCC性能的可预测控制。具体地说，这项研究将探索合成效果，并将评估胶片处理策略在控制性能方面的作用。后者很重要，因为在工艺的可伸缩性和对纳米结构的控制之间存在权衡。这类研究将产生的影响不仅仅是TCC薄膜，因为它将为有序性和空间分布决定特性的纳米结构材料的加工提供宝贵的洞察力。广泛影响：TCC薄膜在传感器之外有许多潜在的应用，包括非线性光学元件、胶体稳定剂、催化剂和表面涂层，将极大地提高安全性和生活质量。该项目将导致包括当地高中教师和学生在内的外联计划，以增强和多样化化学、物理化学和工程基础的课程。它还将提供一种机制，以纳入一个不同的研究小组。PI致力于将女性和代表性不足的研究生纳入她的研究。目前，她的团队有四名女学生，其中两名有西班牙裔背景。

CBET-0808053, AlcantarThis Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) project addresses the need to engineer active surfaces for the detection of nitroaromatic, nitramine, and nitrate ester compounds, which are the primary constituents of explosive devices. Hybrid, nanostructured surfaces will be constructed from transparent conductive composites (TCCs) decorated with conjugated conductive oligomer wires. Selective binding of the target to the oligomer alters the electron charge mobility in the TCC, which in turn affects the redox state of the TCC. The binding event, therefore, can be effectively read out through measuring the conductivity of the TCC or through color changes to the TCC.The work will consist of developing thin-film TCC sensors and testing the sensors with respect to the three representative nitro-derivatives. TCCs combine gold nanoparticles in a conducting polymer matrix to create a hybrid material that is conductive, flexible, and electrochromic. For instance, the TCC can switch from opaque to dark green depending on its redox state. Conjugated oligomers that are functionalized with thiol groups at one end and nitro-derivative receptors at the other provide the basis for selectivity and sensing. The thiol group anchors the oligomer to the metal sites on the TCC surface and the receptor starts the charge transfer mechanism when targeted with the appropriate molecule. Key issues that will be evaluated include TCC formulation, processing of the TCC into thin films (solution based or solid state), and functionalization of the TCC with the appropriate oligomer wire.Intellectual merit: Currently, the most common type of transparent sensor is based on indium tin oxide (ITO) films. ITO suffers from significant drawbacks including a high processing cost, the limited supply of indium and its low mechanical robustness. This research serves to establish a new type of high-impact transparent sensor based on TCCs without the disadvantage of ITO. However, structure/property relationships are relatively unknown for TCCs. The research will, for the first time, identify and establish those relationships to lead to predictable control over TCC properties. Specifically, this research will explore compositional effects and will assess film processing strategies in controlling performance. The latter is important in that there are tradeoffs between scalability of the process and control over the nanostructure. Such research will have impact beyond just TCC films, for it will lend invaluable insight into the processing of nanostructured materials where order and spatial distributions dominate properties.Broader Impacts: There are many potential applications of TCC films beyond sensors including nonlinear optical components, colloidal stabilizers, catalytic agents, and surface coatings that will greatly improve security and quality of life. The project will lead to outreach programs that include local high school teachers and students to enhance and diversify curriculums in chemistry, physicochemistry, and foundations of engineering. It will also provide a mechanism for including a diverse research group. The PI is committed to include female and underrepresented graduate students in her research. Currently, her group has four female students, two with Hispanic backgrounds.