Electrochemical Deposition and Characterization of Mixed Metal Oxides For Energy

在分析和表面化学计划的支持下，这项研究将利用结构定向模板来控制和组装具有所需孔隙率和比表面积的混合金属氧化物材料，以制备和研究新的电极材料和结构。目前，对氧化还原活性混合金属氧化物的结构-性能关系的了解还不够充分，因为这些材料的无序和非均相性质给这些材料的表征带来了挑战。这一建议的智力优势来自于通过低温电化学沉积系统地制备了具有独特价态的新型亚稳态金属混合氧化物材料。此外，对它们的结构、组成和电化学性质的全面表征将被用来阐明混合金属氧化物材料的机理，并将离子插入和光学行为联系起来。这些表征技术不仅包括传统的方法(例如，拉曼、XPS和X射线衍射法)，还包括我们实验室新开发的一套光谱电化学和扫描探针显微镜技术。虽然这项研究的重点是混合金属氧化物中的锂插入，但显然，这项研究的结果将促进对材料性质的理解，并将其应用于催化、化学传感和光子学。这一提议的更广泛影响包括开发新的材料设计概念和高分辨率分析工具，以了解非均质介孔表面上的复杂界面现象。将通过一项跨学科计划实现更广泛的教育影响，该计划侧重于培养新一代有才华的年轻科学家，他们具有解决与能量储存和电化学材料有关的问题所需的智力和动机。从事该项目的研究生将接受多个领域的培训，包括电化学、材料科学、表面分析表征方法(XPS、AFM、EQCM)、椭偏测量、UV-Vis和拉曼光谱。此外，几名本科生和高中生将参与这项研究计划，将这项研究与德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校最近资助的专注于纳米材料合成的NSF新生研究计划(FRI)相结合。将与奥斯汀儿童博物馆(ACM)和当地的K-12学校开展社区外联工作，以开发实践单元，突出技术有用材料的重要性。

In this research supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry program, new electrode materials and architectures will be prepared and studied using structure-directing templates to control and assemble mixed metal oxide materials with desired porosity and surface area. At present, the understanding of structure-property relationships of redox-active mixed metal oxides is insufficient, as characterization of these materials is challenging due to their disordered and heterogeneous nature. The intellectual merit of this proposal derives from the systematic preparation of new metastable metal mixed oxide materials with unique valence states via low-temperature electrochemical deposition. Additionally, thorough characterization of their structural, compositional and electrochemical properties will be used to elucidate mechanistic aspects and to correlate ion insertion and optical behaviors of mixed metal oxide materials. These characterization techniques include not only conventional methods (e.g., Raman, XPS, and XRD) but also a suite of spectroelectrochemical and scanning probe microscopy techniques newly developed in our laboratories. Although the research focuses on lithium insertion in mixed metal oxides, clearly the results of this study will advance understanding of materials properties with applications toward catalysis, chemical sensing and photonics. The broader impacts of this proposal involve the development of new material design concepts and high-resolution analytical tools for understanding complex interfacial phenomena at heterogeneous, mesoporous surfaces. Educational broader impact will be achieved through an interdisciplinary plan focused on preparing a new generation of talented young scientists with the intellect and motivation necessary to solve problems related to energy storage and electrochemical materials. Graduate students working on the project will receive diverse training in several areas including electrochemistry, materials science, surface analytical characterization methods (XPS, AFM, EQCM), ellipsometry, UV-vis and Raman spectroscopies. Additionally, several undergraduates and high school students will be involved in this research program by coupling the research to a recently funded NSF Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) at UT-Austin that focuses on the synthesis of nanomaterials. Community outreach efforts will be pursued with the Austin Children's Museum (ACM) and with local K-12 schools to develop hands-on modules that highlight the importance of technologically useful materials.