Synthesis and Characterization of Supported Metal Sub-nanoparticles for Applications in Catalytic Reactions of Alkanes

化学部支持加州-圣巴巴拉大学的珍妮·麦卡希尔作为美国化学竞争力研究员。 McCahill博士将从分子前体合成金属亚纳米颗粒，并研究支撑颗粒在与烷烃的催化反应中的反应。 McCahill将与加州大学-圣巴巴拉分校的科学家，以及阿贡国家实验室，材料研究合作访问小组（MRCAT）和高级光子源的合作者合作。 McCahill博士将与初中学生和教师合作，通过实践活动向他们传授化学科学的新前沿，包括纳米科学的催化应用。 她将与UCSB数学、工程和科学成就（梅萨）项目的Robert科塔和Phyllis布雷迪合作开展这项活动。 被选中的初中将是西班牙裔学生人数较多的圣巴巴拉和文图拉县的学校。像麦卡希尔博士这样的研究旨在开发新型催化材料。 催化剂在工业中很重要，因为它们允许以较低的成本合成具有所需性质的分子和材料。 此类研究的最终目的是为工业过程开发更好的催化剂。 McCahill博士为扩大参与所作的努力旨在增加科学界代表性不足群体中的年轻人的参与。

The Division of Chemistry supports Jenny McCahill of the University of California - Santa Barbara as an American Competitiveness in Chemistry Fellow. Dr. McCahill will synthesize metal sub-nanoparticles from molecular precursors, and investigate the reactions of supported particles in catalytic reactions with alkanes. McCahill will work in collaboration with scientists at University of California - Santa Barbara, and with collaborators at Argonne National Laboratory, the Materials Research Collaborative Access Team (MRCAT) and the Advanced Photon Source. In her plan for broadening participation, Dr. McCahill will work with junior-high school level students and teachers, teaching them about new frontiers in the chemical sciences, including the catalytic applications of nanoscience, through hands-on activities. She will collaborate in this activity with Robert Cota and Phyllis Brady of the Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) program at UCSB. Junior high schools selected will be ones in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties with a high population of Hispanic students.Research like that of Dr. McCahill is aimed at developing new kinds of materials for catalysis. Catalysts are important in industry, since they allow the synthesis of molecules and materials with desirable properties at reduced cost. The ultimate aim of research like this is to develop better catalysts for industrial processes. The efforts at broadening participation being pursued by Dr. McCahill are aimed at increasing the participation of young people from underrepresented groups in the sciences.