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

化学系支持加州大学圣巴巴拉分校的珍妮·麦卡希尔成为美国化学竞争力研究员。麦卡希尔博士将从分子前体合成金属亚纳米粒子，并研究支撑粒子在与烷烃的催化反应中的反应。麦卡希尔将与加州大学圣巴巴拉分校的科学家、阿贡国家实验室、材料研究协作访问小组（MRCAT）和先进光子源的合作者合作。在她扩大参与的计划中，麦卡希尔博士将与初中水平的学生和教师合作，通过实践活动向他们传授化学科学的新领域，包括纳米科学的催化应用。她将与UCSB数学、工程和科学成就（MESA）项目的Robert Cota和Phyllis Brady合作开展这项活动。被选中的初中将是圣巴巴拉和文图拉县的初中，那里有大量的西班牙裔学生。像麦卡希尔博士那样的研究旨在开发新型催化材料。催化剂在工业上很重要，因为它们可以以较低的成本合成具有理想性能的分子和材料。这类研究的最终目的是为工业过程开发更好的催化剂。麦卡希尔博士所追求的扩大参与的努力，旨在增加来自代表性不足群体的年轻人在科学领域的参与。

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.