CAREER: Electrochemical Nanofabrication - Transformative Concept towards Synthesis of Novel Materials, Functional Surfaces and Metallic Nanostructures

本项目由化学学部化学结构、动力学与机理项目和材料研究学部金属与金属纳米结构项目资助。休斯顿大学的Stanko Brankovic教授和他的研究小组将研究通过表面有限电位移反应获得的金属纳米沉积物的控制热力学和动力学过程。在这种新的沉积方法中，较少贵金属的单层被更多贵金属阳离子氧化取代，这些阳离子同时被还原沉积在衬底表面。得到的金属镀层厚度仅为单原子，呈纳米团簇状均匀分布在衬底表面。这种纳米沉积物将作为模型体系来研究催化剂单层膜的结构-性能关系、在不同化学反应中的稳定性和自组织。此外，通过这种方法或通过脱合金生产的纳米级三维金属结构将被评估为制造更复杂的纳米结构的潜在途径，包括那些可用于超声传感应用的纳米结构。在这项工作中将形成的基本概念将对许多其他科学和技术学科产生影响。也许最直接的一个应用是微电子制造，在复杂的衬底上精确、均匀的沉积（即“保形沉积”）仍然是一个艰巨的挑战。自组织的二维金属结构、活性催化剂单层的设计或碳纳米管的有组织生长是其他一些例子。该计划整合了从高中到研究生的教育组成部分，并解决了物理科学前沿研究的发展，并以长期可持续技术发展为主题。该计划的长期目标是培养能够应对现代世界技术挑战的高素质科学家和工程师。

This project is supported by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms Program of the Division of Chemistry and the Metals and Metallic Nanostructures Program of the Division of Materials Research. Professor Stanko Brankovic and his research group at the University of Houston will investigate the governing thermodynamics and kinetics processes controlling the morphology of the metal nanodeposit obtained via surface limited galvanic displacement reaction. In this novel deposition method, a single monolayer of less noble metal is oxidized-displaced by more noble metal cations which are simultaneously reduced-deposited on a substrate surface. The obtained metallic deposit has just a single atom in thickness as nanoclusters uniformly distributed over the substrate surface. Such nanodeposit will be used as model system to study structure-property relation of catalyst monolayers, their stability in different chemical reactions and their self-organization. In addition, a nanoscale three dimensional metallic structures produced by this method or by dealloying will be evaluated as a potential path for the fabrication of more complex nanostructures, including those that can be used for ultrasound sensing application.The fundamental concepts that will be developed in this work will have an impact in many other scientific and technological disciplines. Perhaps the most immediate one is the application to microelectronics fabrication, where precise, uniform deposition (i.e., "conformal deposition") on complex substrates remains a daunting challenge. Self-organized 2D metallic architectures, design of active catalyst monolayers or organized growth of carbon nanotubes are some other examples. This program integrates an educational component which spans over the range from high school to graduate students, and addresses the development of cutting edge research in the physical sciences, with an over-reaching theme of long term sustainable technology development. The long term goal of this program is to produce the highly qualified scientist and engineers able to carry out the technical challenges of the modern world.