Mechanism of Natural Organic Matter Self-Assembly

化学系的环境化学科学(ECS)计划将支持南达科他州州立大学詹姆斯·赖斯教授的研究项目。赖斯教授和他的学生将研究纳米颗粒在自组装天然有机物(NOM)形成中的作用。他们将应用扫描电子显微镜、原子力显微镜、差示扫描量热法和同位素标记的脂类和两亲分子作为探针，结合固体核磁共振光谱、小角中子散射和中子自旋回波谱，提供分子水平上对导致实现这一目标的自组装过程的理解。该项目有可能提高我们对有机碳在土壤中的持久性以及全球碳循环机制的分子水平的理解。作为一个实际成果，控制NOM自组装的能力可能会导致开发出隔离机制和策略，以增加其在土壤中的停留时间。该项目将在一个对环境具有重要意义的高度跨学科的研究领域为学生和博士后研究员提供极好的培训机会。

The Environmental Chemical Sciences (ECS) program of the Division of Chemistry will support the research project of Prof. James Rice of South Dakota State University. Prof. Rice and his students will investigate the role of nanoparticles in the formation of self assembled Natural Organic Matter (NOM). They will apply scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and isotopically-labeled lipids and amphiphiles as probes in combination with solid-state NMR spectroscopy, small-angle neutron scattering, and neutron spin-echo spectrometry to provide molecular level understanding of the self assembly process leading to achieve this goal. The project has the potential to increase our molecular level understanding of mechanisms that contribute to the persistence of organic carbon in soils and thus the global carbon cycle. As a practical outcome, the ability to control NOM self-assembly could lead to the development of sequestration mechanisms and strategies to increase its residence time in the soil. The project will provide excellent training opportunities to students and postdoctoral fellows in a highly interdisciplinary research area of great environmental importance.