Building Selective Pathways for Electrons and Phonons in Nanocomposites

在过去的十年里，由于紧张的研究努力，各种纳米材料被合成出来。现在，研究一组纳米材料的集体行为/现象/相互作用并找到操纵其特殊性质的方法用于实际应用是非常重要的。计划的研究是合成各种纳米异质结构的构建块，并表征电子和声子等能量载体的输运性质。包括纳米点、纳米线、纳米管和纳米片在内的多维纳米材料将混合在一起形成薄膜和块状材料。此外，这些纳米材料的结和表面将被系统地改变，以研究修饰的影响。对构建功能材料具有重要意义的纳米材料的改性化学和方法学将进行深入的探索。这项研究将揭示开发和设计实际大规模应用的关键知识和理解，并提供对纳米接触/结/界面载流子传输现象的深刻理解，这些现象尚未得到广泛研究，但在纳米材料中具有重要意义。研究纳米材料的集体行为是非常具有变革性的，因为纳米材料需要结合在一起来构建实用的功能材料。此外，本研究还提供了许多与电荷/热传输相关的应用所必需的基础知识，包括热电和光伏能量转换、电子、热管理和传感器。研究成果已经或将被纳入核心本科课程、面向本科生/研究生的新研究生课程以及面向6-12岁/本科生/研究生和教师的研究/教育课程。

Over the past decade, a variety of nanomaterials have been synthesized as a result of intense research efforts. Now, it is very important to investigate collective behaviors/phenomena/interactions from a group of nanomaterials and find methodologies of maneuvering their extraordinary properties for the use of practical applications. Proposed research is to synthesize building blocks of various nanoparticle heterostructures and characterize transport properties of energy carriers such as electrons and phonons. Multi-dimensional nanomaterials including nanodots, nanowires, nanotubes, and nanosheets will be mixed to form films and bulk materials. In addition, the junctions and surfaces of such nanomaterials will be systematically altered for investigating the influence of modifications. The chemistry and methodologie for modifying nanomaterials, which is of great importance for building functional materials, will be intensively explored. This study will reveal key knowledge and understanding for developing and designing practical bulk-scale applications as well as provide profound understanding of carrier transport phenomena across nanoscale contacts/junctions/interfaces, which have not been extensively studied, but are of great importance in nanomaterials. Studying collective behaviors of nanomaterials is very transformative because nanomaterials need to be combined to build function materials for a practical use. Furthermore, this study offer fundamentals that are essential for many charge/heat transport related applications including thermoelectric and photovoltaic energy conversion, electronics, thermal management, and sensors. Research outcomes have been or will be integrated into core undergraduate courses, a new graduate course for undergraduate/graduate students as well as research/education programs for 6-12/undergraduate/graduate students and teachers.