Surface-Enhanced Solar Energy Conversion System for Advancing Alternative Energy

在化学系化学催化项目的这一奖项下，阿拉巴马大学的Shanlin Panen和Arunava Gupta教授将研究表面增强型太阳能转换系统，以促进替代能源的发展。具有良好金属纳米结构的等离子体天线周围的强电磁场将被用来提高可见光活性光催化剂的光吸收截面，用于光电化学反应、分解水和其他光电化学反应。先进的光电化学、光谱和显微工具，如超快瞬时吸收光谱、光电化学微电极和微电极，将被用来探测表面增强的光催化剂附近的界面电荷转移动力学和局部光电化学。这项全面的研究计划包括以下部分：纳米结构制备、结构表征、光电化学和光谱电化学研究以及理论建模。这项工作汇集了一个多学科团队，将在与可再生能源相关的研究中对科学知识、教育推广和基础设施做出重大贡献，可再生能源是国家最优先考虑的领域。该项目的科学成果将包括在制造新型纳米结构光催化剂方面的进展以及对其光电化学和材料特性的基本了解。这项工作的结果对于提高可见光活性光催化剂制氢的水分解效率和混合有机光伏器件的动力效率都是有意义的。PI将与阿拉巴马州动态科学(ASIM)计划合作，为阿拉巴马州中西部的高中少数民族和代表性不足的学生和教师开发清洁能源教育计划。拟议的项目将为研究生和本科生，包括代表人数不足的少数群体提供支助，这将有助于他们进行广泛的跨学科培训。拟议项目的一个重要方面是提供专题研究领域实践经验的能力。项目人员将在与拟议研究有关的几个正在进行的教育和外联活动中发挥关键作用。这些措施包括与当地学校合作，促进高中生参与研究、公共旅游和示范。

With this award from the Chemical Catalysis Program of the Chemistry Division Professors Shanlin Pan and Arunava Gupta of the University of Alabama will investigate surface-enhanced solar energy conversion systems for advancing alternative energy. Intense electromagnetic field around plasmonic antenna of well-defined metallic nanostructures will be utilized to enhance the light absorption cross-section of visible-light-active photocatalysts for photoelectrochemical water splitting and other photoelectrochemical reactions. Advanced photoelectrochemical, spectroscopic and microscopic tools, such as ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy, photoelectrochemcial microelectrode, and microelectrode, will be used to probe the interfacial charge transfer dynamics and local photoelectrochemistry near the surface-enhanced photocatalysts. The comprehensive research program includes the following components: nanostructure fabrication, structural characterization, photoelectrochemical and spectroelectrochemical studies, and theoretical modeling.The work brings together a multidisciplinary team that will make significant contributions to scientific knowledge, education outreach and infrastructure in a study related to renewable energy, which is an area of top priority for the nation. The scientific outcomes of the project will include both advances in the fabrication of a new class of nanostructured photocatalysts and fundamental understanding of their photoelectrochemical and materials characteristics. Results from the work are relevant both for improving the water splitting efficiency of visible-light-active photocatalysts to produce hydrogen and power efficiency of hybrid organic photovoltaic devices. The PIs will collaborate with the Alabama Science in Motion (ASIM) Program to develop a clean energy education program for high school minority and underrepresented students and teachers in west central Alabama. The proposed project will provide support for graduate and undergraduate students, including underrepresented minorities, which will contribute to their broad interdisciplinary training. An important aspect of the proposed project is the capacity to provide hands on experience in topical research areas. Project personnel will play a key role in several ongoing education and outreach activities related to the proposed research. These include collaboration with local schools to facilitate participation by high school students in research, public tours and demonstrations.