Developing a New Generation of Perovskite Oxides Based Composite Materials for CO2 Conversion into Fuels

非技术描述：有效地将二氧化碳转化为燃料在解决温室气体排放问题和可持续能源挑战方面具有巨大潜力。在生产材料方面存在重大挑战，这种材料可以通过利用太阳能，特别是太阳光谱的可见部分来促进这种转换。有限数量的已知材料对二氧化碳的转化表现出非常低的量子效率，而只被紫外线(UV)光激活。如果成功，该项目将使用绿色路线生产有价值的化学品，从而对能源和环境领域产生重大影响。它将通过利用太阳能等可持续能源来减少二氧化碳排放。技术细节：这一科学领域取得进展的主要障碍是缺乏对合成方法、微和纳米结构与纳米结构之间的关系以及由此产生的物理化学性质和反应性之间的关系的了解。实现这一认识并开发出可用于工业规模的全新制造方法，是这些新功能特性能够实际应用之前必须应对的主要挑战。实现这两个目标，一个是科学的，另一个是技术的，将对应于一项重大突破，使一系列新的应用成为可能。该项目致力于合成钙钛矿基纳米结构薄膜和粉末，通过各种技术进行纳米级的改性，这些技术允许化学掺杂、控制晶体结构、缺陷浓度和施加不寻常的新形貌。这项研究为实现二氧化碳光催化转化为有价值的化学产品提供了一个全新的方向。该项目旨在探索几种策略，通过整体和表面敏感的表征技术，在这些材料的反应性和物理化学性质之间建立联系。该项目还试图更好地了解当掺杂剂被引入正确的氧化状态、浓度和位置时，掺杂剂在二氧化碳界面反应中的作用，在这些位置，掺杂剂可以显著提高催化活性。这项研究的一个不同寻常的部分是对掺杂纳米结构薄膜的利用，其中颗粒尺寸和成分都可以通过一种新的纳米制造方法进行精确控制。此外，该项目旨在探索钙钛矿氧化物的形态控制，以增加其表面积和捕光能力。最后，该项目扩大了研究生和本科生的教学课程和研究机会，大量吸纳了人数不足的学生。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: The efficient conversion of carbon dioxide into fuels has an enormous potential to address both greenhouse emission issues and sustainable energy challenges. Significant challenges exist in producing materials, which can facilitate this conversion by utilizing solar energy, especially the visible part of the solar spectrum. A limited number of known materials exhibit very low quantum efficiency for carbon dioxide conversions, while being activated only by ultraviolet (UV) light. If successful, this project can significantly impact energy and environmental areas by using green routes for producing valuable chemicals. It will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by utilizing sustainable sources of energy, such as sunlight.TECHNICAL DETAILS: The major obstacle to progress in this scientific area is a lack of understanding of the relationship between synthetic method, micro- and nano-architecture and nanostructure, and the resulting physico-chemical and reactivity properties. Achieving this understanding and developing entirely new fabrication methods, applicable on an industrial scale, are major challenges that must be met before these new functional properties can find actual practical application. Accomplishing these two objectives, one scientific and the other technical, would correspond to a major breakthrough that would make possible a whole range of new applications. This project focuses on synthesis of perovskite-based nanostructured films and powders modified at the nanoscopic level by a variety of techniques that allow chemical doping, control of crystal structure, defect concentration and imposition of unusual new morphologies. This research undertakes an entirely new direction for achieving photocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide into valuable chemical products. This project aims at exploring several strategies to establish a link between reactivity and physicochemical properties of these materials through both bulk and surface sensitive characterization techniques. This project also seeks a better understanding of the role of dopants in carbon dioxide interfacial reactions when the dopants are introduced in the correct oxidation state, concentrations and location where they can lead to significant increase in catalytic activity. An unusual part of this research is the utilization of doped nanostructured films, where both particle size and composition can be precisely controlled by a new nanofabrication method. Additionally, this project aims at exploring morphological control of perovskite oxides to increase their surface area and light trapping capabilities. Finally this project expands the teaching curriculum and research opportunities at both the graduate and undergraduate levels with significant inclusion of underrepresented students.