CAREER: Monodisperse Metal Alloy Nanoparticles

来自密西西比大学的Amala Dass获得了由化学系的大分子、超分子和纳米化学（MSN）项目和刺激竞争性研究实验项目办公室（EPSCoR）共同资助的CAREER奖。Dass教授和他的学生研究金金属（Cu, Ag, Pd）合金纳米分子，这是一种分子定义的超小金合金纳米粒子（3nm， 500个原子），具有特定数量的金属原子和保护配体。由于量子尺寸效应，它们的化学和物理性质是独特的，与块状材料不同。采用湿法共还原法制备了Au38 Metal38-x (SR)24、Au144 Metal144-x (SR)60和Au324 Metal324-x (SR)92等合金纳米分子。成分分配将使用基质辅助激光解吸电离（MALDI）和电喷雾电离（ESI）质谱法进行。纳米合金将进一步使用光谱学、电化学和x射线衍射方法进行表征。这项研究将有助于理解这些合金在量子效应发挥重要作用的尺寸制度。它们在催化、等离子体、太阳能电池和医学诊断方面有潜在的应用。作为这个职业教育计划的一部分，达斯教授和他的学生将开发一个K-12外展计划到北帕诺拉高中，并涉及高中和本科生在拟议的研究。这些项目将鼓励年轻和代表性不足的学生参与科学事业。

Amala Dass from the University of Mississippi is supported in a CAREER award jointly funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN) program of the Division of Chemistry and the Office of the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). Professor Dass and his students study gold-metal (Cu, Ag, Pd) alloy nanomolecules, which are ultra-small gold alloy nanoparticles ( 3 nm, 500 atoms) of molecular definition with specific numbers of metal atoms and protecting ligands. Their chemical and physical properties are unique and different than in bulk materials due to quantum-size effects. Alloy Nanomolecules of the following composition: Au38 Metal38-x (SR)24, Au144 Metal144-x (SR)60 and Au324 Metal324-x (SR)92 will be synthesized using wet co-reduction methods. The compositional assignment will be performed using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. The nanoalloys will be further characterized using optical spectroscopy, electrochemistry and X-ray diffraction methods. This research will facilitate the understanding of these alloys in this size regime where quantum effects play important roles. These have potential applications in catalysis, plasmonics, solar cells and medical diagnostics. As part of this CAREER educational program, Professor Dass and his students will develop a K-12 outreach program to North Panola high schools and involve high school and undergraduate students in the proposed research. These programs will encourage the participation of younger and under-represented students in science careers.