CAREER: The Rational Design of Plasmonic Photocatalysts for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion

技术概述材料研究部固体与材料化学项目将支持佛罗里达大学David Wei教授的研究和教育项目。Wei教授的团队将开发方法和策略来解决有关表面等离子体共振（SPR）介导的电子转移（SPMET）的关键问题，以开发新的材料和策略来实现高效的太阳能到化学能转换。所开发的方法将允许在单纳米粒子水平上直接探测SPMET过程中“有效热电子”的空间分布、扩散力学和弛豫动力学。该基础研究将阐明SPR在提高光催化活性中的具体作用，并为设计和构建用于高效太阳能光催化的新型等离子体异质结构奠定基础。这些独特的由spr介导的ET策略对于一些相关的能量转换和储存过程至关重要，其中ET和运输起着重要作用，它们将进一步为改善许多当代光催化化学能源生产方法的低效率的技术发展提供信息。此外，这些策略将推动许多其他技术相关领域的发展，这些领域在本提案中未涉及，利用光诱导氧化还原反应，从有机化学到生物化学。这个项目的发现将带来新的材料和技术，促进更清洁的能源和更健康的环境，这对国家的未来至关重要。这个项目更广泛的教育影响将是对下一代科学家的指导和启发，特别是在太阳能领域。魏教授和他的团队将特别关注扩大在科学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。在学生指导和课程开发方面，魏教授将继续他之前的努力，开展几项外展活动，向高中生、教师和公众普及太阳能光催化纳米材料的知识。

TECHNICAL SUMMARYThe Solid State and Materials Chemistry Program of the Division of Materials Research will support the research and education program of Prof. Wei David Wei at the University of Florida. Prof. Wei's group will develop methods and strategies to address key questions concerning surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-mediated electron transfer (SPMET) in order to develop new materials and strategies for efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion. The developed methods will allow the direct probing of the spatial distribution, diffusion mechanics, and relaxation dynamics of the "effective hot electrons" following the SPMET process at the single-nanoparticle level. The proposed fundamental study will clarify the specific role of SPR in enhancing photocatalytic activity, and the obtained knowledge will lay the groundwork for the design and construction of novel plasmonic heterostructures for highly efficient solar photocatalysis. These unique SPR-mediated ET strategies will be essential to a number of related energy conversion and storage processes where ET and transport play important roles, and they will further inform the development of technologies that improve upon the low efficiency endemic to many contemporary methods of photocatalytic chemical energy production. Moreover, these strategies will advance many other technologically-relevant areas, not covered in this proposal, that exploit photoinduced redox reactions, ranging from organic chemistry to biochemistry.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYDiscoveries from this project will lead to new materials and technologies that promote the cleaner energy and healthier environment that are vital to the nation's future. The broader educational impact of this program will be the instruction and inspiration of the next generation of scientists, particularly in the field of solar energy. Prof. Wei and his group will specifically focus on broadening the participation of groups underrepresented in the sciences. In conjunction with student mentorship and curriculum development, Prof. Wei will continue his previous efforts to implement several outreach activities to educate high school students, teachers, and the general public on nanomaterials for solar photocatalysis.