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

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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.