Research Initiation Award: Highly Stable Nanoparticle-Doped Metal-Organic Frameworks for Applications in Water Purification

研究启动奖为历史悠久的黑人学院和大学的初级和职业生涯中期教师提供支持，他们正在建立新的研究计划或重新定向和重建现有计划。预计该奖项有助于进一步提高教师的研究能力和有效性，改善所在机构的研究和教学，并让本科生参与研究经验。授予弗吉尼亚联合大学的奖项将寻求确定最佳合成方案，以分析纳米颗粒掺杂的膳食有机骨架(NP@MOFS)系统的水过滤和卫生性能，并根据观察到的性能对这些材料进行结构修改。拟议的工作探索通过一个复合系统同时消除水中的生物和化学污染物。目的是研究在水稳定的MOF中包裹金属纳米颗粒对净水性能的影响，并确定新的和现有的NP@MOF系统用于净水应用时的稳定性和可回收性。这项研究将分四个阶段进行，努力提供一种系统，允许掺杂纳米颗粒在过滤过程中最大限度地扩散。拟议工作的更广泛影响将是将拟议的NP@MOF系统应用于先进的水过滤机制，这在不发达的文明和不应得的公民中是必不可少的。此外，拟议的工作将加强VUU的研究基础设施，同时创造机会和接触未被充分代表的学生。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Research Initiation Awards provide support for junior and mid-career faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are building new research programs or redirecting and rebuilding existing programs. It is expected that the award helps to further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, improves research and teaching at the home institution, and involves undergraduate students in research experiences. The award to Virginia Union University will seek to determine the best synthetic protocols to analyze nanoparticle-doped meal-organic framework (NP@MOFs) systems for their water filtration and sanitation properties and to make structural modifications of these material based on observed performance. The proposed work explores the simultaneous elimination of biological and chemical contaminants in water through one composite system. The objectives are to investigate the impact of the encapsulation of metal nanoparticles inside water stable MOFs on water purification properties and determine the stability and recyclability of new and existing NP@MOF systems when used for water purification applications. The study will be done in four phases with efforts to offer a system which allows minimal diffusion of doped nanoparticles in the filtration process. The broader impacts of the proposed work will be the application of the proposed NP@MOF systems into an advanced mechanism for water filtration which is essential in underdeveloped civilizations and undeserved citizenry. Moreover, the proposed work will enhance the infrastructure of research at VUU, while creating opportunities and access to underrepresented students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.