CAS: A General Synthetic Platform for Atomically-Precise Functionalization of Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials

在化学系大分子，超分子和纳米化学项目的支持下，普渡大学的Christina Li博士将研究将金属离子库系统地结合到过渡金属二硫属化物（TMD）中，并随后研究它们在氧还原反应（ORR）中的催化活性，期望分离的金属掺杂剂表现出高催化活性。这些二维材料的受控功能化具有扩展其用途的潜力，因为出现了新的和可调的特性。合成后，李博士和她的研究团队使用各种仪器技术来评估这些材料的结构和化学性质，并测试它们的性能。该研究涉及探索可用于将过渡金属和后过渡金属掺杂到硫化钨（WS2）中的合成相空间，合成后修饰和稳定金属掺杂剂周围的配位环境以增加ORR活性，以及将这些合成、改性和掺杂剂策略扩展到其他TMD。更广泛的影响包括电化学模块的高级安置化学课程的发展和远程教学模块的发展。在开发TMD活化和功能化的分子水平理解的同时，这些材料随后将评估其可调和稳定的电催化性能。这一潜在的广泛适用的战略，即金属掺杂TMD结构的合成，预计将产生使新的光电和催化技术，有潜力被用于电池或燃料电池。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得支持的评估使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

With the support of the Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry, Dr. Christina Li of Purdue University will investigate the systematic incorporation of a library of metal ions into transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and subsequently study their catalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with the expectation that isolated metal dopants exhibit high catalytic activity. The controlled functionalization of these two-dimensional materials has the potential to expand their uses because of the new and tunable properties that arise. After synthesis, Dr. Li and her research team use a variety of instrumental techniques to assess the structure and chemical properties of these materials and to test their performance. They are also developing laboratory modules for advanced high school coursework and teaching modules that are compatible for remote learning.This research involves the exploration of the synthetic phase space available for doping transition metals and post transition metals into tungsten sulfide (WS2), the post-synthetic modification and stabilization of the coordination environment around the metal dopants to increase ORR activity, and the expansion of these synthesis, modification, and dopant strategies to other TMDs. Broader impacts include the development of electrochemistry modules for Advanced Placement chemistry courses and the development of remote teaching modules. While developing a molecular level understanding of TMD activation and functionalization, these materials will be subsequently evaluated for their tunable and stable electrocatalytic performance. This potentially broadly applicable strategy whereby metal-doped TMD structures are synthesized is expected to yield enabling new opto-electronic and catalytic technologies that have the potential to be utilized in batteries or fuel cells.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.