Development and Characterization of Novel Materials under Extreme Conditions for Energy Applications

我们建议制定一个涉及极端条件下化学和材料科学的综合研究计划，以解决能源和可持续发展方面的挑战和应用。极端条件下的化学和材料研究，如高压，代表了一个充满活力的前沿跨学科领域。特别是，通过使用高压生产具有新结构和性能的功能材料，这些材料在环境条件下是无法获得的，这表明这些材料（例如储氢材料和电池电极材料）的潜在应用前景广阔，特别是在清洁能源领域。高压技术的巨大进步，特别是那些涉及金刚石砧细胞、光学微光谱学以及基于同步加速器的结构表征探针的技术，使高压科学中的新挑战问题得以解决。我们的实验室拥有最先进的设备，专门用于材料合成、制造、极端条件生成和原位结构表征方面的研究。有了这些强大的工具，我的研究计划将在以下五个主题中得到体现：1)一维纳米结构材料的压力调谐；2)新型储氢材料的开发；3)高能量密度材料的合成与表征；4)用于能量转换的高压光化学；5)纳米多孔材料的结构调整和储气研究。第一个主题涉及半导体无机纳米结构的合成、结构修饰和表征，这些结构具有潜在的能源应用，如电池电极材料。接下来的三个主题是针对新能源载体的发展，无论是以储能材料，高能材料的形式，还是具有新型高压光化学再活化导致燃料形成的前体。最后一个主题是研究金属有机框架（MOF）材料在高压下的结构、稳定性和储气性能（特别是温室气体），从而促进环境的可持续性。总的来说，我们提出的研究项目将为所涉及的高素质人才提供尖端的科学技术专业知识，并为加拿大的新材料和清洁能源战略研究领域做出重大贡献。

We propose to develop a comprehensive research program involving chemistry and materials science under extreme conditions that addresses challenges and applications in energy and sustainability. Chemistry and materials research under extreme conditions, such as at high pressures, represents a vibrant frontier interdisciplinary area. In particular, the production of functional materials with novel structures and properties by using high pressure that are otherwise inaccessible under ambient conditions, demonstrates strong promise for potential applications of these materials (e.g., hydrogen storage materials and battery electrode materials) especially in clean energy. The tremendous advances of the high pressure techniques, especially those involving diamond anvil cells, optical micro-spectroscopy, as well as synchrotron based structural characterization probes, have enabled new challenging questions in high-pressure science to be addressed. Our lab houses start-of-the-art apparatus dedicated for materials research in terms of synthesis, fabrication, and for extreme condition generation and in situ structural characterization. Armed with these powerful tools, in particular, my research program will be exemplified in the following five themes: 1) Pressure tuning of one-dimensional nanostructured materials; 2) Development of new hydrogen storage materials; 3) Synthesis and characterization of high energy density materials; 4) High-pressure photochemistry for energy conversion; and 5) Structural tuning of nanoporous materials and investigation of gas storage. The first theme involves the synthesis and structural modifications and characterizations of semiconducting inorganic nanostructures that are of potential for energy applications such as battery electrode materials. The next three themes are targeted to the development of new energy carriers either in the form of energy storage materials, energetic materials, or precursors with novel high-pressure photochemical reactivates leading to the formation of fuels. The last theme is oriented towards the investigation of structures, stabilities and gas storage performance (especially for greenhouse gas) of metal-organic framework (MOF) materials at high pressures, thus contributing to the environmental sustainability. Overall, our proposed research program will equip the involved highly qualified personnel with cutting-edge scientific and technical expertise and contribute to Canada’s strategic research area of novel materials and clean energy with significant impact.