Sustainable Nanoparticles: Plasmonic Photocatalysis and Solid-State Synthesis of Nanomaterials

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Chemical manufacturing and refining efforts alone contribute over half of all the industrial energy use in the US (2010 US Energy Administration survey), and thus have an important footprint on the reliance on fossil energy and green house gas emissions. The research I conduct aims at providing the chemical industry with novel processes to generate the molecules and the materials needed with minimal environmental impact. Specifically, this research program aims at designing nanoparticles to use them as electronics components and catalysts - molecules and materials that makes chemical reactions more efficient and less polluting. The unifying theme of the proposed research is to limit the energy requirement for both the nanoparticles production and their use in catalytic processes. In all cases, fundamental studies on catalytic and synthetic mechanisms are conducted in parallel to the development of sustainable applications for the nanoparticles. Along one axis, metal nanoparticles of silver and aluminum will be used as catalysts. There, we rely on their ability to strongly absorb in the visible region, a property called the "surface plasmon resonance" and turn light energy into chemical one to enable difficult organic transformations. Along the second axis, we will use mechanochemistry and aging techniques, as a means to afford well defined and functionalized nanoparticles with minimal energy requirements and greatly reduced amounts of solvents. Recent results in our group serve as stepping stones for this ambitious program. Highly qualified personnel in my group become experts in molecular inorganic and organic chemistry, catalysis, and materials synthesis, characterization and applications. This approach is original in the breadth of knowledge required to cover all these topics. I also offer an ideal environment for soft skills development. As nanoscience and green chemistry emerge as new scientific frontiers, students and professionals trained in my group are ideally positioned to enter the job market in the industry, academia or the public sector.