Metal Nanoshperes Modified With Molecular Receptors

虽然金属团簇、金属胶体粒子和半导体纳米晶体几十年来一直是非常有吸引力的研究对象，但在过去的几年里，人们对纳米尺度的金属和半导体粒子的兴趣出现了明显的热潮。这一领域的研究论文数量的迅速增加与最近发展的方法学相关联，即用有机单分子层对这些颗粒的表面进行化学修饰，从而稳定和调节纳米颗粒的物理和化学性质。本研究项目致力于金属(金、铂和钯)纳米粒子的制备和表征。推动这项研究工作的关键概念是，表面固定的主体的分子识别特性可以与纳米颗粒的固有特性相结合，从而获得具有新颖和有趣性质的材料。例如，铂和钯表面的催化能力可以通过主体的结合性质来调节，以产生具有增强或修饰选择性的新催化剂。表面修饰的纳米粒子还可以用于制备新型复合材料和开发新型传感器。%本研究工作将增加我们对这些无机/有机复合材料的基础知识。这项工作的初始阶段将集中在用P.I.S实验室已经开发的方法制备的金纳米球的表征。随着这项工作的推进，工作将逐步转向分子主体修饰的铂和钯纳米粒子的制备、表征及其作为新催化剂的用途。除了拟议工作的科学意义外，对这项提议的资助将使S小组中未被充分代表的科学家能够继续得到培训和发展。在20世纪90年代的S时代，该组织总共8名博士毕业生中有5人是西班牙裔。该组织仅有的两名获得理科硕士学位的学生也是西语裔。目前，该群体总共九名研究生中有四名也是西语裔。

While metal clusters, metal colloidal particles and semiconductor nanocrystals have been very attractive subjects of research work for several decades, the last few years have witnessed a clear upsurge of interest in metal and semiconductor particles with nanometer dimensions. The rapidly increasing number of research publications in this field correlates with the recent development of methodology to chemically modify the surface of these particles with organic monolayers, which can stabilize and modulate the physical and chemical properties of the nanoparticles. This research project concentrates on the preparation and characterization of metal (gold, platinum and palladium) nanoparticles modified with monolayers of molecular receptors. The key concept driving this research work is that the molecular recognition properties of the surface-immobilized hosts may be combined with the intrinsic properties of the nanoparticles to yield materials with novel and interesting properties. For instance, the catalytic ability of platinum and palladium surfaces may be modulated by the binding properties of the hosts to produce new catalysts with enhanced or modified selectivity. Surface modified nanoparticles can also be utilized for the preparation of novel composite materials and for the development of new types of sensors.%%%The proposed research work will increase our fundamental knowledge of these inorganic/organic composite materials. The initial stages of the work will focus on the characterization of gold nanospheres prepared by methods already developed in the P.I.'s laboratory. As this work moves forward, efforts will gradually turn to the preparation of platinum and palladium nanoparticles modified with molecular hosts, their characterization and their use as new catalysts.In addition to the scientific significance of the proposed work, funding of this proposal will allow the continued training and development of underrepresented scientists in the P.I.'s group. During the 1990's, five out of a total of eight Ph.D. graduates from the group were of Hispanic origin. The only two students obtaining a M.S. degree for the group were also Hispanic. Currently, four out of a total of nine graduate students in the group are also Hispanic.