CAREER: Multifunctional Materials from Organic-Free Systems

这项研究将合成和结构表征与电化学和光催化相结合，从无有机体系中开发出多功能的无机硫属化合物。由该项目制备的新材料将模仿天然沸石，具有包裹可移动无机阳离子的多孔结构。通过将纳米孔与快速离子导电性或光催化活性相结合，这些材料可以用作结晶固体电解质、尺寸或形状选择的光催化剂或高比表面积的光电极，在电池、电化学传感器、太阳能转换和燃料电池等一系列重要的经济技术中具有巨大的应用潜力。这个项目直接关系到公众的短期和长期国家利益，因为它与能源和环境科学有关。此外，它还有助于增加学生的接触，并激发他们对固体化学和材料化学前沿领域的兴趣。它将为本科生和研究生提供极好的最新实验技术培训机会。该项目将鼓励学生的多元化参与，因为加州大学河滨分校的非裔美国人和西语裔美国人的入学率是加州大学九个校区中最高的。正在开发的外展计划类型包括为高中教师和学生提供的为期10周的材料化学暑期培训课程。

The proposed research integrates synthesis and structural characterization with electrochemical and photocatalytic measurements to develop multifunctional inorganic chalcogenides from organic-free systems. New materials prepared from this project will mimic natural zeolites with porous architecture encapsulating mobile inorganic cations. By combining nanoporosity with fast-ion conductivity or photocatalytic activity, these materials can be used as crystalline solid electrolytes, size- or shape-selective photocatalysts, or high-surface-area photo-electrodes and have great potential for applications in a range of economically important technologies such as batteries, electrochemical sensors, solar energy conversion, and fuel cells. %%%This project is directly related to both short- and long-term National interests of the general public because of its relevance to energy and environmental sciences. In addition, it serves to increase students' exposure and stimulate their interest in frontier areas of solid state and materials chemistry. It will provide excellent training opportunities in the latest experimental techniques for both undergraduate and graduate students. The project will encourage diverse participation of students since the University of California - Riverside campus that has the highest African-American and highest Hispanic enrollment of any of the nine University of California campuses. The type of outreach programs under development include the PI's summer 10-week training sessions in materials chemistry offered to both high-school teachers and students.