Templated Synthesis of Nanoscale Hollow Shells with Controlled Porosity

该项目的总体目标是开发易于扩展的方法，以囊泡为模板制造多孔空心二氧化硅球。孔隙结构是通过在囊泡中加入孔模板实体来确定的，这些实体可以防止二氧化硅在这些位置沉积和聚合。囊泡在两个长度尺度上模板化结构。第一个尺度决定了球体的直径，它小于100纳米，可以通过控制囊泡的大小来调节。第二个长度尺度决定了壳的孔隙度，小于5纳米，同样可以通过孔模板实体的分子量和分子形状来调节。作为整个项目的一部分，PI将专注于了解如何控制孔隙密度和大小以及壳层厚度。这些是通过外壳控制传质过程的关键参数，并提供内部中空空间与外部之间的连接。该项目是独一无二的，因为它旨在同时在多个长度尺度上独立控制结构，中空球体尺寸与外壳孔隙率。调整两个刻度提供了独立控制容量和速率的能力。这种方法将为纳米结构材料在催化、分离、传感、药物输送和能量储存等一系列领域开辟新的可能性。项目的广泛影响：拟议的工作将成为通过CCNY和NYU之间最近授予的合作REU网站以及现有的软材料IGERT向即将入学的本科生提供的项目骨干的一部分。因此，REU补充资金将为一名本科生提供夏季研究机会。该本科生将与获得该资助的博士生密切合作，并将有机会参加现有REU网站提供的各种研讨会活动。这项研究使本科生能够解决一个超出典型的本科培训范围的问题，因为它涉及宏观和分子水平上的物理、化学和工程概念。经验表明，这样的项目对本科生有很高的吸引力。此外，该项目的RET补充资金将利用CCNY与当地专注于数学科学和工程的高中的密切关系，与科学教师建立研究伙伴关系。作为合作伙伴关系的一部分，该教师将在夏季和学年期间（这是由高中和CCNY的近距离促进）在纳米颗粒合成领域进行研究。此外，作为合作伙伴关系的一部分，将开发一个教学模块，侧重于使用纳米颗粒作为纳米结构的构建块。该模型将用于向高中化学和物理学生展示胶体化学和纳米科学的各个方面。

CBET-0756409CouzisThe overall objective of the project is to develop facile scalable methods forthe fabrication of porous hollow silica spheres using vesicles as templates. Thepore structure is determined by the incorporation of pore templating entities inthe vesicles that prevent the silica from depositing and polymerizing in thoselocations. The vesicles are templating the structure at two length scales. The firstscale determines the diameter of the spheres, which is less than 100 nm and canbe tuned by controlling the size of the vesicle. The second length scale determines the porosity of the shell and is less than 5 nm, again tunable via the molecular weight and molecular shape of the pore templating entity. As part of the overall project, the PI will focus on understanding how to control pore density and size, as well as the shell thickness. These are the key parameters that control the mass transfer process through the shell and provide the connectivity between the interior hollow space and the exterior.Intellectual Merit of the Proposed Work: The project is unique because it aims to control structure independently on multiple length scales simultaneously, the hollow sphere size vs. the shell porosity. Tuning both scales provides the ability to control capacity and rate independently. This type of approach will open up new possibilities for nanostructured materials in a range of fields including catalysis, separations, sensing, drug delivery, and energy storage.Broader impacts of the project: The proposed work, will become part of the cadre of projects available to incoming undergraduate students through the recently awarded collaborative REU site between CCNY and NYU and the existing Soft Materials IGERT. For this reason the REU supplemental funding will provide one undergraduate student with a summer research opportunity. This undergraduate student will work closely with the PhD student supported by this grant and will have access to the various workshop activities offered by the existing REU site. This research allows undergraduates students to tackle a problem that goes beyond one's typical undergraduate training, in the sense that it involves concepts from physics, chemistry, and engineering at the macroscopic and at the molecular level. Experience has shown that such projects have a high level of appeal to undergraduate students.Additionally, the project's RET supplemental funding will leverage CCNY's closerelationship with local High Schools focused on Math Science & Engineering, todevelop a research partnership with a science teacher. As part of this partnership, the teacher will conduct research in the PIs laboratory during the summer as well as during the academic year (this is facilitated by the close proximity of the High School and CCNY) in the area of nanoparticle synthesis. In addition, as part of this partnership, a teaching module focused on the use of nanoparticles, as building blocks for nanostructures, will be developed. The model will be used to demonstrate aspects of colloidal chemistry and nanoscience to high school Chemistry and physics students.