Formation and Stability of Supported Metal Nanostructures

化学系的大分子、超分子和纳米化学(MSN)计划和化学结构、动力学和机理(CSDM)计划将支持爱荷华州立大学的Patricia Thiel教授和James Evans教授的合作研究计划。教授们。泰尔和埃文斯以及他们的学生将研究支撑在表面上的金属纳米结构的形成和稳定性。他们将同时考虑化学添加剂对行为的影响，以及由多组分系统提供的额外复杂性和功能。对这些体系的详细分析和阐明将通过实验(扫描隧道显微镜与其他表面分析技术相结合)、理论和模拟(从从头算密度泛函理论和能量学的半经验分析，到使用动力学蒙特卡罗模拟的原子模拟和外延纳米结构自组装和粗化的粗粒连续模型)的紧密结合来实现。这些研究将为一系列基于薄膜沉积的纳米技术提供基本的科学基础。这项工作将为纳米科技、纳米结构成像和分析、预测理论和多尺度建模等前沿领域的研究生和博士后学员提供极好的教育培训机会。

The Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN) program and the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms (CSDM) program of the Division of Chemistry will support the collaborative research program of Prof. Patricia Thiel and Prof. James Evans of Iowa State University. Profs. Thiel and Evans and their students will study both the formation and stability of metal nanostructures supported on surfaces. They will consider both the effect of chemical additives of behavior, and also the additional complexity and functionality provided by multi-component systems. Detailed analysis and elucidation of these systems will be achieved by a closely integrated combination of experiment (scanning tunneling microscopy in combination with other surface analysis techniques) together with theory and simulation (from ab-initio DFT and semi-empirical analysis of energetics, to atomistic modeling using Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation and coarse-grained continuum modeling of the self-assembly and coarsening of epitaxial nanostructures). These studies will provide the basic scientific underpinnings for a range of nanotechnologies based on thin film deposition. The work will provide excellent educational training opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral trainees in cutting-edge areas of nanoscale science and technology, nanostructure imaging and analysis, and predictive theory and multiscale modeling.