Materials World Network: Visible Light Nanocomposite Photocatalysts

非技术支持将开发一种新型的可见光纳米复合光催化剂。这些光催化剂由嵌入聚合物膜中的金属氧化物和金属纳米颗粒组成，并且具有可调节的特性。这项工作将导致在具有重大经济和社会意义的领域取得新的进展，包括清除室外污染物、改善室内空气质量、废水处理以及清除车辆和服装等设备上的化学战剂。这些材料的开发也可应用于其他技术，包括传感，光电子，药物输送和生物技术。该项目是与卢森堡Gabriel Lippmann研究中心的Damien Lenoble合作（由国家研究基金会资助），并为德克萨斯大学达拉斯和Gabriel Lippmann研究中心之间的尖端国际研究合作奠定了基础。该项目通过将研究生和本科生以及博士后学者整合到一个国际研究团队中，并为他们提供在许多技术重要行业中有价值的技能，促进了对他们的教育和培训。技术描述通过在等离子体聚合物基质中分层金属氧化物、二氧化钛和氧化锌、金属纳米颗粒，正在开发一类新的可见光纳米复合光催化剂。这些光催化剂与目前可获得的二氧化钛光催化剂相比具有许多优点。它们是柔性的，可用于保形涂覆各种表面，包括衣服和车辆，并且可用于连续流动系统。金属纳米颗粒的使用还引入了新的协同反应途径，使这类新材料比传统的光催化剂更具催化活性。这些光催化剂为去除室外污染物、改善室内空气质量、废水处理以及对包括车辆和服装在内的设备上的化学战剂进行去污提供了一种简单、稳健的方法。具有可调性能的无机-有机纳米复合材料的开发也在其他技术中有应用，包括传感，光电子，药物输送和生物技术。为了实现这些目标，该项目汇集了等离子体沉积（Goeckner），3D无机-有机和材料表征（步行者）的形成，无机纳米结构（Lenoble）的形成和聚合物（Lenoble和步行者）的国际专家。这项工作为德克萨斯大学达拉斯分校和卢森堡的加布里埃尔·李普曼研究中心之间的全面国际合作奠定了基础，该研究中心专注于无机-有机纳米复合材料的开发。该计划通过为研究生和本科生以及博士后学者提供不同科学文化的经验，并为他们提供在许多技术重要行业中有价值的技能，来推进研究生和本科生的培训和教育。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTIONA new class of visible-light nanocomposite photocatalysts will be developed. These photocatalysts are composed of metal oxide and metal nanoparticles embedded in a polymer film, and have tuneable properties. This work will lead to new advances in the areas of great economic and societal importance, including the removal of outdoor pollutants, improvement of indoor air quality, wastewater treatment, and decontamination of chemical warfare agents on equipment, including vehicles and clothing. The development of these materials also has applications in other technologies including sensing, optoelectronics, drug delivery and biotechnology. The project is a collaboration with Damien Lenoble, Centre de Researche Gabriel Lippmann, Luxembourg (funded by Fonds National de la Recherche) and provides the foundation for a cutting-edge international research collaboration between the University of Texas at Dallas and the Centre de Researche Gabriel Lippmann. The project advances the education and training of graduate and undergraduate students, and post-doctoral scholars by integrating them into an international research team, and providing them with skills valuable in many technologically important industries.TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION A new class of visible-light nanocomposite photocatalysts is being developed by layering metal oxide, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, metal nanoparticles in a plasma polymer matrix. These photocatalysts have many advantages over currently available titanium dioxide photocatalysts. They are flexible, can be employed to conformally coat a variety of surfaces, including clothing and vehicles, and can be used in continuous flow systems. The use of metal nanoparticles also introduces new synergistic reaction pathways, making this new class of materials more catalytically active than traditional photocatalysts. These photocatalysts provide a simple, robust method for the removal of outdoor pollutants, improvement of indoor air quality, wastewater treatment, and decontamination of chemical warfare agents on equipment, including vehicles and clothing. The development of inorganic-organic nanocomposite materials with tunable properties also has applications in other technologies including sensing, optoelectronics, drug delivery and biotechnology. To accomplish these goals, the project brings together international experts in plasma deposition (Goeckner), the formation of 3D inorganic-organic and materials characterization (Walker), the formation of inorganic nanostructures (Lenoble) and photocatalysis (Lenoble and Walker). This work provides a foundation for a comprehensive international collaboration between the University of Texas at Dallas and the Centre de Researche Gabriel Lippmann, Luxembourg focused on the development of inorganic-organic nanocomposites. The program advances the training and education of graduate and undergraduate students, and post-doctoral scholars by giving them experience in different scientific cultures and providing them with skills valuable in many technologically important industries.