International Collaboration in Chemistry: Bioinspired Heterogeneous Photocatalyst Assemblies

化学催化项目支持德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校的Krishnan Rajeshwar教授和Frank W. Foss Jr.教授与以色列理工学院的Yaron Paz教授合作，通过在复合结构中组装具有互补功能的多个组件来设计和开发更高效的光催化组件。这个国际化学合作（ICC）项目采用了增强电子传递的组件，这些组件由稳定的金属氧化物半导体、高效的电子介质和强大的可调黄素有机催化剂组成。该团队综合剪裁和组装单个有机和无机化学成分，以达到更有效的混合光催化剂组件。这些光催化系统利用地球上丰富的、廉价的、良性的化学物质设计的分子组合来创造新的光化学催化过程。该项目包括国际合作研究和教育，使人们能够协调一致地关注与光催化组件相关的基础研究问题，这些组件可以将阳光转化为可用的能源。美国调查人员为非裔美国人研究中心和AACCESS项目的学生提供奖学金，该项目为当地塔兰特县社区学院的低收入学生提供学费奖学金。该项目为高中生、本科生和研究生提供了实践经验的机会，使他们接触到国际研究的合作性质。

The Chemical Catalysis Program supports the research of Professors Krishnan Rajeshwar and Frank W. Foss Jr. of the University of Texas at Arlington to collaborate with Professor Yaron Paz of Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in Israel to design and develop more efficient photocatalytic assemblies via the assembly of multiple components with complementary functions in a composite architecture. This International Collaboration in Chemistry (ICC) project employs components that enhance electron transport in assemblies built from stable metal oxide semiconductors, efficient electron mediators, and robust and tunable flavin organocatalysts. The team synthetically tailors and assembles individual organic and inorganic chemical components to arrive at more efficient hybrid photocatalyst assemblies. These photocatalytic systems utilize molecular assemblies designed from earth abundant, inexpensive, and benign chemicals to create new processes for photochemical catalysis. This project includes international and cooperative research and education enabling a concerted focus on basic research questions related to photocatalytic assemblies that can convert sunlight into usable energy. The US investigators enable students at the Center for African American Studies and the AACCESS program, a program that provides need-based scholarships for tuition at UT Arlington to lower-income students at local Tarrant County Community Colleges. This project provides opportunities for high school, undergraduate and graduate students for hands-on experiences, exposing them to the collaborative nature of international research.