CAREER: The Rational Design of Plasmonic Photocatalysts for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion

材料研究部的固态和材料化学计划将支持佛罗里达大学的魏大卫魏教授的研究和教育计划。 Wei教授的团队将开发方法和策略来解决有关表面等离子体共振（SPR）介导的电子转移（SPMET）的关键问题，以开发新材料和策略，实现高效的太阳能-化学能转换。 所开发的方法将允许直接探测的空间分布，扩散机制，和弛豫动力学的“有效的热电子”的SPMET过程后，在单纳米粒子的水平。拟议的基础研究将阐明表面等离子体共振在增强光催化活性方面的具体作用，所获得的知识将为设计和构建用于高效太阳能光催化的新型等离子体异质结构奠定基础。 这些独特的SPR介导的ET策略对于ET和运输发挥重要作用的许多相关能量转换和储存过程至关重要，并且它们将进一步告知技术的发展，以改善许多当代光催化化学能源生产方法的低效率。 此外，这些战略将推进许多其他技术相关领域，利用光诱导氧化还原反应，从有机化学到生物化学，没有在这个建议，从这个项目的发现将导致新的材料和技术，促进清洁能源和健康的环境，是至关重要的国家的未来。 该计划更广泛的教育影响将是下一代科学家的指导和灵感，特别是在太阳能领域。 魏教授和他的团队将特别关注扩大科学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。 结合学生辅导和课程开发，魏教授将继续他之前的努力，实施几项外展活动，教育高中学生，教师和公众对太阳能电池纳米材料的认识。

TECHNICAL SUMMARYThe Solid State and Materials Chemistry Program of the Division of Materials Research will support the research and education program of Prof. Wei David Wei at the University of Florida. Prof. Wei's group will develop methods and strategies to address key questions concerning surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-mediated electron transfer (SPMET) in order to develop new materials and strategies for efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion. The developed methods will allow the direct probing of the spatial distribution, diffusion mechanics, and relaxation dynamics of the "effective hot electrons" following the SPMET process at the single-nanoparticle level. The proposed fundamental study will clarify the specific role of SPR in enhancing photocatalytic activity, and the obtained knowledge will lay the groundwork for the design and construction of novel plasmonic heterostructures for highly efficient solar photocatalysis. These unique SPR-mediated ET strategies will be essential to a number of related energy conversion and storage processes where ET and transport play important roles, and they will further inform the development of technologies that improve upon the low efficiency endemic to many contemporary methods of photocatalytic chemical energy production. Moreover, these strategies will advance many other technologically-relevant areas, not covered in this proposal, that exploit photoinduced redox reactions, ranging from organic chemistry to biochemistry.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYDiscoveries from this project will lead to new materials and technologies that promote the cleaner energy and healthier environment that are vital to the nation's future. The broader educational impact of this program will be the instruction and inspiration of the next generation of scientists, particularly in the field of solar energy. Prof. Wei and his group will specifically focus on broadening the participation of groups underrepresented in the sciences. In conjunction with student mentorship and curriculum development, Prof. Wei will continue his previous efforts to implement several outreach activities to educate high school students, teachers, and the general public on nanomaterials for solar photocatalysis.