CAREER: Hybrid Borane Platforms for the Activation of Small Molecules of Energy Consequence

太阳能和风能等间歇性能源的大规模电力储存是可再生能源发展的一个关键挑战。应对这一挑战的一个很有希望的方法是使用可再生电力生产高能量的化学燃料，这种燃料可以随时储存、运输和使用。这种方法需要催化剂能够有效地将水和二氧化碳等惰性分子转化为氢和甲醇等化学燃料。目前，这种催化剂通常来自昂贵的稀有金属，如铂。为了使燃料的电化学生产在经济上更加可行，需要基于廉价和丰富元素的新型催化剂。在这个由化学部化学合成项目支持的项目中，加州大学河滨分校化学系的William Harman博士正在探索基于碳和硼的平台，这些平台模仿了常用金属催化剂的许多重要特征。目前正在开发它们将二氧化碳转化为燃料和燃料前体的能力，并正在设计廉价的催化剂。除了为UCR的研究生和本科生提供培训之外，该研究项目还包括向南加州内陆地区的社区学院提供外展服务，重点是在代表性不足的群体中促进STEM领域的学习机会。由于其固有的氧化还原活性和独特的反应方式，过渡金属在电化学小分子活化领域占据主导地位。近年来，以石墨碳为基础的杂原子掺杂材料在电催化方面的应用越来越广泛。本课题主要是制备碳负载型和两性离子型二硼蒽和金属离子系缚型二硼蒽。这些物质具有氧化还原活性，能够耦合电子转移和小分子活化。基于这种行为，设计了用于从二氧化碳等小分子中电化学合成能量丰富的物质（如甲醇）的催化剂。该研究项目为当地社区大学的本科生提供暑期研究经验，并为该社区提供化学高级研究的机会。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The large-scale storage of electricity from intermittent sources such as solar and wind power is a key challenge in the development of renewable energy. One promising approach to this challenge is the use renewable electricity to produce energy-rich chemical fuels that can be stored, transported, and used whenever necessary. This approach requires catalysts that are capable of efficiently converting inert molecules such as water and carbon dioxide into chemical fuels like hydrogen and methanol. Currently, such catalysts are typically derived from expensive, rare metals such as platinum. To make the electrochemical production of fuels more economically feasible new catalysts that are based on inexpensive and abundant elements are needed. In this project supported by the Chemical Synthesis Program of the Chemistry Division, Dr. William Harman, Chemistry Department, University of California - Riverside, is exploring platforms based on carbon and boron that mimic many of the important features of commonly used metals catalysts. Their ability to reduce carbon dioxide to fuels and fuel precursors is being developed and inexpensive catalysts are being designed. In addition to providing a vehicle for the training of graduate and undergraduate students at UCR, this research program incorporates outreach to community colleges in the inland southern California area with a focus on promoting opportunities for study in STEM fields among underrepresented groups. Due to their intrinsic redox activity and unique modes of reactivity, transition metals have dominated the field of electrochemical small molecule activation. Recently, materials based on graphitic carbon, often doped with heteroatoms, have emerged for applications in electrocatalysis. This project is preparing carbene-supported and zwitterionic diboraanthrancenes and diboraanthracenes with tethered metal ions. These species are redox active and are capable of coupling electron transfer and small molecule activation. Based on this behavior, catalysts are designed for the electrochemical synthesis of energy rich species, such as methanol, from small molecules, such as carbon dioxide. This research program incorporates a summer research experience for undergraduates at local community colleges as well as outreach to this community regarding opportunities for advanced study in chemistry.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.