RII Track-4: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of FRET based Ionic Materials

非技术描述：福斯特共振能量转移（FRET）现象是一种众所周知的能量转移过程，广泛应用于能源（光电子、太阳能电池）、健康（光动力治疗、生物成像）和环境（传感器）应用领域。因此，已经为这些应用设计了几种类型的基于fret的分子。然而，其中一些是有毒的，与环境不相容，并且可能需要繁琐的多步骤，昂贵且耗时的合成协议。该项目致力于开发新型、环保、基于fret的有机离子材料（IMs），使用简单、快速和廉价的方法用于光电应用。先进的电化学、光学和器件制造技术将在佐治亚理工学院（GIT）使用，以确定新型IMs的全部潜力。该奖学金使PI能够探索其他IM应用并扩大她的研究活动范围。延长在我校的学习时间将提供广泛的接触和实践我校先进技术的经验，并发展长期合作，这将大大加强阿肯萨斯大学小石城分校的研究活动。这次培训将提供一个机会，在UA小石城和阿肯色州建立一个杰出的、首创的研究小组。技术描述：本研究集高可调谐fret基有机离子材料（IMs）及其薄膜的合成、表征、优化和器件工程于一体。提出了一种新颖而廉价的方法来开发具有FRET特性的单一有机分子。利用离子液体化学可以开发出一种产品收率高、纯度高、FRET效率高的材料。与共价分子相比，IMs提供了巨大的好处，并且允许光动力学，疏水性，热稳定性和光稳定性特性的简单可调。与现有材料相比，IMs具有明显的优势，非常适合解决光电子领域持续存在的效率和稳定性挑战。高热稳定性的基于fret的有机IMs在提高光电器件效率方面表现出巨大的潜力。了解这些新材料的详细光动力学，以探索其在多种应用中的全部潜力是非常重要的。GIT将利用先进的设备来了解IMs及其薄膜的基本电化学和光物理性质。最后，光电器件将被制造、优化和研究其效率。GIT设施对于完成拟议研究的总体目标至关重要。该奖学金为材料科学家提供了与经验丰富的光电科学家/工程师一起工作的独特机会。这项合作将为设计光电器件引入经济且高度可调的材料。与GIT建立长期合作关系将加强k-12，本科生，研究生和教师在国内研究所的研究活动。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。

Non-technical Description:Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) phenomenon, a well-known energy transfer process, is widely used in the arena of energy (optoelectronics, solar cells), health (photodynamic therapy, bioimaging), and environmental (sensors) applications. Therefore, several types of FRET-based molecules have been designed for these applications. However, some of them are toxic, incompatible with environment, and might require tedious multistep, expensive, and time-consuming syntheses protocols. This project focuses to develop novel, environmentally friendly, FRET-based, organic ionic materials (IMs) using simple, rapid and inexpensive methods for optoelectronic applications. Advanced electrochemical, optical and device fabrication techniques will be used at Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) to determine the full potential of novel IMs. This fellowship allows PI to explore other IM applications and broaden the scope of her research activities. An extended stay at GIT would provide extensive exposure and hands-on experience of advanced technologies available at GIT, and develop long-term collaborations that will greatly strengthen the research activities at University of Arkansas (UA) Little Rock. This training will provide an opportunity to establish an outstanding and first-of-its-kind research group at UA Little Rock and the state of Arkansas.Technical Description:This study integrates synthesis, characterization, optimization and device engineering of highly tunable FRET-based organic ionic materials (IMs) and their thin films. A novel and inexpensive approach is presented to develop a single organic molecule exhibiting FRET characteristics. Ionic liquid chemistry is exploited to develop a material with high product yield and purity along with promising FRET efficiency. IMs offer great benefits and allow simple tunability of photodynamics, hydrophobicity, thermal- and photo- stability characteristics as compared to covalent molecules. IMs have distinct advantages over the existing materials and are highly suitable to solve the ongoing efficiency and stability challenges in the field of optoelectronics. Highly thermal stable FRET-based organic IMs exhibit tremendous potential to enhance the efficiency of the optoelectronic devices. It is highly important to understand the detailed photodynamics of these novel materials to explore their full potential for multiple applications. Advanced equipment available at GIT will be utilized to understand fundamental electrochemical and photophysical properties of IMs and their thin films. Finally, optoelectronic devices will be fabricated, optimized, and investigated for their efficiency. GIT facilities are essential to accomplish the overall objectives of the proposed research. This fellowship provides a unique opportunity for materials scientists to work with experienced optoelectronic scientists/engineers. This collaboration will introduce economical and highly tunable materials for designing optoelectronic devices. Establishing a long-term collaboration with GIT will strengthen k-12, undergraduate student, graduate student, and faculty research activities at home institute.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.