RUI: Harnessing Electroanalytical Chemistry for the Exploration of Photocatalytic Electron Transfer Processes

利用光能引起化学反应的催化剂是许多重要过程的关键，包括合成新分子，将水分解为氢气和氧气以及光合作用。研究这些催化剂非常重要，因为更好地了解它们的工作原理可以提高当前应用的效率以及新催化剂和新工艺。在这个项目中，布林莫尔学院的金匠博士正在开发一种分析方法，以测量催化剂如何有效地利用它们捕获的光能。这种新方法被用于研究已知的催化系统，以了解如何对其进行修改和改进。金匠博士还在制造含有这些催化剂的聚合物（塑料），以构建更好地从光中捕获能量的系统。这种新的分析技术使人们能够深入了解这些系统的功能。从这项研究中获得的控制光捕获效率的因素的更深入的理解为进一步的催化剂开发和改进提供了途径。作为一所女子学院的教员，金匠博士坚定地致力于为妇女和代表性不足的少数群体增加科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的获取和坚持。这个研究项目正在影响金匠博士的课堂教学。 该研究项目激发了学生对催化和可再生能源等主题的兴趣-当今社会的大型工业。让布林莫尔学院的多元化学生群体直接参与这项研究，为妇女和少数民族提供了参与尖端跨学科研究的机会，并促进他们参与STEM。金匠博士和他在布林莫尔学院的研究小组正在开发一种分析技术，光致计时电流法（PICA），将光激发与计时电流法结合起来，直接测量光致电子转移过程的效率。一系列的铱基光氧化还原催化剂，包括那些可以介导的水还原为氢和其他用作单电子转移催化剂在有机合成正在研究与PICA。这些结果提供了洞察的结构-功能关系，支配这样的催化剂的性能，指导其合理的优化。使用电聚合，含有这些催化剂的薄层光捕获架构正在构建中。这种结构的能力，以影响光还原水为氢的询问与PICA，以获得更好地了解如何设计一个最有效的薄膜为基础的水减少系统，利用可见光的能量。金匠教授各级课程的化学课程，研究提供了可用于激发学生对STEM兴趣的真实例子。金匠博士的研究小组是由布林莫尔学院的不同女学生组成的。 该研究课题鼓励学生在无机光化学的跨学科研究，并促进他们在STEM的参与增加。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

Catalysts that use the energy from light to cause chemical reactions are key to many important processes, including the synthesis of novel molecules, the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen gas, and photosynthesis. Studying these catalysts is important because a better understanding of how they work can lead to more efficiency in current applications as well as to new catalysts and new processes. In this project, Dr. Goldsmith of Bryn Mawr College is developing an analytical method to measure how efficiently catalysts use the light energy they capture. This new method is being used to study known catalytic systems to learn how they can be modified and improved. Dr. Goldsmith is also making polymers (plastics) that contain these catalysts to construct systems that better capture the energy from light. This new analytical technique gives insight into the functioning of these systems. The deeper understanding of the factors that govern light harvesting efficiencies obtained from this research provides avenues for the further catalyst development and improvement. As a faculty member at a women's college, Dr. Goldsmith is deeply committed to increasing access to and persistence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for women and underrepresented minorities. This research project is influencing Dr. Goldsmith's teaching in the classroom. The research project sparks students' interest in topics such as catalysis and renewable energy - large industries in today's society. Involving Bryn Mawr College's diverse student population directly in this research provides opportunities for women and minorities to engage in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and fosters their participation in STEM. Dr. Goldsmith and his research group at Bryn Mawr College are developing an analytical technique, photoinduced chronoamperometry (PICA), that couples photoexcitation with chronoamperometry to yield a direct measurement of the efficiency of photoinduced electron transfer processes. A series of iridium based photo-redox catalysts, including ones that can mediate the reduction of water to hydrogen and others that are used as single-electron-transfer catalysts in organic synthesis are being investigated with PICA. These results give insight into the structure-function relationships that govern the performance of such catalysts, guiding their rational optimization. Using electropolymerization, thin-layer light harvesting architectures containing these catalysts are being constructed. The ability of such structures to effect the photoreduction of water to hydrogen is interrogated with PICA in order to gain a better understanding of how to design an optimally efficient thin-film-based water reduction system that harnesses the energy from visible light. Dr. Goldsmith teaches chemistry courses at all levels of the curriculum and the research provides real-world examples that can be used to spark students' interest in STEM. Dr. Goldsmith's research group is composed of Bryn Mawr College's diverse female students. The research topic encourages the students in interdisciplinary research in inorganic photochemistry and facilitates their increased engagement in STEM.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.