Fundamental Study of Synthetic and Transformational Reactions of Molecular Silver and Gold Nanoparticles

化学家们经常利用化学反应来改变分子，形成和破坏化学键，以可控和深思熟虑的方式重新排列原子，以制造新的有价值的分子。分子纳米颗粒（10-100倍于大多数小分子的大小）的合成和转化缺乏这种程度的控制和复杂性。托莱多大学的Terry Bigioni教授和他的研究小组正在通过系统地研究不同类型的纳米颗粒反应来了解纳米颗粒合成和转化的细节，从而改变这一限制。通过揭示纳米粒子的反应方式，化学家们可能能够制造出更好的纳米材料，并使推动经济和帮助社会的新技术成为可能。这项工作的基本性质意味着它可以影响广泛的领域，例如清洁空气和节约能源的更好的催化剂，新型抗癌和抗病毒药物，用于生物医学成像的发光信标，或者直接从太阳收集能量的能量吸收器。参与这项研究的学生将获得宝贵的技能和跨学科培训，这对加强我们国家的经济、技术领先地位和劳动力至关重要。该项目包括广泛的外展活动，包括在托莱多大学举办的广受欢迎的“周六早间科学”系列公开讲座。单层保护簇（MPCs）是一类小到足以具有离散分子结构的纳米颗粒。尽管MPC是一种分子物种，但仍无法预测其反应的结果。在美国国家科学基金会化学部大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目的支持下，Terry Bigioni教授和他的研究小组正在研究贵金属MPCs（主要是金、银及其合金）的基本化学原理，以更好地理解涉及这类新化合物的反应。研究重点是学习纳米颗粒形成的合成原理，以及利用已知结构的MPCs子集对纳米颗粒进行修饰和转化的基本概念。为了实现这一目标，该团队正在开发研究平衡分布和反应动力学的方法，以便更详细地了解金属纳米颗粒热力学和反应途径。这些都是建立贵金属纳米颗粒反应性预测理论和提高我们合理控制其结构和性质的能力的重要步骤。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。

Chemists routinely transform molecules using chemical reactions to make and break chemical bonds, rearranging the atoms in controlled and deliberate ways to make new and valuable molecules. The synthesis and transformation of molecular nanoparticles (10-100 times the size of most small molecules) lack that level of control and sophistication. Professor Terry Bigioni and his research group at the University of Toledo are changing this limitation by systematically studying different types of nanoparticle reactions to learn the details of nanoparticle synthesis and transformation. By shedding light on how nanoparticles react, chemists may be able to make better nanomaterials and enable new technologies that drive the economy and help society. The fundamental nature of this work means that it can impact a broad range of fields, such as better catalysts that clean the air and conserve energy, new classes of anti-cancer and anti-viral drugs, light-emitting beacons for biomedical imaging, or energy absorbers for harvesting energy directly from the sun. Students involved in this research gain valuable skills and interdisciplinary training that is vital to strengthening our nation's economy, technical leadership, and workforce. This project includes extensive outreach activities, including the popular "Saturday Morning Science" public lecture series at the University of Toledo.Monolayer-protected clusters (MPCs) are a class of nanoparticles that are small enough to have discrete molecular structures. Despite being a molecular species, it is still not yet possible to predict the outcome of MPC reactions. With support from the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry program of the NSF Chemistry Division, Professor Terry Bigioni and his research group are studying the fundamental chemical principles of noble metal MPCs (primarily gold, silver, and their alloys), to better understand reactions involving this new class of compounds. The research focuses on learning the synthetic principles of nanoparticle formation as well as the underlying concepts of nanoparticle modification and transformation using a subset of MPCs with known structures. To accomplish this, the team is developing methods to study equilibrium distributions and reaction kinetics in order to gain a more detailed picture of metal nanoparticle thermodynamics and reaction pathways. These are important steps toward establishing a predictive theory of noble metal nanoparticle reactivity and improving our ability to rationally control their structures and properties.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.