The Search for Noble Multifunctional-Nanocrystal Architectures

最近人们认识到，通过设计和制造包含一种以上功能纳米级组件的MEMS架构，可以创建一类新的先进材料。该奖项支持基础研究，以阐明折叠原子分层2D材料的原理，该原理可以控制独特的多功能微结构的组装。理解由2D材料折叠控制的有序多功能结构的设计和制造原理将促进新的多功能材料的发现和发明，用于更广泛的应用。该研究的实验床材料系统是由金属金纳米晶体和半导体纳米颗粒组成的高性能光电器件。该研究的更广泛影响包括纳米结构材料基础科学的进步，其应用范围从高分辨率生物成像到高效太阳能收集。因此，这项研究不仅将推动科学的发展，而且还将为国家的健康、繁荣和福利建立技术。科学和工程的多学科研究将培养多样化的学生群体，以培养在纳米技术领域进行全球竞争所急需的下一代STEM劳动力。为此，该奖项还将支持本科生参与研究，通过与全球行业和机构的合作整合研究和教育，招募代表性不足的学生，并通过布朗大学的外展计划与K-12学生互动。可编程多功能纳米结构的可扩展组装长期以来一直是难以捉摸的。本研究旨在阐明多尺度纳米结构组装的原理，通过多功能纳米结构的新架构为广泛的应用创造独特的材料特性。多尺度组装策略依赖于三个层次上的物理化学和自组织力学：1）纳米晶体的合成和表征; 2）二维材料中量子挠曲电褶皱的密度泛函理论; 3）纳米晶体和褶皱之间相互作用的变分分析。测试材料系统是用于等离子体激子-激子耦合的金纳米晶体和CdSe-CdS核-壳量子点的混合结构，通过多层石墨烯和/或六方氮化硼中的褶皱排列。这种跨学科的努力将提供一些新的见解，在纳米材料的力学和物理，以及创造新的多功能材料的方法。这一新的基础知识将作为一个指南，阐明材料的纳米和微观力学在开发新的先进材料中的独特作用。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。

It has recently been recognized that a new class of advanced materials can be created by designing and fabricating nanocrystal architectures that contain more than one type of functional nanoscale components. This award supports fundamental research to elucidate the principles of folding atomically layered 2D materials, which can control the assembly of unique multifunctional nanocrystal architectures. Understanding design and fabrication principles for ordered nanocrystal architectures controlled by 2D-material folds will promote discovery and invention of novel multifunctional materials for a broader range of applications. The testbed material system for the research is a high-performance optoelectronic device composed of metallic gold nanocrystals and semiconductor nanoparticles. Broader impacts of the research include advances in the fundamental science of nanostructured materials, with applications ranging from high-resolution bio-imaging to efficient solar-energy harvesting. Thus, the research will not only move forward science, but also build up technology for national health, prosperity, and welfare. The multi-disciplinary research in science and engineering will train a diverse group of students for the development of next-generation STEM workforces critically needed to compete globally in nanotechnology. To this end, this award will also support the inclusion of undergraduate students in research, integration of research and education through collaboration with global industries and institutions, recruitment of underrepresented students, and interactions with K-12 students through outreach programs at Brown University.Scalable assembly of programmable multifunctional nanostructures has long been elusive. This research aims to elucidate principles of multiscale nano-structural assembly to create distinctive material properties for a broad range of applications through the novel architecture of multifunctional nanostructures. The multiscale-assembly strategy relies on physical chemistry and the mechanics of self-organization on three levels: 1) synthesis and characterization of nanocrystals; 2) density functional theory of quantum-flexoelectric crinkles in 2D-materials; and 3) variational analysis of interactions among the nanocrystals and the crinkles. The test material system is a hybrid architecture of gold nanocrystals and CdSe-CdS core-shell quantum dots for plasmon-exciton coupling, aligned by crinkles in multilayer graphene and/or hexagonal boron nitride. This interdisciplinary effort will offer some new insights in the mechanics and physics of materials at the nanoscale, as well as methods of creating novel multifunctional materials. This new fundamental knowledge will serve as a guide to elucidate the distinct roles of nano and micromechanics of materials in developing novel advanced materials.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.