Understanding and Controlling Structure in Metal Ion-Linked Multilayer Upconversion Solar Cells

非技术描述：有机和无机材料之间的界面对许多应用都很重要。例如，生物传感器工作在生物和电子设备之间的界面上。有机和无机混合钙钛矿材料在高效率和低成本太阳能电池方面显示出巨大的前景。由金属离子连接的有机和无机物种交替层组成的杂化材料在器件应用方面显示出了良好的前景。通过改变物种及其相互作用，有可能为特定的应用调整电子和光学性质。尽管界面在这些材料中很重要，但分子的间距、成键和取向如何影响这些金属离子连接的多层膜的性质仍是一个基本问题。这项研究的目标是确定多层组件的结构以及该结构如何决定其性能。研究人员将通过研究偏振光是如何被吸收和发射的，并结合检测束缚原子振荡的振动光谱来阐明这些结构的性质。这些研究将使合理设计具有针对性的结构化多层膜，以提高太阳能电池、催化、传感等方面的性能。与这些研究工作相辅相成的是多方面的外联/教育活动。这些措施包括通过在线视频和社交媒体吸引公众，量化主动学习对普通化学课程的影响，在PI的实验室开发共享设施并提高对其实用的认识。技术说明：金属氧化物表面的金属离子连接分子多层膜已经成为一种简单和模块化的手段，可以前所未有地控制有机-无机界面的性质及其在混合设备中的应用。虽然它们的结果/目标不同，但大多数混合器件依赖于界面电子和能量转移，而界面电子和能量转移又取决于界面的分子级结构(即分子之间的距离、成键和取向)。不幸的是，这种结构在很大程度上是未知的。这里的研究目标是1)使用偏振衰减全反射(p-ATR)、发射各向异性、拉曼和X射线光电子能谱来确定多层组件的结构，2)了解金属离子和结合基序如何影响光子上转换太阳能电池的多层结构和性能，以及3)传授技术知识并在FSU光谱实验室用户设施中建造一台p-ATR仪器，供更多的研究社区使用。总而言之，这项工作的成功完成将提供测量界面结构的工具和创建设计者多层界面所需的基本见解，以提高太阳能电池、催化、分子整流器、电致变色等方面的性能。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Nontechnical description:Interfaces between organic and inorganic materials are important for many applications. For example, biosensors operate at the interface between living matter and electronics. Hybrid perovskites with organic and inorganic components have shown great promise for high efficiency and low-cost solar cells. Hybrid materials consisting of alternating layers of organic and inorganic species linked by metal ions have shown promise for device applications. By varying the species and their interactions, it may be possible to tune the electronic and optical properties for a given application. Despite the importance of interfaces in these materials, there are fundamental questions about how the spacing, bonding, and orientation of molecules affect the properties of these metal ion linked multilayers. The goal of this research is to determine the structure of the multilayer assemblies and how that structure dictates their performance. Investigators will elucidate the properties of these structures by studying how polarized light is absorbed and emitted, combined with vibrational spectroscopy that detect oscillations of bound atoms. These studies will enable the rational design of structured multilayers with targeted properties for improved performance in solar cells, catalysis, sensing, and more. Complementing these research efforts are multifaceted outreach/education activities. These include engaging the public through online videos and social media, quantifying the impact of active learning on general chemistry courses, and developing a shared use facility in the PI’s laboratory and increasing awareness of its utility.Technical description:Metal ion-linked molecular multilayers on metal oxide surfaces have emerged as a simple and modular means of gaining unprecedented control over the properties of organic-inorganic interfaces and their application in hybrid devices. While distinct in their outcomes/goals, most hybrid devices rely on interfacial electron and energy transfer which in turn are dependent on the molecular level structure of the interface (i.e., the distance, bonding, and orientation between molecules). Unfortunately, that structure is largely unknown. The goal of the research here is to 1) use a combination of polarized attenuated total reflectance (p-ATR), emission anisotropy, Raman, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine the structure of multilayer assemblies, 2) understand how the metal ion and binding motif impact the multilayer structure and performance in photon upconversion solar cells, and 3) transfer knowledge of the technique and build a p-ATR instrument in the FSU Spectroscopy Lab user facility for use by the greater research community. In total, successful completion of this work will provide the tools to measure interfacial structure and the fundamental insights necessary for the creation of designer multilayer interfaces for improved performance in solar cells, catalysis, molecular rectifiers, electrochromism, and more.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.