system to measure and quantify electronic properties of single walled carbon nanotube material and metal oxide catalysts

该拨款提案旨在为近红外至紫外范围内的光学吸收分光光度计提供资金，以调查与单壁碳纳米管（SWNT）和金属氧化物基非均相催化剂的电子结构相关的关键挑战。所要求的仪器将具有表征我们实验室正在开发的各种先进材料的电子结构和化学环境的特殊能力。所得到的信息将是潜在的应用，如确定性合成的单壁碳纳米管，功能单壁碳纳米管为基础的复合材料的制造，监测单壁碳纳米管运输的次表面，合成和表征的新型光催化剂的高级氧化过程和催化氧化钒粉末的研究烷烃氧化脱氢过程的关键价值。所要求的设备还支持对这些材料进行全面的“原位”表征;能够以所需的时间分辨率详细研究电子结构的变化，以捕捉在操作条件下发生的结构和化学变化的动态。固体和粉末样品的分析需要漫反射池，而原位反应池则需要在等温条件和受控环境下进行分析。质量流量控制器和流量控制箱以及不锈钢管线、配件和附加的开/关阀也被要求在仔细控制的等温条件下将气体反应物的精确组成输送到原位反应池。这些将是在操作条件下对材料进行光谱研究的专用设施的一部分。该设备将提高反应工程，催化剂和光催化剂表征领域的能力和专业知识，同时确保西安大略大学土木与环境和化学与生物化学工程系开发纳米技术新课程。

This grant proposal seeks  funding for an optical absorption spectrophotometer in the near infrared to ultraviolet range needed to investigate key challenges related to the electronic structure of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and metal oxide-base heterogeneous catalysts. The requested instrumentation will have the exceptional capability of characterizing the electronic structure and chemical environment of a wide range of advanced materials under development in our laboratories. The information derived will be of critical value for potential applications such as deterministic synthesis of single walled carbon nanotubes, fabrication of functional SWNT-based composites, monitoring of SWNT transport on the subsurface, synthesis and characterization of novel photocatalysts for advanced oxidation processes and the study of catalytic VOx powders for alkane oxy-dehydrogenation processes. The requested equipment supports inclusive "in situ" characterization of these materials as well; enabling a detailed study of the changes of electronic structure with the time resolution required to capture the dynamics of structural and chemical changes that occur under operating conditions. A diffuse reflectance cells is required for analysis of solid and powdered samples while an in situ reaction cell is requested to allow analysis under isothermal conditions and controlled environments. Mass flow controllers and a flow control box together with stainless steel tubing lines, fittings and additional on/off valves are requested as well to deliver precise compositions of gas reactants to the in situ reaction cell under careful controlled isothermal conditions. These will be part of a dedicated facility for spectroscopy studies of materials under operating conditions. This equipment will enhance the capabilities and expertise in the areas of reaction engineering, catalyst and photocatalysts characterization and at the same time ensure development of new programs in nanotechnology in the departments of Civil and Environmental and Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the University of Western Ontario.