Nanocomposite thin films - understanding interactions at the nano-to-meso scale to enable control of material properties

我的研究项目是关于理解和洞察复杂的系统-界面，纳米颗粒，复合材料与多个组件-以便能够合理或系统地设计理想的性能。两相之间的界面——无论是固体、液体还是气体——不仅起到分离作用，而且还决定了它们之间的相互作用和传输。表面无处不在，从微观到分子水平上理解表面上发生的过程是许多化学和生物系统的关键。不幸的是，对于一个完整的理论模型来说，它们太复杂了。然而，复杂性意味着有机会创造许多不同类型的形态，从而创造属性。问题是如何系统地、可重复地解决这个问题。******在接下来的五年里，我们的研究目标是控制纳米结构薄膜，以解决两个目标应用。第一个应用是关于环境的：嵌入光催化剂的涂层，用于分解水中的有机物或空气中的氮氧化物。第二个应用是感染控制：涂层可以控制它们如何与微米级颗粒相互作用。最终目标是针对细菌，无论是排斥、吸引还是杀死它们。******在这两种情况下，我们将研究如何：(1)使纳米颗粒具有优化的所需性能；(2)将其掺入具有理想属性的纳米结构薄膜或涂层中；(3)对材料进行测试，并进行迭代优化。将对目标应用进行初步研究，但详细调查必须等待具体领域有关伙伴的资助。因此，这个建议是关于支持应用程序的基本问题，但因为我们对最终的应用程序感兴趣，它对研究方法施加了额外的限制。因此，我们将使用具有成本效益、环保和可扩展的材料和工艺进行研究。

My research program is about getting understanding and insight into complex systems – interfaces, nanoparticles, composites with several components – so as to be able to rationally or systematically design desirable properties. The interface between two bulk phases – be they solid, liquid, or gas – serves not just to separate them, but also determines interaction and transport between them. Surfaces are ubiquitous, and a microscopic-to-molecular level understanding of processes that occur in them is key to many chemical and biological systems. Unfortunately, they are too complex for a full theoretical model. However, complexity means there is opportunity for the creation of many different types of morphology and, hence, properties. The question is how to address this systematically and reproducibly. ******In the next five years, our research goal is to control nanostructured thin films to address two target applications. The first application is with regards to the environment: coatings with embedded photocatalysts for the breakdown of organics in water, or NOx in air. The second application is in infection control: coatings with a control on how they interact with micron-scale particles. The eventual goal is targeting bacteria, whether to repel, attract or kill them. ******In both instances, we will investigate how to: (1) make nanoparticles with optimized desired properties; (2) incorporate them into nanostructured thin films or coatings that have desirable attributes; (3) test the materials, and optimize by iteration. Preliminary studies on the target applications will be conducted, but detailed investigations will have to await funding from relevant partners in specific areas. This proposal is thus about the fundamental issues underpinning the applications, but because we are interested in eventual applications, it imposes extra constraints on the research approach. Hence, we will carry out studies using materials and processes that are cost effective, environmentally-friendly and scalable.