Bioelectrochemistry at nanocomposite-modified interfaces and surfaces

该研究项目旨在详细了解固定在表面和界面上的纳米材料修饰复合结构中的各种相互作用分子。电化学在导电电活性聚合物的制备和表征中起着重要的作用。电化学技术特别适合于这些化合物的受控合成和明确的氧化态的调整。第一个目的是研究共轭聚合物的电活性受到纳米复合材料中金属纳米颗粒表面等离子体激元的显著影响的假设。作为一个长期目标，该研究项目将为开发新型纳米复合材料修饰表面和界面提供系统的方法和配方。在本研究项目中，重点是开发新型电化学和等离子体传感器以及在各种表面（碳，氧化铟锡（ITO），金，银，硼掺杂金刚石等）上制造的纳米机器，这些纳米机器将使用碳纳米管，石墨烯和金属纳米颗粒等纳米材料对cep进行修饰。对于电化学传感器和纳米机器的发展，纳米复合材料将被用作活性层、传感层或催化层；也可以作为包裹生物分子和纳米材料的基质。某些金属纳米颗粒与共轭聚合物表现出优异的协同性能。尽管进行了大量的研究，但导电聚合物和隔离纳米材料之间潜在协同效应的一些基本性质仍未得到很好的理解。其中包括与金属纳米粒子结合后聚合物的导电性增强，以及电化学测量期间金属纳米粒子的驱动集体电子振荡特性（局部表面等离子体共振，LSPR）。本研究计划的目标之一是利用已开发的纳米机器快速有效地去除水中的有毒金属和有机污染物。提议的项目假设纳米机器技术可以被用来开发一种新的工具，通过设计工具来解决传统水净化方法的挑战和局限性，这种工具可以被水处理厂和家庭使用，这些家庭无法获得干净的水。在提高混合纳米机器的效率、功率和功能方面取得的实质性进展，为设计下一代纳米级设备提供了一个令人兴奋的未来，这些设备具有在微环境中执行复杂任务和反应的能力。该研究项目融合了电化学、传感器、纳米技术和设备制造，为学生提供了学习当今世界科学与纳米技术之间联系的机会；因此对加拿大乃至全球的经济财富和生活质量做出了积极贡献。

The research program aims to provide a detailed understanding of various interacting molecules in a nanomaterial-modified composite structure immobilized on surfaces and interfaces. Electrochemistry has played a significant role in the preparation and characterization of the conducting electro-active polymers (CEPs). Electrochemical techniques are especially well suited to the controlled synthesis of these compounds and for the tuning of a well-defined oxidation state. First objective is to investigate the hypothesis that electro-activity of conjugated polymers is significantly influenced by the surface plasmons of metal nanoparticles in the nanocomposite. As a long-term objective, the research program will provide a systematic approach and recipes to develop novel nanocomposite-modified surfaces and interfaces. In this research program, the focus lies on the development of novel electrochemical and plasmonic sensors and nanomachines fabricated on various surfaces (carbon, indium tin oxide (ITO), gold, silver, boron-doped diamond, etc.) that will be modified using CEPs with nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and metal nanoparticles. For the development of electrochemical sensors and nanomachines, nanocomposites will be used as active, sensing, or catalytic layers; also as matrices entrapping biomolecules and nanomaterials. Certain metal nanoparticles exhibit excellent synergistic properties with conjugated polymers. Despite intense studies, some fundamental properties of the potential synergistic effects between the conducting polymers and the sequestered nanomaterials are not well understood. These include enhanced conductivity of the polymer after association with the metal nanoparticles, and the driven collective electron oscillation characteristics (localized surface plasmon resonance, LSPR) of the metal nanoparticles during electrochemical measurements. One of the goals of this research program is to utilize the developed nanomachines for fast and efficient removal of toxic metals and organic pollutants from water. The proposed project hypothesizes that nanomachine technology can be utilized to develop a novel tool that will address the challenges and limitations of conventional water purification methods by designing tools, which can be used by water treatment plants as well as households, which do not have access to the clean water. Substantial progress in improving efficiency, power, and functionality of hybrid nanomachines promises an exciting future for designing the next generation of nanoscale devices with the capability to perform complex tasks and reactions in microenvironments. The research program, with its blend of electrochemistry, sensors, nanotechnology, and device fabrication provides students with opportunities to learn about the connection between science and nanotechnology in today's world; therefore contributing actively to economic wealth and the quality of life in Canada and also globally.