Project: Multi-component Assembly to Achieve Charge Separation and Transport for Energy Conversion
Research team: Dan DuBois || Xiao-Dong Zhou || Jun Liu
The project draws upon the catalytic expertise of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Institute for Interfacial Catalysis.
In this project, the Transformational Materials Science Initiative researchers will develop the capability to construct arrays of nanotubes, nanorods, or nanochannels for energy conversion applications. The researchers are modifying these so that that the structures can function as channels for the transport of protons and electrons.
To develop this capability, the researchers are
- Synthesizing and assembling oriented arrays of nanorods, nanotubes, and nanochannels that integrate electron and proton conductivity
- Developing a fundamental understanding of electron and proton transport in oriented and confined environments
- Localizing and incorporating molecular catalysts to impart the desired catalytic activity
- Developing methods for assessing the degree of integration achieved by these multiscale devices.
Value of this research: This project will provide fundamental scientific understanding of how to construct structured, functional, and organized nanoarrays capable of precisely delivering both protons and electrons to molecular catalysts for energy conversion. The demonstration of highly active integrated structures will provide an excellent basis for designing more complex multiscale structures that integrate the functions of light-harvesting and charge separation, proton and electron transport, and catalysis.
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