NSF Award
2418613
In this project, funded by the MPS-LEAPS (Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways) Program and managed by the Broadening Participation (CHE-BP) Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Michael B. Ross and his students at the University of Massachusetts Lowell will perform studies focused on the synthesis and characterization of multimetallic post-transition metal-noble metal nanoparticles to advance fundamental understanding of phase nucleation and plasmonic optical properties in multimetallic nanomaterials and to develop efficient electrocatalysts for carbon dioxide reduction. These materials are important for electronics and energy but are often challenging to understand due to their complexity. Professor Ross and his students will develop a systematic approach to understand how post-transition–noble metal nanoparticles form mixed alloy and intermetallic phases in ternary and quaternary metallic nanoparticles, and how the plasmonic optical properties and the carbon dioxide reduction electrocatalysis of these materials can manipulated and controlled. Their studies could expand the understanding of the principles leading to functional multimetallic and phase-mixed nanoparticles and could bring new fundamental insights into plasmonic and electrocatalytic behaviors in multimetallic materials. The research will be integrated with activities supporting a diverse STEM workforce, highlighted by a summer program where incoming undergraduates will perform hands-on synthesis of nanomaterials and receive mentoring supporting a successful career in chemistry.<br/> <br/>Professor Ross and his students will synthesize and characterize noble-metal-post-transition-metal alloy nanoparticles. The synthesis will be modified to explore many-component metal nanoparticle alloys and a diverse array of post-transition metals will be integrated. The materials will be investigated using high-resolution TEM, advanced X-ray scattering and absorption methods, and UV-visible spectroscopy. Electrochemical and gas chromatography analysis will be used to understand carbon dioxide reduction catalysis. The influence of the nanoparticle composition on the resulting plasmonic and electrochemical properties will help form structure-function relationships that can be generalized for application to a broader set of metal nanoparticle alloys and structures.<br/><br/>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.
