Characterization of Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystal Surface Chemistry: Reduction, Nucleophilicity, and Radical Reactions

Professor Emily Tsui of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame is studying chemical reactions driven by light that are mediated by semiconductor nanomaterials. One major outstanding question in this area is how the surfaces of the semiconductor nanomaterials themselves transform during the chemical reactions. This project will focus on studying how atoms at these semiconductor surfaces undergo oxidation or reduction reactions and what the resulting products are. These results will guide the development of improved semiconductors for future chemical reactions and manufacturing. The grant will also support research training of graduate students and outreach activities with local middle school students in semiconductor and nanoscience education. Professor Emily Tsui of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame is studying bond-forming reduction and oxidation reactions of metal chalcogenide semiconductor nanocrystal surfaces. For example, surface-localized oxidative addition or reductive elimination mechanisms will be studied using different solution-phase infrared and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic reporters to quantify and characterize the resulting semiconductor nanocrystal surface products. The expected project outcomes will be to better understand how semiconductor nanocrystal surfaces may themselves react during photocatalytic applications or under other conditions. These efforts will train graduate student researchers in synthetic and spectroscopic techniques for semiconductor materials. Additional outreach activities will develop nanoscience modules for local middle school students in the South Bend area. 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.