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This research aims to elucidate the mechanistic role of the oxide and assess whether near-field-assisted bandgap or sub-bandgap photoexcitation of carriers in the oxide is responsible for the observed photoactivity, or, whether charge separation across the metal/oxide is a more important contributor. In this project, a plasmonic heterostructure consisting of Au nanoparticles in contact with a semiconducting oxide (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) is studied for determining the relative contributions of plasmonic near-field enhancement, hot electron transfer, and photothermal heating in photocatalytic reactions. Professor Jain investigates the physicochemical mechanism(s) by which the plasmonic excitation of a noble metal-containing heterostructure induces or catalyzes chemical reactions on the surface of the nanostructure. Outreach activities seek to foster community awareness of solar energy as a clean, renewable alternative to energy from fossil fuels. The educational program is aimed at generating early scientific interest in the classroom by means of vivid, hands-on examples from optics, preparing high school, undergraduate, and graduate students for future science and technology careers.
#Prasanth jain software
Alongside the laboratory efforts, an interactive software tool is being developed and employed for the purpose of education on the interaction of light with matter. Another effort involves the achievement of light-to-chemical energy conversion using cheaper, more abundant materials. Professor Jain aims at preparing strongly light-absorbing materials that can efficiently convert sunlight into chemical energy in fuels. This process, if properly understood and controlled, may become a candidate technology for capturing solar energy and for driving energy-intensive processes in the chemical industry with light. With this CAREER Award, the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry is supporting Professor Prashant Jain of the University of Illinois to study the detailed manner in which light energy is converted into chemical energy within metallic materials. Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:Ġ40100 NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 040100 NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Prashant Jain (Principal Investigator) Sponsored Research Office:.CAREER: Elucidation of the mechanistic origins of plasmon-induced chemical reactions NSF Org: