This project is in the general area of analytical and surface chemistry and in the subfields of interfacial and materials chemistry. Four areas of technological and fundamental importance are addressed by this research. One area is the preparation and characterization of organized arrays of redox- active molecules within molecular sieve structures that could, through vectored electron transfer processes, emulate the natural photosynthetic system's ability to efficiently convert light to chemical energy. A second area of research focusses on the development of inorganic analogs of Langmuir-Blodgett lipid films as avenues to the synthesis of fundamentally interesting and technologically useful surface microstructures which could be useful as high resolution photoresists in microlithography and as the basis of molecular photodiode devices. In a third area, the intercalation chemistry of transition metal sulfides and oxyhalides is being explored as a means to develop cathodes for use in high energy density batteries. The fourth area addressed by this research involves topochemical oxidation reactions of highly symmetric organic molecules in the solid state that could lead to a general and effective synthetic route to metallic and semiconducting organic polymeric materials. This five year continuing grant to the University of Texas for the support of Professor Mallouk as a Presidential Young Investigator is designed to enable his rapid and effective initiation of this broad and innovative research program in materials chemistry.
