This research project supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, focuses on the further study of semiconductor/liquid interfaces and organic photoconductor/liquid interfaces. Professor Bard and his students at the University of Texas at Austin will extend their studies to include new group III-V nitride semiconductor materials. In this project atomic force microscopy and scanning electrochemical microscopy will be used with electrochemical measurements. As the efficiency of photoelectrochemical processes occurring at these interfaces improves possible water splitting reactions, photocatalytic waste treatment processes, and the development of new memory devices will be pursued.
There is a need to more efficiently couple the conversion of solar energy with electron transfer reactions driven at solid/liquid interfaces. Professor Bard and his students at the University of Texas at Austin have pioneered studies of semiconductor/liquid and organic photoconductor/liquid interfaces for these purposes. A family of new semiconductor materials will be studied in this work with the aim to improve the efficiency of these photoelectro-chemical reactions. Among the practical advances envisaged for this work is improved splitting of water and more efficient photoelectrochemical waste treatment processes. New memory devices will also be developed in this work.
