This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Materials Research, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program, supports Baylor University's research on the synthesis and characterization of metastable copper(I) oxide semiconductors. The $285,919 award, effective March 1, 2025 through July 31, 2026, aims to advance the development of these materials for applications in solar energy capture and carbon dioxide reduction. The research focuses on leveraging flux-mediated reaction pathways to access new crystalline structures with optimal photoelectrochemical properties. Characterization techniques including X-ray and neutron scattering are used to understand the synthesis mechanisms and kinetic stability of the target semiconductors. This work is expected to yield fundamental insights on tailoring the materials' structures and compositions for efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction. The project also provides professional training for students, including an undergraduate laboratory module and a materials characterization workshop.
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