Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Florida Institute of Technology Inc. received a $391,948 CAREER award from the National Science Foundation's Division of Materials Research (CFDA 47.049 – Mathematical and Physical Sciences) effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031. The award funds fundamental research and educational activities focused on understanding and controlling surface segregation in high-entropy oxides (HEOs) – advanced materials containing five or more metallic cations. The primary research deliverables include mechanistic insights into how different cations distribute across HEO surfaces, computational and experimental methodologies to predict surface behavior and electrocatalytic performance, and guidance on optimizing surface structures to enhance electrocatalysis applications in solid oxide fuel cells and chemical conversion processes such as water-to-hydrogen peroxide synthesis. These materials are expected to outperform conventional metal oxides as electrocatalysts by leveraging controlled surface structures that differ from their internal microstructures.

In addition to technical research outputs, the award integrates education and workforce development activities designed to cultivate future professionals with interdisciplinary skills in materials science and catalysis, with specific focus on building STEM capacity in the Melbourne, Florida region. The project bridges computational modeling and experimental validation through integrated methodologies to establish mechanistic understanding and precise control of interfacial behavior during electrocatalytic processes on HEO platforms.